As a Lead Technical Architect (Grade 7), you will drive the design and implementation of enterprise-wide technical solutions that shape our future business capabilities. Leading cross-functional teams, you’ll ensure alignment with broader government strategies while guiding solutions around modern technologies like cloud, AI, IoT, blockchain, and more.

With a focus on security, agility, and innovation, you’ll oversee multiple projects, mentor fellow architects, and collaborate with senior stakeholders. This is a pivotal role for an experienced leader passionate about delivering impactful solutions that support both user needs and organizational goals.

Due to business requirements this post is available on a Full Time/Job Share/Flexible Working basis. Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Queries can be raised to the address at the bottom of the advert. 

We value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from the widest diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We encourage applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit based on fair and open competition.

Job description

As a Lead Technical Architect, you will proactively shape and deliver infrastructure and technical solutions across multiple projects or teams. You will ensure solutions align with the wider enterprise architecture and strategic goals, leveraging modern technologies to drive innovative outcomes.

Collaborating with a range of stakeholders—including senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners—you will balance near-term delivery with long-term scalability, security, and maintainability.

You will define and evolve technical roadmaps, advise on strategic technology investments, and identify opportunities for continual improvement. Through clear, concise communication, you will secure buy-in for architectural initiatives and mentor junior architects to foster a high-performing architecture community.

By evaluating emerging trends, incorporating lessons learned, and championing best practices, you will keep the technical estate flexible and future-proof, positioning the organization for ongoing success.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and maintain enterprise-wide technical strategies, roadmaps, and architectures aligned with broader business objectives.
• Oversee design reviews, incorporating “Secure by Design” principles and compliance with architectural governance.
• Coordinate with cross-government teams and external partners to ensure cohesive, integrated solutions.
• Drive digital innovation by evaluating emerging technologies, embracing best practices, and championing continuous improvement.
• Mentor and coach architects, fostering a culture of collaboration and technical excellence.
• Facilitate the design and delivery of complex systems, ensuring performance, reliability, and security requirements are met.
• Manage multiple projects, collaborating with stakeholders to address risks, budgets, and timelines.
• Evaluate outcomes and integrate lessons learned into future strategies, enabling sustainable, long-term solutions.

Essential Skills:

• Proven ability to lead complex technical architectures, championing innovation and best practices.
• Experience working across multiple domains or projects, coordinating with third-party suppliers and cross-government teams.
• Aptitude for anticipating future technologies and aligning solutions with broader strategies and business outcomes.
• Expertise in Either enterprise architecture or technical architecture in Cloud  or  domains like  AI, CRM, Infrastructure etc.
• Strong grasp of agile methodologies, DevOps principles, and design patterns , paired with enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF).
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, translating complex technical topics for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring or guiding other architects or technical professionals.

SFIA capability framework   

Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all 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.   

The essential skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework (based on the industry standard SFIA framework- Use the SFIA Levels of responsibility to understand what would be expected for each technical skill listed). Please see below for the relevant skills for your role:  

SFIA Technical Skills:

Strategy & Architecture:

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

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

Alongside your salary of £60,300, Home Office contributes £17,468 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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 rate of 28.97%, depending upon salary.
• 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. 
• A capability & skills allowance reviewed annually.  
• 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 Personal Statement (1000 words) and a CV. 

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

Please note your personal statement should include all your relevant experience that relates to our essential skills criteria listed in the advert and role description. Use STAR format in your examples. 

Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you will be judged on merit alone and not your personal background, circumstances, race or gender.  (Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses will result in your application being rejected).

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 stage 

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and CV. Please read the Essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirements. 

Interview stage 

Candidates reaching the required standard will then be invited to attend a final interview. The interview will assess your Technical Skills (SFIA Framework) using technical-based questions.

Sift and interview dates 

Sift will be conducted from 23rd June 2025.

Interviews will commence from 14th July 2025. (Subject to the Panel’s operational requirements/priorities) 

Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams. 

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.  

Further information 

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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. 

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.      

UK residency and security requirements       

Please note that this role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. 

However, in exceptional circumstances security clearance applications for candidates who have been present in the UK for at least 3 of last 5 years may be considered. Failure to meet this residency requirement will result in your security clearance application being rejected.   

Similar roles 

Job offers to this post are made based on merit. 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.  

Capability and Skills allowance  

The advertised role is part of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession. This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance. Applicants who are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. 

Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role.​ Please see the attached candidate pack for more information. 

The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role, and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time. 

For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum.  For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply. 

Working at the Home Office 

If you are successful in this position and choose to accept the provisional offer for this role, you will be removed from all other Home Office reserve lists at the same grade.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond.

To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people can bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.  

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer. 

You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up. For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers

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

Visa sponsorship

We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.

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.  

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.  

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.  

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.  

If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.  

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.  

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access 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  

Reasonable Adjustments  

If a person with disabilities is 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 Government Recruitment Service via HORecruitmentgrs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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 are deaf, a language service professional  

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.  

Feedback  

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 security check (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

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).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

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: AC Recruitment
• Email: ACRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email: HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission

Attachments

candidate_information_v12_December_2024(pdf, 658kB)

PFA Candidate Pack(docx, 89kB)

Framework Version 8 SFIA(pdf, 1483kB)

Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V14) 12-08-2024(pdf, 464kB)