Information Architect - Leeds

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.

The Data and Information Governance (DIG) team within the Office of the Data Protection Office is an independent office within HMRC, and has a role set out in policies to ensure HMRC processes its data in accordance with data protection law and regulations. It advocates for data subjects' rights and is a conduit to the regulator, the Information Commissioner. The Software Development team is there to design, build and implement innovative IT solutions, to support DIG and related partners in the business. Not quite a standard IT team, it is embedded within the DIG team and requires the developers to balance their technical skills with knowledge of the policy areas the teams are working on.

About the Role

We are looking for a motivated and detail-focused Information Architect (IA) to join the team. This role sits within the Government Knowledge Information Management (GKIM) profession and plays a critical part in ensuring HMRC information is well structured, findable, secure and compliant with legislation and departmental policy. Alongside core information architecture responsibilities, the successful candidate will also use Power Platform low code tools (Power Apps, Power BI, OneTrust and Dataverse) to prototype and demonstrate Information Architecture requirements. This is not a coding or software engineering role.

Service Support Supplier Liaison

The Information Architect will provide first line functional support to end users on issues related to information structure, metadata, templates, classification rules, and completion of Information Asset Registers (IAR), Record Of Processing Activity (ROPA) and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) records. The postholder will triage reported system issues to determine whether they relate to information design or system behaviour, resolving those within GKIM remit and escalating technical faults to the external supplier where required. The Information Architect will act as the business owner contact point, logging issues, providing clear information governance context, and monitoring supplier response and resolution times. While the Information Architect will ensure that system fixes remain compliant with information governance and GKIM policy, all technical errors, defects, and system engineering changes will be resolved by the supplier, not the Information Architect. This maintains appropriate professional boundaries between GKIM (information design and governance) and technical delivery roles.

Key Responsibilities

Information Architecture Standards

• Develop and maintain metadata models, taxonomies, controlled vocabularies and classification schemes aligned to GKIM standards.
• Produce Information Handling Models (IHMs), information flows and information lifecycle requirements.
• Shape structured information environments such as file plans, folder structures, catalogues and knowledge bases.

Governance, Assurance Compliance

• Ensure information structures meet policy, legal, security and retention requirements.
• Contribute to information related assurance activities and reviews.
• Provide clear guidance, documentation and interpretation to digital delivery teams and stakeholders.

Power Platform Low Code Configuration (Explicit Requirement)

• Build and configure Power Apps (Canvas or Model Driven) and Power BI to prototype metadata structures, classification rules and information processes.
• Configure Dataverse tables, fields, relationships, business rules, forms and views aligned to artefacts.
• Use Power Fx for basic logic and validation (no coding required).
• Produce low code prototypes and proofs of concept that demonstrate IA standards and support user understanding.
• Identify where requirements move beyond low code capability and transition them to Government Digital and Data (GDAD) engineers appropriately.

Collaboration with Technical Teams

• Work alongside developers, architects and delivery teams to ensure KIM best practice is embedded in technical solutions.
• Translate artefacts into clear, actionable requirements for engineering teams.
• Maintain clear boundaries: the Information Architect owns the information design; GDAD owns technical build.

Information Quality, Findability Usability

• Review and improve existing information structures for consistency, clarity and usability.
• Help teams implement metadata and classification effectively to support search and retrieval.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage users and business teams to understand information needs and structure requirements.
• Communicate concepts and decisions in accessible, non-technical language.
• Promote good information management behaviours across HMRC.

What We Offer

• A supportive GKIM professional community.
• Opportunities to influence information standards.
• Flexible working arrangements.

Essential Criteria

• Experience or strong understanding of metadata, taxonomies, classification and information lifecycle.
• Ability to configure and use low code tools such as Power Apps, Power Query, Power BI, OneTrust and Dataverse.
• Ability to ensure low code solutions meet accessibility standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience with Power Fx.
• Experience working with digital delivery teams.

Behaviours

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

• You will be asked a technical based question.

Benefits

• 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.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences. Your CV should cover your last 3 roles. Give a brief summary of what you delivered and any key achievements in each role, including how you meet the Essential Criteria as outlined in the advert.
• A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Person Specification outlined in the advert.

Please evidence any Desirable Criteria where applicable (up to 250 words max). This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy holder where candidates have the same score at interview.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Prior to applications being sifted candidates will be asked to complete an additional IKM assessment. Candidates will be sent details of the assessment once the advert has closed. This assessment is a pass or fail and only those who pass will be considered at the sift stage.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.

At full sift your CV and Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of based on Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing and Developing Self and Others.

You will also be asked a Technical Question in relation to IH03 - Design in Information Architecture.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you.

If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) vacancy closing date (insert date).

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Sponsorship

We have assessed this role against both Home Office and HMRC criteria and we are unable to offer sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. This means the vacancy is not open to applicants who require visa sponsorship.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier. If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 6 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment team as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Technical Support

If you are experiencing problems that cannot be resolved by our help section, then technical support is available. You will receive a reply in 2 working days.

Additional Security Information

Please note in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application.

If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

From 1 April 2026, applicants will be required to meet updated nationality and residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. If this affects you, we will give you more information at the appropriate time.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the location preferences section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band. Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissions recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.