At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the technical strategy and design scalable, secure systems for education funding.
- Company: Department for Education, shaping the future of education funding.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team and contribute to digital transformation in education.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on education by modernising funding services.
- Qualifications: Experience in digital services, cloud architecture, and software development.
Location: Coventry, Darlington, Manchester, Sheffield, London
At the Department for Education (DfE), you'll help build and modernise services that support the allocation of over £75bn in funding for education and training. Working in a cloud-first environment, you'll play a key role in designing scalable, secure systems that improve how funding reaches schools, colleges and learners.
About the role
As a Senior Technical Architect, you'll lead the technical direction for services within the Funding Service Delivery team, ensuring they are resilient, efficient and built to modern standards. You'll work in multidisciplinary agile teams, collaborating with developers, product managers and policy experts to design systems that meet real user needs. This is a high-impact role where you'll shape long-term technical strategy while delivering practical solutions at pace.
What you'll be doing:
- Define and lead the technical strategy across services
- Design scalable, cloud-first architectures
- Lead technical delivery across multiple projects and services
- Ensure systems are secure, resilient and user-centred
- Guide teams in building modern web services in agile environments
- Communicate complex technical ideas to technical and non-technical audiences
- Challenge existing approaches and drive digital transformation
- Support and contribute to the DfE architecture community
- Help establish and promote best practice, standards and guidance
What we're looking for:
Essential:
- Experience working in technical teams delivering user-centred digital services
- Strong knowledge of cloud-first architecture and modern application design
- Experience with software development (e.g. C# .NET or similar)
- Knowledge of modern engineering practices such as CI/CD, TDD and DevOps
Also important:
- Ability to work with technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Strong understanding of the full web stack (front-end to infrastructure)
- Ability to think beyond immediate problems and shape long-term solutions
Desirable:
- Experience working to the Government Service Standard
- Experience mentoring and supporting others
- Experience influencing technology strategy and decisions
Interested? This partner post gives you a quick overview. Click through to the full Civil Service Jobs advert to find out more and apply.
Senior Technical Architect - Department for Education - G7 employer: Government Digital & Data
At the Department for Education, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values innovation and collaboration. Our work culture fosters a supportive environment where employees are encouraged to grow and develop their skills, particularly in cutting-edge cloud technologies. With opportunities to influence significant funding strategies and contribute to meaningful educational outcomes, joining our team means being part of a mission-driven organisation that makes a real difference in the lives of learners across the UK.
Contact Details:
Government Digital & Data Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Technical Architect - Department for Education - G7
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at the Department for Education on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your cloud-first architecture knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you've designed scalable systems in the past. We want to hear about your real-world experience!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your soft skills! As a Senior Technical Architect, you'll need to communicate complex ideas clearly. Practice explaining your past projects to a non-technical friend to ensure you're ready to impress during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to engage with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Technical Architect - Department for Education - G7
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Senior Technical Architect. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical expertise! Mention your experience with cloud-first architecture, software development, and modern engineering practices. We want to see how you can lead our technical strategy.
Communicate Clearly:Remember, you'll be working with both technical and non-technical folks. Make sure your application communicates complex ideas in a straightforward way. This will demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between different audiences.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Government Digital & Data
✨Know Your Cloud Architecture
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of cloud-first architecture and modern application design. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience where you've successfully implemented these principles in a project.
✨Showcase Your Technical Leadership
Prepare to talk about your experience leading technical teams and projects. Highlight how you've guided teams in building user-centred digital services, and be ready to share any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since you'll need to communicate complex technical ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences, practice explaining your past projects in simple terms. This will demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between different stakeholders.
✨Emphasise Agile Experience
Given the role's focus on working in multidisciplinary agile teams, be prepared to discuss your experience with agile methodologies. Share specific instances where you've contributed to agile processes and how it improved project outcomes.
