Lead Technical Architect- National Communications Data Service (NCDS)

Home Office

Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 11th September 2024

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Details

Reference number

366126

Salary

£57,000 - £67,100

National pay scale: £57,000 min - £62,700 max. London pay scale: £61,000 min - £67,100 max. A recruitment retention allowance (RRA) between £4,500 to £11,300 is available for candidates who demonstrate exceptional skills and experience evidenced at interview stage. This allowance is subject to initial review within six months of taking up the post and thereafter an annual review in-line with departmental priorities and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

HO - Digital Data and Technology

Type of role

Architecture and Data
Digital
Information Technology

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Manchester - Soapworks, London - 2 Marsham Street

About the job

Job summary

The Home Office National Communications Data Service (NCDS) provides access for law enforcement agencies and wider public authorities to Communications Data used in their investigations. NCDS provides cutting-edge operational capabilities and services, hosted on an AWS public cloud platform, to support counter terrorism, tackle serious and organised crime, and protect vulnerable people.

As a Lead Technical Architect, you will operate across the enterprise and at solution levels to ensure NCDS designs and systems meet requirements and align with the broader strategic direction for NCDS, the Home Office and government. You will be responsible for leading the technical design and development of systems and services for NCDS working together with UK telecommunication companies, and an internal team of Civil Servants and suppliers. You will build effective partnerships with diverse teams across multiple locations and technologies and provide mentoring and leadership and to other architects.

This role can be based in any of the advertised locations/regions, with occasional travel required. For office based roles employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented at this grade level.

Appointments will be made on merit based on fair and open competition.

Job description

The Lead Technical Architect role is within the NCDS Technology Team which itself is part of the larger Policing and Public Protection Technology team within Home Office Digital, Data and Technology.

These positions offer opportunities to:

• Be a part of defining the future strategy for an exciting area of technology and policy development.
• Be a leading part in crafting NCDS’s enterprise architecture and relevant governance.
• Work closely with telecoms industry particularly around the introduction of new services and technologies.
• Utilise the latest developments in public cloud hosting to provide efficient and innovative services.
• Work with emergency services users to deliver technology that supports and enhances their work in keeping the public safe.
• Work with colleagues from across the government on future communications technologies.
• Develop new technical skills and learn from industry experts.

Main responsibilities

• Perform architecture compliance reviews – in particular review proposals from Telecommunications Operators for alignment with Investigatory Powers Act requirements and value for money assessment.
• Write new architecture documents as required, improving processes and existing architecture documentation.
• Communicate NCDS and Telecommunication Operators designs to the wider internal teams, users, and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the architectural and strategy discussions and workshops.
• Contributing to the development of architectural practice, ensuring a coherent and consistent strategy across cyber, cloud, data centre, storage, network, mobile and the user experience of infrastructure
• Contributing to the overall technical strategy and road map for NCDS using your expertise in the telecommunications industry.

Person specification

UK residency and security requirements - You need to have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.

We’re looking for an experienced architect with good exposure to enterprise architecture, who has excellent interpersonal skills and constantly broadens their technical knowledge. You will require the experience of creating architectures that integrate distinct technologies in a multi-supplier environment.

Essential Criteria:

• Evidencing strong technical leadership qualities, with a passion for delivering leading edge designs, and inspiring a culture of technical excellence and innovative solutions
• Navigating the complex landscapes of technologies, 3rd party suppliers, internal and cross-government teams across multiple projects
• Anticipating and advising on future telecommunications network technologies that present opportunities for the product or programme
• Managing and delivering complex technology solutions within time, cost and quality targets
• Defining, owning and contributing to the technical roadmap and strategy
• Demonstrating a detailed knowledge of technical requirements to implement, design and manage associated technologies

SFIA capability framework

Skills for the information age (SFIA) is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all engineering levels in the Home Office. This is a link to the capability framework:  All skills A–Z — English (sfia-online.org).  We use set SFIA technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.

Technical skills

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

• Innovation (INOV) – Level 3
• Enterprise and Business Architecture (STPL) – Level 3
• Strategic Planning (ITSP) – Level 3
• Solution Architecture (ARCH) – Level 5
• Consultancy (CNSL) – Level 4
• Specialist Advice (TECH) – Level 4

Benefits

You’ll also have access to the same benefits available to all civil servants in the Home Office: 

• An in-year performance bonus scheme.
• A Civil Service pension with employer contribution rates of 28.97%.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, plus 8 days public holidays and 1 day for the King’s Birthday, rising further with service.
• Flexible working options to enable you to achieve the work life balance that right for you including part-time, flexi time and job sharing.
• Training and development opportunities tailored to your role.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• Season ticket loans and rental deposit loans.
• Cycle to work and payroll giving.
• Employee discounts - including a huge number of retailers, Microsoft Home Use programme and gym membership.
• A variety of staff recognition schemes including thank you vouchers.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives including monthly mindfulness sessions.
• Staff support networks.
• Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid.
• Maternity and adoption support leave (paternity leave) of 2 weeks full pay.
• Up to five days paid leave for volunteering.
• Study leave and support for studying for a qualification or other accredited development relevant to your role.

You can find more information at Benefits - Home Office Careers.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and a Statement of Suitability (Max 1250 Word Limit). 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Statement of Suitability should explain your motivation for applying to this role and offer evidence how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.

The sift will be based on the Suitability Statement. The CV is for information purposes only and will not be marked.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will be based on technical skills listed in the advert. Candidates will also be required to prepare and deliver a presentation. Further details will be provided if invited to interview.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism, copying, and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial intelligence. If detected, the application may be withdrawn from the process.

Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all civil servants.

Sift and Interview dates

The sift is expected to take place from 12th September 2024.

Interviews will take place from 4th October 2024 (subject to panels operational requirements/priorities).

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

Interviews will take place remotely via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

Further information

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement. 

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Job offers to this post are made based on merit order. We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.

Reserve list      

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.