At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of innovative cloud solutions for millions across the UK.
- Company: Join HMRC, a leader in digital transformation and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the UK's tax system with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in cloud architecture and strong DevOps skills required.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team with excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 58000 £ per year.
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. HMRC is transforming the UK's tax system through cutting-edge digital innovation and the Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) Group is at the heart of that mission. We are building high-quality digital services that will enhance the customer experience, enable real-time interactions, and make tax simpler and more intuitive for everyone.
Do you want to help deliver secure, reliable, and efficient platforms used by millions across the UK? We're looking for an experienced Senior Technical Architect to join HMRC's Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) team, embedded directly within product teams to shape, build, and evolve cloud-native services. You will work closely with engineers and product owners to set technical direction, solve complex challenges, and drive best practice across cloud, DevOps, and automation.
Important: Travel to Telford is required as part of this role.
As a Senior Technical Architect within HMRC's Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS), you will be a key member of one or more Cloud product teams, providing hands-on technical leadership and architectural guidance. Unlike traditional centralised architecture roles, you will be embedded directly within the product teams, working closely with engineers, product owners, and stakeholders to design, build, and evolve robust cloud-native solutions. Your expertise will help shape the technical direction of our products, ensuring they are secure, scalable, and maintainable.
Responsibilities
- Architect and deliver solutions across CI/CD, security/secrets, DNS automation, or machine image pipelines.
- Promote DevOps and IaC approaches across teams.
- Ensure security and regulatory compliance.
- Balance immediate delivery needs with long-term technical strategy.
- Work with other architects to align standards and patterns.
- Provide hands-on support and mentorship to engineering teams, helping to resolve complex technical challenges.
Essential Criteria
- Proven experience as a cloud-focused technical architect or senior engineer (AWS/Azure).
- Hands-on expertise in one or more: CI/CD tooling, secrets/security, DNS, or image pipelines.
- Strong DevOps and IaC skills (Terraform, CloudFormation).
- Familiarity with container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes, ECS).
- Experience working within embedded product or feature teams.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Technical Leadership & Mentoring
As a Senior Technical Architect, you will provide clear architectural leadership, mentoring engineers and guiding teams through complex design decisions. You will share best practice, offer constructive technical direction, and help shape a collaborative, high-performing engineering culture.
Critical Thinking & Architectural Mindset
We're looking for someone who brings strong architectural judgment - able to challenge assumptions, evaluate options, and make well-reasoned design decisions. You will navigate ambiguity confidently, analyse trade-offs, and propose solutions that balance long-term vision with practical delivery.
Benefits
- Alongside your salary of £58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,959 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 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.
Senior Technical Architect - Bristol employer: HMRC
Contact Detail:
HMRC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Technical Architect - Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former HMRC employees on LinkedIn. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for the interview process. Personal connections can give you insights that you won't find in the job description.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those technical questions! Brush up on your cloud architecture knowledge, especially around AWS/Azure and CI/CD tools. We want to see you shine in the interview, so practice explaining your past projects and how they relate to the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your soft skills! Communication and teamwork are key in this role. Be ready to share examples of how you've collaborated with others to solve complex problems. We love candidates who can demonstrate both technical prowess and great interpersonal skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining HMRC and being part of our mission to transform the UK's tax system.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Technical Architect - Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft a Stellar CV: Your CV is your first impression, so make it count! Highlight your job history and key achievements clearly. Remember, we want to see how your experience aligns with the Senior Technical Architect role.
Nail Your Personal Statement: This is your chance to shine! In 500 words, explain why you're the perfect fit for us. Focus on how your skills meet the essential criteria and showcase your passion for cloud-native solutions.
Be Honest and Authentic: We value honesty above all. Use your own experiences to illustrate your points. Avoid any AI-generated content or plagiarism; we want to hear your unique voice and perspective!
Apply Through Our Website: Ready to take the plunge? Make sure you apply through our website for a smooth application process. We can't wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at HMRC
✨Know Your Cloud Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your cloud architecture knowledge, especially around AWS and Azure. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with CI/CD tooling, security practices, and container orchestration. The interviewers will want to see that you can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Senior Technical Architect, you'll be expected to lead and mentor teams. Prepare examples of how you've guided engineers through complex challenges or helped shape a collaborative culture. Highlight your ability to balance immediate delivery needs with long-term strategies.
✨Communicate Clearly
Strong communication skills are key for this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, especially when discussing technical concepts. Remember, you’ll need to explain your ideas to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, so adaptability in your communication style is crucial.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your critical thinking and architectural mindset. Think about past projects where you had to evaluate options and make design decisions. Be ready to discuss trade-offs and how you navigated ambiguity to arrive at effective solutions.