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- Tasks: Lead the technical strategy and design innovative solutions for complex systems.
- Company: Join the Home Office Digital team, driving transformation in public services.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on national security and public service through cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in cloud architecture and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 76000 - 80000 £ per year.
£76,117 for National Roles or £80,237 for London Roles
Published on 3 February 2026
Deadline 19 February 2026
Location: Croydon CR0 2WF, Liverpool L3 9AF, Manchester M5 3LZ, Sheffield S3 8NU, Southport PR8 2HH, Glasgow G4 0BT, Cardiff CF24 0AB.
About the job
We are recruiting Principal Technical Architects across four digital portfolios: Migration and Borders Technology, Police and Public Protection Technology, Data Services and Analytics, and Automation and Innovation. They require strong technical leadership, the ability to work across complex technology landscapes, and the capability to drive meaningful transformation through secure, user-centred and scalable solutions.
- Migration and Borders Technology Portfolio (MBTP): Delivers the technology, data and cyber services that protect the UK border, support legitimate travel and trade, and enable people to prove their status to live and work in the UK.
- Police and Public Protection Technology Portfolio (PPPT): Supports critical national policing and public safety systems, including Law Enforcement Data Service; the Police National Database; Automatic Number Plate Recognition; offender and safeguarding systems; and key homeland security and international data sharing capabilities.
- Data Services and Analytics (DSA): One of government’s leading data analytics centres, central to the Home Office’s data transformation.
- Automation and Innovation: Turns emerging technologies into practical, high impact solutions by prototyping and deploying automation and advanced technologies.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office.
As Principal Technical Architect, you will define and execute the technical strategy for your responsibility, collaborating with senior leadership and diverse teams to ensure alignment with organisational, cross-departmental, and government-wide objectives. You will proactively seek opportunities to leverage emerging technologies such as cloud, AI, and IoT. You will ensure that technical solutions are secure, user-focused, and capable of adapting to evolving business needs.
Your role includes guiding and inspiring other architects, facilitating professional growth, and establishing an environment where innovative thinking thrives.
Main Responsibilities:
- Own and deliver the overarching technical strategy, guiding architectural decisions that balance risk, complexity, and delivery timelines.
- Lead governance and assurance processes, ensuring solutions remain secure, robust, and aligned with enterprise architecture principles.
- Collaborate with senior stakeholders to advocate for digital transformation initiatives, influencing decisions through clear, data-driven insights.
- Mentor and guide architects and engineering teams, nurturing a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
- Oversee integration of new systems, developing detailed plans that align with broader organisational and cross-government strategies.
- Assess current systems to identify areas for improvement, analyse potential risks, and promote emerging best practices in the field.
- Facilitate stakeholder discussions, serving as the key escalation point for complex or high-risk design challenges.
- Drive continuous improvement, incorporating lessons learned into future strategies and ensuring consistency in architecture across multiple domains.
Requirements:
- Significant experience of designing cloud platform and applications architectures, across CSPs such as AWS and MS Azure, ideally evidencing microservice and serverless architectures deployed at scale.
- Shown leadership in delivering complex, innovative technical architectures at scale, inspiring technical excellence and forward-thinking design.
- Strategic foresight to anticipate future technologies and identify opportunities for transformation or optimisation.
- Experience managing diverse technology landscapes, including third-party suppliers, cloud environments, and cross-departmental teams.
- Deep knowledge of engineering principles, agile methods, DevOps, and secure-by-design approaches, ensuring robust, resilient solutions.
- Track record of delivering solutions on time and within scope, balancing budget, security, and quality considerations.
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.
- Ownership of technical roadmaps and strategies, ensuring solutions align with enterprise objectives and evolving user needs.
Principal Technical Architect - Home Office - G6 employer: Manchester Digital
Contact Detail:
Manchester Digital Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Technical Architect - Home Office - G6
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who’s already in the role you want. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or a personal website that highlights your projects and achievements. This is your chance to demonstrate your technical prowess and innovative thinking, which is exactly what employers are looking for.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to the Principal Technical Architect role. Think about how you can showcase your experience with cloud platforms, agile methods, and your ability to lead diverse teams.
✨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 genuinely interested in joining our team at the Home Office.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Technical Architect - Home Office - G6
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the Principal Technical Architect role. We want to see how you can contribute to our digital portfolios, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects!
Showcase Your Technical Expertise: This role requires strong technical leadership, so be sure to emphasise your experience with cloud platforms, microservices, and secure architectures. We love seeing specific examples of how you've tackled complex challenges in your previous roles.
Communicate Clearly: Your ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear insights is crucial. Use straightforward language in your application to demonstrate your communication skills. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can bridge the gap between tech and business!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it gets to the right people. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our team there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Manchester Digital
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Principal Technical Architect, you’ll need to demonstrate your deep understanding of cloud platforms like AWS and Azure. Brush up on microservices and serverless architectures, and be ready to discuss how you've implemented these in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership, so prepare examples of how you've guided teams through complex technical challenges. Think about times when you’ve mentored others or influenced decisions at a senior level, and be ready to share those stories.
✨Understand the Business Context
It’s crucial to bridge the gap between technology and business needs. Familiarise yourself with the Home Office's objectives and think about how your technical strategies can align with their goals. Be prepared to discuss how you can drive digital transformation initiatives.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Practice articulating your thought process when tackling high-risk design challenges, and how you would ensure solutions remain secure and user-focused.
