Service Architect

Job summary

Do you want to shape how critical digital services are designed and supported, ensuring they work seamlessly for millions of users and staff?

Are you passionate about bringing together people, processes, technology and suppliers to create resilient, end-to-end service management solutions?

Could you lead internal and external stakeholders to define service requirements that match business needs and design IT support models that underpin them, ensuring services are ready for live operation and built for long-term success?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Service Architecture at DVLA ensures that service management and support arrangements are in place for every new or updated service, whether that service be internally or externally facing. A Service Architect leads on IT service management aspects of project and programme delivery (as well as major BAU change), ensuring alignment of technical solutions and engineering capabilities to business requirements relating to ongoing support and service management post go-live, and throughout their lifecycle.

A Service Architect works holistically, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across IT, business owners and external partners and suppliers, enabling the readiness of IT teams to receive the service into live operation, ensuring all service management elements are accounted for. This means new services arrive smoothly, work as intended for customers or DVLA staff and can be successfully supported and maintained well into the future.

Service Architects define how a service will be supported, maintained and kept secure, identify and manage risks to services during conception and work with business teams to agree a variety of ongoing service management or ‘warranty’ requirements, such as SLAs/XLAs, MI, service hours and prioritisation. They integrate people, process, technology and suppliers into coherent, measurable services, defining the roles and responsibilities to ensure that new or changed solutions can be operated and maintained.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DVLA - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - Department for Transport Careers.

Job description

As a Service Architect, you will play a critical role ensuring services are designed to succeed from day one and remain fully supported throughout their lifecycle. You will lead conversations that shape service requirements, directing and chairing business warranty meetings and working with an array of product and delivery teams, other government departments and third-party suppliers to ensure solutions are fit for purpose and ready for live operation.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Lead on Service Management aspects of Project and Programme Delivery. Tailor the Service Architecture method and deliverables (maximising efficiency and re-use) to enable the change or project to be transitioned smoothly and efficiently.
2. Chair and direct business warranty meetings to determine business requirements, including Other Government Departments and 3rd Party commercial suppliers when appropriate to ensure designs are fit for purpose and facilitate transition into the live environment.
3. Chair Service Engagement Workshops, including presentation of the Service Support Model, to ensure all ITS stakeholders adopt the support model created. Initiate Service Requirements capture and Design formulation by formally engaging with the Resolver Teams responsible for support and maintenance of the solution once it is transitioned, including the facilitation of workshop(s) as required.
4. Manage and steer the delivery of non-functional IT requirements: Review requirements and interview key stakeholders to ensure service requirements are understood and defined. In particular this will involve understanding the service qualities and non-functional requirements (availability, capacity, performance, security, usability etc).
5. Perform analysis and design fieldwork in preparation for service and support model definition to ensure that proposed solution designs are supportable, operable, maintainable and able to provide the agreed level of service. Ensure that service solutions are fully aligned to technical designs. Ensure optimisation and automation of support processes and tooling to achieve highest efficiency, reliability and responsiveness of IT services.

Would you like to find out more about the role, the team and what it’s like to work in our department? If so, we are organising an open session where you can virtually 'meet the team' on 16th June 2026 at 1pm. Sign up here.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• You will be confident leading and influencing others, chairing workshops, directing meetings and engaging stakeholders at all levels. Sound technical understanding is required, alongside a high degree of knowledge across all aspects of IT service management. Collaboration is key, so you’ll need experience of building strong relationships and the ability to arbitrate between different stakeholders. You will have a continuous improvement mindset, actively seeking opportunities to optimise and automate processes to deliver efficient, reliable, and high-quality IT services.
• Experience working across IT service management, projects, or operational environments, with a proven ability to design or support services in complex, multi‑team settings.
• You will be a proactive, adaptable individual with strong analytical skills and attention to detail. You will have the ability to interpret technical and business requirements and translate them into practical service solutions.

Working for the DVLA Digital Team

At DVLA, licensing is just the start. Every project you implement, touch and deliver has a ripple effect that’ll wash across the nation. Here the work you’re doing has the capacity to change the way 53 million people interact with our services. As we aim to keep our roads some of the safest in the world, our innovative, transformative digital-led services help optimise a nation of individuals and business every single day.

To see how our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog and, to understand more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA read our Inside DVLA blog.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Business analysis (IT operations) - Practitioner
• Ownership and initiative - Practitioner
• Technical understanding - Working

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,515, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £16,662 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Passionate, reliable and always willing to push yourself and those around you, you’ll continue to seek improvement in your own role and challenge us too. Because we pride ourselves on how we approach your development. From training courses to specialist skills workshops and opportunities to grow your expertise, we thrive when you thrive. You can find out more about all of the above here alongside a full list of our benefits:

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
• Generous employer contribution of 28.9%
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks
• On-site gym plus personal training available (membership applies)
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff
• Free parking

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and Personal Statement

Stage 2: Interview and Presentation

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and Personal Statement (1000 wordcount). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Experience of IT service management practices / functions across large operational settings.
• Technical understanding, and evidence of applying this in an IT service management or business / customer context.
• Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders and identifying balanced, pragmatic solutions where competing requirements exist.
• Knowledge and applied experience of modern industry best practice and philosophies, such as DevOps, SRE, Agile and ITIL.

The sift will take place week commencing 22nd June 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Behaviours - Seeing the Big Picture and Making Effective Decisions

Technical -Business analysis (IT operations),Ownership and initiative and Technical understanding

Experience - Understanding of modern industry best practice and philosophies, including DevOps, SRE, Agile and ITIL

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Business Analysis (IT Operations) Technical Skill. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place from 8th July 2026.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Swansea office (Longview Road, SA6 7JL). Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

For more information about how we hire, useful tips on submitting your application and interview guidance for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Scott Curtis
• Email : ITSRecruitment@dvla.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

Attachments

DVLA Digital Job Brochure - V1 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 2074kB)Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 236kB)