Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6
Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6

Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6

Full-Time 55000 - 65000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Manchester Digital

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead technical design and governance for cloud-based solutions at DVLA.
  • Company: Join the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, a key player in government services.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on mentorship and leadership.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of public services with innovative cloud technologies.
  • Qualifications: Strong background in architecture and experience with cloud-native solutions.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.

Location: Swansea

This is a senior architecture role at a time when DVLA is rebuilding services on a cloud‑first platform, using containers, serverless technologies and modern CI/CD tooling. If you enjoy setting direction, shaping design governance, and influencing delivery across multiple teams, this is a great moment to join.

What You’ll Be Working On

  • You’ll work alongside service designers and agile software teams, defining and assuring solution architectures across multiple programmes, and helping DVLA deliver secure, scalable services at pace.
  • You’ll also work across organisational boundaries (including DfT and wider government) to support alignment and interoperability where it adds value.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Provide technical design leadership and governance across a programme of work.
  • Define and assure solution architectures, ensuring alignment to enterprise/reference architectures and strategic direction.
  • Establish and maintain architectural governance so designs are robust, consistent, and supportable.
  • Support multiple teams by sharing best practice and emerging technologies.
  • Ensure security is designed in, working with security architecture and agreed standards.
  • Inspire and mentor other architects, and provide leadership across the architecture community.
  • Engage senior stakeholders confidently and communicate decisions clearly.

Who This Role Is For

  • Have a strong architecture/engineering background and have led enterprise, cloud‑based solutions.
  • Can set a cross‑project vision (principles, patterns, target state) and translate business goals into a technical roadmap.
  • Understand programme‑level risk (dependencies, technical debt, scalability, compliance).
  • Enjoy improving governance processes and enabling teams to deliver safely at pace.
  • Are confident influencing senior leaders and explaining complex technical topics to mixed audiences.

What You’ll Bring

  • Designing/building cloud‑native solutions (e.g., AWS).
  • Secure design and protecting sensitive data.
  • Leading technical direction across multiple teams and stakeholders.

Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6 employer: Manchester Digital

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Swansea where innovation meets public service. With a strong focus on employee growth, DVLA provides opportunities for professional development through mentorship and collaboration with senior stakeholders, all while embracing modern technologies in a cloud-first approach. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values your expertise and encourages you to shape the future of digital services in government.
Manchester Digital

Contact Detail:

Manchester Digital Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at DVLA on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your cloud-native solutions knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you've led technical direction in past roles and how you can apply that to DVLA's projects.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your leadership skills! Think of examples where you've inspired teams or influenced senior stakeholders. This role is all about guiding others, so make sure you highlight those experiences.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining the team.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6

Cloud Architecture
Containerisation
Serverless Technologies
CI/CD Tooling
Solution Architecture
Technical Design Leadership
Architectural Governance
Security Architecture
Stakeholder Engagement
Risk Management
Technical Roadmapping
Mentoring and Leadership
Communication Skills
Agile Methodologies

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Principal Technical Architect role. Highlight your cloud-native solutions experience and any leadership roles you've had in architecture or engineering.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've influenced delivery across teams and shaped design governance in your previous positions.

Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to mention your experience with modern CI/CD tooling, serverless technologies, and any relevant cloud platforms like AWS. We want to see how you can contribute to our cloud-first platform!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!

How to prepare for a job interview at Manchester Digital

✨Know Your Cloud Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in cloud-native solutions, especially AWS. Brush up on your knowledge of containers, serverless technologies, and CI/CD tooling. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you’re ready to lead the technical direction.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples of how you've provided technical design leadership in previous roles. Think about times when you’ve influenced delivery across teams or mentored other architects. This will demonstrate your ability to inspire and guide others in the architecture community.

✨Understand Governance and Security

Familiarise yourself with architectural governance processes and security standards. Be ready to discuss how you’ve ensured robust and consistent designs in past projects, and how you plan to incorporate security into your architectural decisions at DVLA.

✨Engage with Stakeholders Effectively

Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. You’ll need to communicate clearly with senior stakeholders, so think about how you can convey your ideas effectively. Prepare for questions on how you would align technical roadmaps with business goals.

Principal Technical Architect - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - G6
Manchester Digital

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