Lead Enterprise Architect in Manchester

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government. Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government. We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol. The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale. Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

The Enterprise Architecture function, and the architects that work within it, exist to define how technology will be used to transform the UK public sector: ensuring that common tools, standards and shared services exist to reduce duplication and improve efficient use of technology; providing the guardrails that enable government departments to innovate the future safely; and to provide the roadmaps of core foundational technologies that are common across central and local government, the NHS, Police, as well as 400+ agencies and other bodies.

You will be aligned to a Grade 6 Enterprise Architect who will mentor and support you as well as set you challenging tasks to further your team’s objectives. Your team is responsible for the Digital Architecture of Government. You will:

• Undertake research, input into and shape a 10-year intent and strategy for our future digital architecture, and how departments systems will interact or share from each other
• Identify and develop architectural principles, guardrails and governance, forming and leading a group of technologists from across the UK Public Sector to embed these and help them thrive
• Work alongside vendors to create a vibrant market of shared capabilities for UK Public Sector customers, and with Crown Commercial Service in commercial engagements with vendors
• Build a network of peers across UK Public Sector to regularly engage with
• Promote your work through content written for GOV.UK, speaking engagements and hosting community events
• Help upskill others in GDS and DSIT in your specialist area

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. Our roles have a scale and impact unlike many others: we are routinely involved in commercial engagements worth £billions, respond to pan-Government technology questions from ministers, and provide advice to other international governments. Please don’t let this sound intimidating; if you could see yourself in this role, we’d like to hear from you.

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• have experience supporting the setting of a vision and leading digital and data change
• have experience designing and building technology and can use this to build credibility with others, evaluate proposals and decide an execution approach
• have experience engaging with suppliers/vendors both formally and informally
• are comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders, both technical (such as CTOs / CDOs across Government) and non-technical (including ministers and permanent secretaries)
• have learning embedded in the way they approach their working week and are willing to share that learning with those around
• have an interest in working collaboratively within a community to identify issues and deliver effective solutions

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible. DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.