Lead Network Architect - Newcastle Upon Tyne - Benton Park View

About the job

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

Are you an experienced network architect considering a new opportunity? If so, continue reading to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to join HMRC - one of the largest and most dynamic IT infrastructures in Europe, and we are now one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world. This is a great opportunity to join a team where you will be working across one of the largest IT estates in Europe and supporting large scale and radical transformation that will have a profound impact for both the customers and the staff of HMRC.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced architect to be responsible for the design and delivery of small, medium and large scale, high impact projects which support HMRC's strategic objectives. The network services architecture function sets the technology direction for HMRC networks and is accountable for delivering the high-level designs and direction for all strategic networking solutions, closely collaborating with other architectural functions. You will report to the Head of Network Architecture.

Day to day you will be:

• Defining the strategy and architecture of the HMRC network.
• Collaborating with other architectural functions, 3rd parties, vendors and other technical teams.
• Owning network services deliverables.
• Gathering requirements.
• Conducting product analysis and solution development.
• Supporting and guiding the wider network services team.
• Producing network architecture documentation and roadmaps.
• Analysing the uses and effectiveness of technologies and how they can positively impact our business area.
• Providing internal consultancy covering network architecture and appropriateness of solutions.

Technical Experience

These are the tools and experience we would like you to have, but don't worry if you don't have experience with all of the below. We welcome applicants with a broad and varied range of experience, technical knowledge and willingness to learn new technologies.

• Datacentre network technologies, including but not limited to Cisco NX-OS, Cisco ACI, Arista EOS & Arista Cloudvision.
• Application delivery services including but not limited to F5 and NGINX.
• Network firewall technologies, including conventional and next generation feature sets.
• Multi-user secure LAN and converged Wi-Fi Networks.
• Traditional WAN technologies.
• Foundation network services (DNS, DHCP, IP address management, routing and switching).
• Experience of cloud architectural design networking within Azure and/or AWS.
• Network security & encryption protocols, (TLS, IPSEC, PKI, NAC - 802.1x etc.).
• Network Management and monitoring tools.
• Network Automation relating to deployment and testing with experience of CICD including Ansible and Terraform.
• Software Defined Networking technologies and capabilities (SD-WAN, SDDC, SD-Access, etc).
• AAA services and Network Access Control (Cisco ISE/ Aruba ClearPass).
• Network device management platforms (such as but not limited to - FortiManager, Checkpoint management, Aruba Airwave, F5 BIG-IQ, Forcepoint Security Manager).
• Firewall audit and compliance tools (e.g AlgoSec, Skybox).
• Network performance monitoring (NetScout, Riverbed).

Essential Criteria

You will need to demonstrate within your application the following essential experience:

• A network infrastructure background, where you will have gained experience of large-scale deployments.
• Proven experience of providing consultancy on potential uses and appropriateness of network/cloud infrastructure technologies and driving benefits from these technologies at a strategic level.
• Experience of end-to-end network architecture and associated technologies.
• Ability to work as part of a team, or as an individual, playing a key role in influencing strategic decision making and understand strategic consequences of IT decisions.
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes for the business.
• Capability to articulate complex solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Criteria

Professional IT qualifications such as but not limited to; TOGAF, ITIL, CCNP, AWS, Azure, etc. Experience of working in an agile environment and experience with agile methodologies such as TDD, Scrum, Kanban. Programming for Network Automation to support innovation and transformation. AWS and/or Azure. Desirable criteria will only be scored in the event of a tie break situation.

Other Information

Due to the nature of this role you must either hold a valid SC clearance or have a willingness to undertake the process to obtain the relevant SC prior to take up duty.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,344, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,322 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs. We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days. Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary. Family friendly policies. Personal support. Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

Selection process details

How to Apply: As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following: A name-blind CV including your job history, qualifications and previous skills/experiences. Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not mandatory for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at sift or interview.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.

Sift: Your CV will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview. We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview: During the panel interview, you will also be asked to carry out a 10-15 minute presentation on the following: Can you explain a scenario where you have followed the design process as part of the delivery of a large piece of work. We'd like you to include the business benefits achieved and any challenges you encountered. How did you improve a network capability or service whilst taking into consideration important design characteristics such as functionality, reliability, resilience, security, scalability and performance. Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)'.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact the UBS Recruitment team via 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.

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the 'location preferences' section that you can travel to.

Additional Information

We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience. As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement. Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way.

If you don't want your data to be used as part of the trial, please send your Application ID and the Vacancy Reference to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process. HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process. Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert. 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. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band. Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract. If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. 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.

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), 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.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. 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.