Lead Technical Architect - DWP - G6

Do you want work collaboratively designing modern IT architecture for some of the largest digital transformations in Europe?

Do you want to help support millions of our claimants by designing user-friendly digital services?

If so, this role may be perfect for you!

We are looking for an experienced Lead Technical Architect who is confident working on data-focussed products/services in a complex digital environment.

This role is in DWP MI (Management Information) providing the strategic capability for MI reporting and visualisations across the entire Department.

Working with modern technology (AWS, Azure) you will utilise bespoke (React) and off-the-shelf dashboard and visualisation products (Qlik, Power BI) that enable the business to gain insight and make more informed decisions. The work is fast paced with a large and growing portfolio of MI products built upon hundreds of input data sets managed via a variety of data ingestion patterns (API, file transfer, Cloud to Cloud bucket sharing). These MI products are used by all, from front line managers to the Secretary of State. Flexibility and responsiveness of the products is critical.

This is an exciting time to join us. You’ll shape the future and support our mission to deliver exceptional internal MI products and services that work for everyone.

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

Job description

As a Lead Technical Architect, you will lead, deliver and support the technical and architecture design and teams for the large and complex DWP MI programme.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders (engineers, policy, legal, other Digital colleagues including cross-government if necessary) to create solution designs that meet user needs for MI across DWP. 
• Support the architecture design, development, delivery and maintenance of data products and services as part of multi-disciplinary teams. 
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary product-oriented leadership team to lead the direction of the DWP MI programme, and line manage a small technical team to identify, define, deliver and support technical requirements. 
• Provide expert advice on BI and MI tooling to other Technical Architects to drive technology choice proposals and decisions. 
• Ensure that architecture design artefacts are produced to agreed quality and timescales, adhere to agreed and approved standards, and are presented effectively at governance forums; clearly communicate architecture design and decision making in order to gain approval to proceed with designs. 
• Drive resolution of technical and data debt, to reduce the ongoing cost of DWP IT services. 
• Ensure architecture best practice and reference architectures are shared across DWP Digital, and cross-government where appropriate. 
• Support the development of the Architecture Practice. Represent DWP Digital at cross-government architecture events. 
• Work alongside existing Technical Architects and engineers to implement solutions according to agreed and approved designs. 
• Work with colleagues to identify, capture, and share architecture patterns. 
• Contribute to high level solution architecture documentation and other architecture design artefacts. 
• Support the existing Technical Architects on work assignments in their internal design governance, and help prepare for a deliver presentation to the Digital Design Authority.

Person specification

When giving details in your CV and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

• Lead criterion: Leading architecture design of data-oriented business critical IT projects/services in a large, complex UK central government or private sector organisation.*
• Analytics & Reporting: Data warehousing, Data Lakes, business intelligence (BI) and analytics technologies, design patterns, tools and best practice.
• Presenting technical content to large technical and non-technical audiences.
• Public cloud technologies, cloud hosting, container, and networking design patterns, tools and best practice (e.g. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform).
• Database Design & Management.
• Data Architecture Design: Data Modelling, Master Data Management (MDM), Metadata Management, Data Governance.

*An initial sift will be conducted using the lead criterion stated above. Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress to a full sift. 

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact akhtar.ali1@dwp.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Technical Breadth
• Turning Business Problems into Technical Design