Lead Technical Architect - DfE - G6

Job summary

These are exciting times in the Department for Education.

Our digital services have been migrated onto public cloud and we’re on a journey of maturing our technology, and how we work, to take full advantage of cloud-native and network technologies. Our goal is to make our digital delivery faster, cheaper and more secure.

Our diverse and inclusive culture in DfE reflects the society we live in - this helps us to achieve better outcomes for all our users. We typically work in Agile teams, so we can innovate and radically improve services that: raise education standards and provide the best start in life for children; support disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people; and drive economic growth.

This role is based in the Infrastructure Services team. If you are successful, you will be working in the physical and cloud infrastructure domain, across multiple projects, on problems that require broad architectural thinking. You will lead architectural assurance for infrastructure services and will play a pivotal role in the design, build and operation of the Department’s hosting platforms and networks. You will design and deliver services used by digital delivery teams which, in turn, deliver digital services across the education and care sector to millions of users.

Platforms have a lifecycle, and your role will play a part in every step. DfE seeks new, innovative opportunities for efficiencies, economies of scale or new value to users. We need to scale up and continuously improve established platforms - making a better service for users, increasing value for money and finding new opportunities to take complexity out of DfE’s hosting platforms.

Job description

As a Lead Technical Architect, your main responsibilities will include:

• Defining, maintaining, and championing the technical strategy for the network, infrastructure and platforms domain - keeping up to date with the latest technologies and trends, whilst delivering working software early and often.
• Leading technical specialists in multiple projects and services, on problems that require broad architectural thinking.
• Defining how to build and operate user-centred, open source web systems in an agile environment, to serve a variety of citizen and government needs.
• Being responsible for the technical design and development of your service(s), including how they interact with their surroundings, and how they evolve over time.
• Challenging entrenched practices and influencing decision-makers, looking for deeper underlying problems to solve, and larger opportunities for digital transformation.
• Communicating the vision for government services to developers and non-developers alike, working in multi-disciplinary teams that bring policy and delivery together.
• Playing an active role in the DfE architecture community, where you will share knowledge of tools and techniques, as well as joining related communities of practice and events where appropriate, such as product, user research, design, platforms, security, etc.
• Helping to build a diverse, inclusive culture across the architecture community.
• Working with the Head of Profession, colleagues and peers on profession-based activities (and cross-profession), such as defining standards and guidance around best practice.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following essential criteria:

Assessed at application and at both interview stages:

• Experience leading technical teams and delivering user-centred services in an agile environment.
• Experience working with cloud-first architectures and how to build applications that take advantage of the opportunities they offer.
• Experience of developing infrastructure strategies, architectures and roadmaps, in-depth knowledge of networking principles, security and design, and modern engineering practices, such as continuous integration/development (CI/CD), DevOps and cloud computing services, such as Microsoft Azure.

Assessed at application and at second interview stage:

• The ability to build consensus between diverse and often conflicting interests, working with technical and non-technical stakeholders to achieve agreement on technical plans.
• The ability to look beyond immediate technical problems and identify the wider implications.
• Practical knowledge at many levels of the web stack, from front-end code, down to infrastructure and networking.

Desirable Criteria

Applicant’s evidence against the following desirable criteria will be used at interview in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision:

• Experience of using cloud-based automation techniques to configure services, automate processes and extract information, such as Azure Automation, PowerShell, Command-Line Interface (CLI), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), interacting with RESTful APIs, and basic knowledge of programming languages, such as Python or Ruby.
• Experience using automated tests to continuously validate your work.
• Experience of applying the UK Government Service Standard and service assessment.
• Experience of mentoring and supporting colleagues in multi-disciplinary teams, one-to-one or in groups.
• Ability to work with stakeholders to produce effective strategies for technology choices, using the most appropriate languages, frameworks and tools to meet user and business needs.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,623, Department for Education contributes £19,880 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Step 1: Application/sift:

At application you will be asked to provide your CV and a statement of suitability. Both should be anonymised (all personal information removed, such as your name, date of birth, gender, contact information, nationality etc).

Your CV should include details of previous roles held and responsibilities / previous skills and experience.

Your statement of suitability (max 1250 words) should demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above.

Your CV and statement will be assessed together against the listed essential criteria.

First stage interview:

Longlisted candidates may be invited to attend a preliminary interview, which will be conducted via telephone, typically involving a commitment of up to 1 hour.

The interview will consist of a series of questions to further assess the essential criteria for the role, focused on the first three essential criteria.

As interviews will be conducted via telephone, please ensure that you are in a suitable location to hear and answer the questions.

If successful, candidates will then be invited to a second interview, which will be conducted on MS Teams.

Second stage interview:

At this interview we will ask questions to further assess your experience in relation to all of the listed essential criteria.

This will be used to assess your experience against the essential (and in the case of a tie, the desirable) criteria.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Timing

We expect to sift in week commencing 14 October 2024.

First stage interviews will likely take place in the week commencing 28 October 2024 by telephone.

Second stage interviews will likely take place in the week commencing 4 November 2024 on MS Teams.

We are looking for several Lead Technical Architects currently. Please apply for all the vacancies that you are interested in, and you will have the option to choose to have only one set of interviews for all the roles you have applied for.

Once a provisional offer has been made, you will be invited to participate in a capability assessment to determine the value of the CBP allowance we can offer you. The assessment compares your skills against the Lead Technical Architect role described in DfE’s local Service Design Capability Framework, which is based on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

Subject to your availability, we will aim to conduct the capability assessment and confirm the allowance offer to you within a week of the provisional offer being made.

This is a discretionary non-consolidated, non-pensionable allowance which, if awarded, is attached to the post. The value of the allowance is based on the outcome of a capability assessment and is reviewed annually. Allowance values range up to £20,750, with the highest values reserved for candidates whose capability is above the expected level for all of the skills.

Other Information

In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.

This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).

Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status

We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.   

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

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

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

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.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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