Well-developed soft skills are key to supporting communication and decision-making, including curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving. Being an effective communicator and influencer, with experience negotiating trade-offs across requirements and solution spaces, is important. The role involves line-managing junior solution architects and contractors, so confidence in leading and working within multi-disciplinary teams is essential. A commitment to continual learning and development is also important.

Training and Development

At MI6, we're proud to offer an inclusive and supportive working environment. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. We're dedicated to developing our staff and recognise this will look different for everyone, so we'll work with you to build your skills and help you plan your future career path within the architecture profession and across the organisation.

When you join, you'll receive an induction to help you settle in and gain a full understanding of how your work contributes to our mission. Following this, there will be ongoing opportunities for tailored training, coaching, and mentoring. Throughout your career with us, you will have access to a wide range of online and classroom learning, as well as external accredited training options. These include industry-recognised qualifications such as CEng (Chartered Engineer), professional certifications in Solution Architecture, and related disciplines such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP4), or similar.

Our Training and Development pathway is underpinned by the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (GDDPCF). Through this framework, you'll be able to benefit from personalised development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring, alongside access to specialist development routes such as Agile Delivery. You'll also have opportunities to pursue professional qualifications and accredited learning that support your professional growth.

Rewards and Benefits

• You'll receive a starting salary of a380,875 to a389,475, dependent on skills and experience.
• Most new starters can expect to join at the midpoint of the pay range, depending on core competency and DDaT skills and experience assessment. This assessment is conducted throughout the application and interview process.
• 25 days annual leave, rising automatically to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays.
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
• An interest-free season ticket loan.
• An excellent pension scheme.
• A cycle to work scheme.
• Facilities such as an on-site gym at some locations.
• Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

At MI6, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups that are under-represented in our workforce, such as women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities and individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Offer of Interview

Role

We're committed to providing equitable opportunities throughout the recruitment process to support candidates with disabilities. As part of this, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, where it is practical for us to do so. This is known as the Offer of Interview (OOI). To secure a first-stage telephone interview for this role, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:

• You'll be required to reach the pass mark for the Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which looks at your ability to problem-solve.
• Demonstrate experience working in architecture or systems engineering functions.
• Explain your motivation for applying to the organisation and the role.
• Demonstrate applied experience in developing technology portfolios and/or playing a major role in digital transformation programmes.

These criteria will be measured at the application sift.

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best, including reasonable adjustments.

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

• Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), you'll be asked to complete the SJT online, rating the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios. The SJT tests criteria which are important for all roles in our organisation. Successful candidates will be asked to complete the application form.
• Application sift - reviewing your motivation, technical aptitude, skills and experience for the role and the organisation.
• If successful at the sift, you will be invited to an online HR interview. This will consist of motivation- and competency-based questions.
• If successful, you will be invited to a face-to-face technical interview, which will assess your technical skills and include a discussion of a solution-architecture scenario that you will receive in advance.
• If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment.

Please note that you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process, including vetting, so we advise you to continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at MI6, you must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Full eligibility criteria are available.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It's a process undertaken by everyone in the UK Intelligence Community.

Please note there is a strict drugs policy. Once you start your application, you must not take any recreational drugs, and you'll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

The role is based in Central London, so you'll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. A loan is available to support people relocating to London.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel