At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of telephony and unified communications systems for a major transformation programme.
- Company: Join DVLA, a mission-driven agency impacting millions across the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous pension contributions, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and mentoring within a dynamic, supportive environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of digital services while ensuring secure connectivity for the nation.
- Qualifications: Strong background in telephony and unified communications with excellent stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 82430 - 82430 € per year.
Become part of a mission‑driven digital team helping to build secure, resilient services used by millions across the UK. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), in partnership with Inspire People, is seeking a Lead Unified Communications Architect with strong experience across telephony, unified communications and contact centre platforms, alongside additional capability across networking or broader infrastructure domains (e.g. cloud, identity, Active Directory). You will act as the Lead Architect for a new 6,000‑seat, multi‑million‑pound telephony programme, while also contributing to other key infrastructure initiatives. Based in Swansea on a permanent appointment, this role offers a salary of up to £82,430 plus 29% employer pension contribution and excellent Civil Service benefits, with hybrid working (minimum 60% in Swansea).
DVLA delivers national‑scale digital services that support the safe and lawful use of vehicles across the UK, reaching millions of citizens and businesses every year. As DVLA continues to modernise its technology landscape, the organisation is investing in strong technical architecture capability to ensure services are secure, well‑governed, scalable and aligned to wider government strategy.
As a Lead Technical Architect, you will work across DVLA’s IT Services Directorate and business teams, collaborating closely with engineering squads to design, assure and deliver modern digital solutions. You will play a key role in shaping architectural patterns, influencing technical decisions and mentoring other architects.
As the Lead Unified Communications Architect you will:
- Lead the technical design of telephony, unified communications and contact centre systems
- Define and assure solution architectures, ensuring alignment with enterprise and government architecture strategy
- Work collaboratively with engineering teams to deliver new solutions and transition them into live service.
- Establish and apply architectural governance, ensuring consistency, quality and security by design
- Assure service and system quality, identifying risks, dependencies and cross‑domain impacts
- Explore opportunities for cross‑government alignment and reuse
- Provide leadership and mentoring to other architects and technical colleagues
- Engage with senior stakeholders, communicating technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
Essential skills for the Lead Unified Communications Architect include:
- A strong architectural background delivering enterprise‑scale solutions
- Proven experience in telephony, unified communications or contact centre platforms
- The ability to design and assure solutions across complex, multi‑domain environments, understanding how networking, telephony and wider infrastructure integrate
- Experience working beyond a single specialism, with exposure to broader infrastructure such as servers, Active Directory or cloud platforms.
- Strong experience of architectural governance and assurance
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
Desirable skills for the Lead Unified Communications Architect include:
- Experience with enterprise platforms such as Cisco UCC, Microsoft Teams Voice, Webex or similar
- Experience with omni‑channel or cloud contact centre platforms (e.g. Content Guru Storm or equivalent)
- Experience supporting or leading large‑scale telephony or UC transformation programmes.
- Proven experience in either enterprise networking (LAN/WAN/WLAN) or broader infrastructure domains (e.g. cloud, identity, Active Directory)
- Experience working in government or other regulated environments
- Experience mentoring architects or senior engineers
- Familiarity with Agile delivery and modern CI/CD practices.
In return, you can expect a flexible working culture, including:
- Hybrid working with a minimum 60% office‑based in Swansea
- Flexible working patterns to support work–life balance
- A Civil Service pension with employer contributions of circa 29%
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and a privilege day
- Access to learning, development and digital career frameworks.
This is a unique opportunity to lead the network architecture for a major, multi‑million‑pound telephony transformation programme while shaping the wider infrastructure landscape at DVLA. You will work at national scale, ensuring secure, resilient connectivity for services used by millions across the UK, and play a key role in modernising critical platforms that underpin DVLA’s digital services.
Lead Unified Communications Architect in Swansea employer: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead a major telephony transformation programme while contributing to the modernisation of critical digital services that impact millions across the UK. With a flexible working culture, generous benefits including a 29% employer pension contribution, and a commitment to employee growth through learning and development frameworks, DVLA fosters a collaborative environment where technical expertise thrives. Located in Swansea, this role not only provides a competitive salary but also the chance to make a meaningful impact in a mission-driven organisation.
Contact Detail:
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Unified Communications Architect in Swansea
✨Tip Number 1
Network, network, network! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews like it’s a big presentation. Research the company, understand their mission, and be ready to discuss how your skills align with their needs. Practise common interview questions and think of examples that showcase your experience in telephony and unified communications.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply through job boards; head straight to our website! Applying directly can sometimes give you an edge, as it shows genuine interest in the role and the organisation. Plus, you’ll find all the latest opportunities right there.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews with a thank-you email. It’s a simple gesture that can leave a lasting impression. Reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and mention something specific from the interview that resonated with you. It shows you’re engaged and keen!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Unified Communications Architect in Swansea
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with telephony, unified communications, and contact centre platforms. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Lead Unified Communications Architect!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t hold back on detailing your architectural background and any relevant projects you've worked on. We’re looking for someone who can design and assure solutions across complex environments, so let us know what you’ve done!
Communicate Clearly:Remember, you’ll be engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Use clear language in your application to demonstrate your ability to communicate complex concepts effectively. We love a good storyteller!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our mission-driven team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of telephony, unified communications, and contact centre platforms. Be ready to discuss specific technologies like Cisco UCC or Microsoft Teams Voice, and how they integrate with broader infrastructure like cloud and Active Directory.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Architect, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor others. Prepare examples of how you've influenced technical decisions or guided teams in previous roles. Highlight your experience in architectural governance and how you've ensured quality and security in past projects.
✨Communicate Clearly with Stakeholders
You'll be engaging with both technical and non-technical audiences, so practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. Think of scenarios where you've successfully communicated technical ideas to stakeholders and be ready to share those experiences.
✨Understand the Bigger Picture
Familiarise yourself with DVLA's mission and how your role as a Lead Unified Communications Architect fits into their goals. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to their digital transformation and ensure services are secure and scalable for millions of users across the UK.
