Technical Architect (4778)

Job summary

Join us as a Technical Architect and work within a branch of around 40 professionals to help shape the future of social security in Scotland. We’re looking for someone passionate about creating innovative solutions integrating public cloud services and software as a Service platform.

We promote autonomy and self-organisation, allowing you to influence ways of working and set guiding principles. The Architecture and Design branch, part of our Digital Delivery and Change Directorate, is divided into six domains: technical, cloud, enterprise, data, business, and application architecture. We focus on high-level architecture and frameworks to sustainably plan, prioritise, and deliver change across our digital landscape.

Our solutions are highly integrated with external partners, reflecting our role within a wider public sector ecosystem dedicated to simplifying access to information and services. Guided by our Digital and Technology Strategy, we aim to deliver devolved and new benefits for the people of Scotland.

If you’re seeking a role within a supportive organisation that prioritises your development and growth, apply now to join our innovative team.

A Technical Architect is responsible for the assurance and design of digital solutions.

As a Technical Architect, you will undertake structured analysis of technical issues, translating this analysis into technical designs that describe a solution. You will be consulted on solutions and can provide design patterns.

You will identify the deeper issues that need resolution and look for opportunities for collaboration with the ability to identify cases for the reuse of common patterns, components, platforms, or solutions. An architect can communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

You will ensure your solutions adhere to the relevant architecture governance.

You will be expected to build effective partnerships with diverse teams across multiple locations and technologies.

GDD Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £4000 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly.

Job description

• Lead the design and assurance of complex technical architectures across multiple services, platforms and delivery teams.
• Define and govern enterprise integration patterns, API strategies, system interoperability standards and data exchange mechanisms to ensure scalability, maintainability and secure service delivery.
• Presenting recommendations for technologies or improvements to enhance systems to support project goals clearly to management, based on knowledge of IT and analysis of systems’ needs.
• Evaluating the success of a project, once the solution has been integrated, identifying best practices and lessons learned.
• Act as a key contributor to architecture governance activities ensuring the adoption of good working methods and best practice in the application of technology architecture standards.
• Recommending technologies or improvements to enhance systems to support project goals, based on the analysis of systems’ needs and requirements of the business.
• Contributing to the overall technical strategy and road map for the department in your area of expertise.
• Developing and documenting the proposed technical design for the integration and implementation of technology solutions, working with and across other areas of DDaT and the business.
• Ensure designs meet security and operational requirements.
• Act as a Subject Matter expert, understanding the bigger picture, including wider departmental, organisational or cross government strategies to ensure your recommendations and designs are aligned.
• Owning the design of a digital component(s) and ensuring the design and solution fit with the wider designs.

Person specification

Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience:

You’ll have demonstrable experience in Technical Architecture, with the following additional skills and/or strong experience in:

1. Providing technical design expertise, including designing complex technology solutions recognising time, cost and quality targets and constraints.
   
2. Evidencing strategic technical architecture and leadership qualities, identifying technical opportunities to meet the requirements of large projects or critical workstream in larger programmes.

Behaviours:

• Leadership (Level 4)
• Communicating and Influencing (Level 4)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here:

Technical / Professional Skills:
This role is aligned to Senior Technical Architect within the Government Digital and Data Profession.

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will be not be assessed at application stage. Please review the following to understand the skill expectations - Technical architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

Benefits

Annual Leave - You will receive 25 days annual leave on joining us. This will increase to 30 days after four full years of service. You will also have 11.5 public and privilege days of leave every year. We also offer Flexi-time. Any extra hours you've worked can be taken as leave when suitable.

A Civil Service Pension - This job comes with a Civil Service pension. New joiners to the Civil Service will join a career average pension scheme as standard. Read more here - www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk.

Healthy work life balance - We can offer the possibility of full-time, part-time, term-time, and job shares. We also encourage flexible working.

Discounts - You can enjoy a vast range of retail, travel and lifestyle discounts through our benefit scheme.

Personal support for you - Our Employee Assistance Programme gives you confidential, independent information and guidance 24/7.

Volunteering special leave - Up to six days paid special leave a year for volunteering. We support our staff to help causes important to them.

Great locations - Our bright and modern offices in the heart of Dundee and Glasgow have been designed with staff in mind. Both locations are ideal for public transport.

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

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift – week commencing 12th October 2026
Interview – week commencing 26th October 2026
Location – In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

To apply please submit an application form by clicking on the ‘Apply at Advertisers Site’ button.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : Resourcing Team
• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• Telephone : 08001577194

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Further information

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/working-with-us/help-with-your-application