At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape the future of analytics services and design innovative technical solutions.
- Company: Join DWP Digital, the UK's largest government department with a purpose-driven mission.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, hybrid working, and a fantastic pension scheme.
- Other info: Mentorship opportunities and a diverse, inclusive workplace culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on millions of lives while driving digital transformation.
- Qualifications: Experience in architecture design and translating complex requirements into solutions.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
DWP Digital is looking for an experienced Lead Technical Architect to help shape the future of our strategic Management Information and Analytics services. Our DWP Digital teams use fresh ideas and leading-edge tech to build and maintain digital solutions that will be used by nearly every person in the UK, every day and at key moments in their lives. DWP is the UK's largest government department. We help people into work and make payments worth over £195bn a year to support and empower millions of people.
What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?
- Architecture design across on-premises, cloud and hybrid environments involving networking, security, presentation, middleware, database and integration components.
- Experience applying architecture principles, patterns, standards, practices and technical roadmaps to deliver effective solutions.
- Experience working with project delivery teams across agile, waterfall and hybrid delivery methodologies from concept through to live service.
- Ability to translate complex business requirements into robust technical solutions with clear traceability for stakeholders.
- Experience using architecture modelling techniques and tools to design and communicate solutions.
- Knowledge of data integration technologies including real-time and batch processing across multiple source systems.
- Experience of analytics and reporting platforms, including data warehousing, data lakes, business intelligence technologies and tools such as Power BI.
You and your role
As a Lead Technical Architect, you'll shape the future of one of the largest Management Information and Analytics services in UK government, influencing technology decisions that support around 20,000 users across DWP. Our architects play a key role in delivering digital transformation across DWP, translating complex business requirements into practical technical solutions and guiding programmes from concept through to live service. You'll work with senior stakeholders, architects, engineers and delivery teams to design secure, scalable solutions across cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments while leading architectural governance, influencing technology strategy and driving innovation across data, analytics and reporting platforms. As part of DWP Digital's Data Insights and Analytics community, you'll mentor and support other architects, helping to build capability and deliver high-quality services that provide trusted insight and better outcomes for millions of people across the UK.
Details:
- Hybrid Working: We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home (40%) and some time collaborating face to face in a hub (60%).
- Pay: We offer competitive pay for this role of up to £96,683.
- Pension: You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%, worth over £21,735 per year.
- Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.
- We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Time off volunteering and charitable giving, Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP', Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more, Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference, Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.
And we have an award-winning environment and culture:
- DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards.
- Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024.
- Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025.
- Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards.
Process:
We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process is just two stages:
- Apply: complete your application on Civil Service Jobs.
- Interview: A single stage interview online.
Lead Technical Architect employer: DWP Digital
DWP is an exceptional employer that champions innovation and collaboration within its digital teams. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer extensive training opportunities and a supportive work culture that values fresh ideas and cutting-edge technology. Working from home allows for a flexible work-life balance, making it an ideal environment for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the realm of data solutions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Technical Architect
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at DWP Digital or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to DWP Digital.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like DWP Digital.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like DWP Digital that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Technical Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at DWP Digital.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at DWP Digital and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at DWP Digital
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If DWP Digital uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
