Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Senior Technical Architect
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Senior Technical Architect
Location & Base Potential locations:
- Birmingham
- Blackpool
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Newcastle (initially based at Benton Park View, moving to 1 Pilgrim Place by end of 2027)).
- Sheffield.
Further details on corporate hubs here.
Job Summary
- Do you want to work collaboratively designing modern IT architecture? Some of Europe’s largest digital transformations. Do you want to help support millions of claimants by designing user-friendly digital services?
If yes, these Senior Technical Architect roles may be perfect for you.
We seek experienced Senior Technical Architects skilled in complex digital environments, offering support to major DWP Digital initiatives.
You will:
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to architect solutions.
- Deliver expert advice on technology choices.
- Govern architecture for IT solutions aligning with customer needs.
This is an opportunity to shape the future and support mission-driven digital excellence.
Job Description
A Senior Technical Architect combines broad architectural thinking with hands-on project/team leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead technical design: Justify and communicate design decisions.
- Ensure technical alignment with broader government strategy.
- Explore cross-government collaboration opportunities.
- Provide mentorship to teams.
Person Specification (Critical Criteria)
Highlight these in your employment history and personal statement:
- System architecture design across:
- On-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
- Networking, security, presentation, middleware, databases, and integration.
- Design using architectural principles, patterns, radars, and standards.
- Work with agile, waterfall, or hybrid project delivery, from concept to go-live.
- Translate business requirements into technical solutions traceable to stakeholders.
- Use architectural modelling tools/techniques and API-led/integrations design best practices.
- Experience with event-driven architecture and related patterns (e.g., pub-sub/data streaming).
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For role inquiries: Natalie.selby1@dwp.gov.uk.
selva Behaviours (Assessed During Selection)
- Communicating & Influencing
- Leadership
- Working Together
Technical Skills (Assessed During Selection)
- Architecture Communication (Practitioner)
- Architect for the Whole Context (Practitioner)
- Community Collaboration (P Practitioner)
- Making Architectural Decisions (Practitioner)
- Strategy Design (P Practitioner)
- Technical Design Throughout the Life Cycle (Practitioner)
Benefits
Remuneration & Pensions: Includes £57,946 base salary plus £16,786 DWP pension contribution to the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
Worklife Balance & Compensation:
- Flexible working patterns (job sharing, term-time working, flexitime, compressed hours).
- Annual leave (25 days at entry, increasing to 30 days) plus 9 days holiday/public leave.
- Financial support:
- Interest-free season ticket loans.
- Cycle-to-work/car scheme.
- Employee discount programme.
- Health & Wellbeing:
- Employee Assistance Programme (counselling/specialist advice).
- HASSRA (competitions/activities pos).
- Policy:
- Enhanced maternity + shared parental leave (after 1-year service)**.
- Career Development:
- Gain industry qualifications, accreditations, or coaching.
- Diversity & Inclusion:
- Support for professional networks (e.g., National Disability Network).
Hybrid Working Policy:
- Optional hybrid working (60% office-based minimum).
Salary Banding & Allowances Role Pay Scale: £57,946–£68,205 (based on capability). Potential GDD Allowance: Up to £25,971 (discretionary; non-consolidated).
External Applicants: Base pay + £25,971 allowance (performance-based). Internal/Existing Applicants:
- Base: £57,946–£68,205.
- Promotion Pathways:
- Lateral transfer → maintain or increase base salary.
- Promotion → choose from bottom of band or +10%.
Application & Process Notes
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All Key Notes: ⚠️ Use only direct personal examples (no applicants copying, plagiarism, or AI-generated examples allowed).
1️⃣ Application Stage
- Documents Required:
- Personal Details application form.
- Employment History (detail past work alignment with criteria below).
- Personal Statement (1,250 words max): Demonstrate fit with essential criteria via your own experience (no proxy examples).
(Review employment helps guide for further specific formatting).
Tips: Sift based on CV and personal statement (overall combined score).
2️⃣ Interview 1: Technical Design Assessment
- 10-minute Presentation: Detail your involvement in a cloud-based event-driven microservice architecture.
- Focus: Translate business requirements to architecture; decisions; cross-functional teamwork; use of modelling.
- Include a diagram as evidence.
3️⃣ Interview 2: Behavioural & Technical Panel
Criteria: Communicating & Influencing | Leadership | Teamwork | Technical Skills: Architect for Context | Community Collaboration | Decisions | Strategy | Technical Lifecycle.
Selection Timelines Stage 1: Applications reviewed. Stage 2: Video Interviews from late August 2026.
Cunning D-Principles
- Security protocol: Criminal record check and baseline personnel vetting.
- Disability Confidence: RAISE standards met; guide for adjustments provided.
- Sponsorship: Considers but see DWP’s policy.
Nationalities Eligible:
- UK/Commonwealth/Republic of Ireland nationals.
- EU/Switzerland/Iceland/Norway (EESS) or family members pre/post status.
- Turkish nationals.
Civil Service Code: Code & Principles. **Diversity Include:**ruitment feedback/leavers/job redels here approaches supported.
Contact: Application Inquiries
- Natalie Selby: Natalie.selby1@dwp.gov.uk - Recruitment team: digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
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