Solutions Architect

Job summary

We’re MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Our mission is to protect the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, we help the Government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence. A role in MI6 will see you providing vital support to this work within a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

Job description

Architecture and technology are core to MI6’s successful operations and intelligence delivery. There is a constant need to develop and maintain capabilities that provide us with mission advantage in a rapidly changing, technology- and data-driven world. We use agile and lean methodologies to innovate, deliver, and upgrade products. Whether you work on data analytics, knowledge systems, operational communications, or technical operations capabilities, the nature of our work presents unique and fascinating architecture challenges that you are unlikely to have encountered before.

We develop products that provide capability across MI6. Our multi-disciplinary teams are made up of architects & engineers who work alongside product owners, business analysts, and delivery colleagues to ensure MI6 gets what it needs by balancing tactical and strategic goals. As a Solution Architect, you’ll lead the design and systems-engineering approach for a specific area of our organisation- creating new products and continually improving the capabilities of our existing ones.

You’ll be part of a community responsible for design authority. Working with the Product Manager and Business Lead, you’ll help to deliver a plan that considers user experience, cost, risk, time, and quality, while balancing product evolution with the immediacy of business need. In this role, you’ll also deliver the architecture and systems-engineering elements of the product plan throughout its whole life cycle.

This will include:

• Understanding the business problem and shaping the solution, while tailoring systems-engineering and architecture processes to address product risks in the context of scale and complexity.
• Developing, maintaining and communicating the product’s vision, architecture, and technology roadmap, including producing high-level designs, solution outlines, and key design decisions.
• Managing technology risk and overseeing design evolution as the product develops, ensuring decisions remain aligned to business needs.
• Supporting integration with other products and overseeing release to service, ensuring coherence across the wider product ecosystem.

Person specification

Ideally, you’ll have led significant elements of product and system delivery and change. Experience as a technical domain subject-matter expert is important, as is having worked as a Solution Architect or as part of a solution architecture team on complex solutions. A solid background in applying enterprise and domain architecture, influencing stakeholders, and conducting trade-offs across requirements and solution spaces is essential. Knowledge of multiple architecture and delivery frameworks, along with experience of embedding these tools and techniques, is also expected.

Well-developed soft skills are key to supporting communication and decision-making, including curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving. Being an effective communicator and influencer, with experience negotiating trade-offs across requirements and solution spaces, is important. The role involves line-managing junior solution architects and contractors, so confidence in leading and working within multi-disciplinary teams is essential. A commitment to continual learning and development is also important.

Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £80,875 to £89,475, dependent on skills and experience

Most new starters can expect to join at the midpoint of the pay range, depending on core competency and DDaT skills and experience assessment. This assessment is conducted throughout the application and interview process, as outlined below.

Other benefits include:

• 25 days’ annual leave, rising automatically to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
• opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• an interest-free season ticket loan
• an excellent pension scheme
• a cycle to work scheme
• facilities such as an on-site gym at some locations
• paid parental and adoption leave.

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

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

1. Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), you’ll be asked to complete the SJT online, rating the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios. The SJT tests criteria which are important for all roles in our organisation. Successful candidates will be asked to complete the application form.
2. Application sift- reviewing your motivation, technical aptitude, skills and experience for the role and the organisation
3. If successful at the sift, you will be invited to an online HR interview. This will consist of motivation- and competency-based questions.
4. If successful, you will be invited to a face-to-face technical interview, which will assess your technical skills and include a discussion of a solution-architecture scenario that you will receive in advance.
5. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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

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 : The Recruitment Team
• Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk

Further information

https://www.sis.gov.uk/careers/