At a Glance
- Tasks: Architect digital solutions that enhance Scotland's public services using Microsoft Azure.
- Company: Join the Scottish Government, shaping technology for millions.
- Benefits: Flexible hybrid working, excellent pension, and a strong work-life balance.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to improving lives through digital transformation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public services while driving innovation in technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in designing enterprise-scale Microsoft Azure solutions and providing technical leadership.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Architect the digital foundations that power Scotland's public services. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of one of Scotland's largest Microsoft Azure environments, supporting the Scottish Government and more than 50 public sector organisations that deliver services to millions of people. Working within the Cloud Platform and Engineering team, you will provide architectural leadership across Azure and Microsoft 365 services, influencing the technology decisions that support critical public services across Scotland. You will play a leading role in a major cloud transformation programme, helping define future technology roadmaps and ensuring solutions remain secure, resilient and scalable.
Working closely with product, engineering and architecture colleagues, you will act as a senior technical authority, developing modern architecture patterns, guiding cloud transformation initiatives, and ensuring technology investment supports long-term organisational priorities. This is a technically challenging role with the opportunity to influence strategy, drive innovation and deliver technology at a significant scale. In return, you will join an organisation where digital and technology are central to improving public services, with flexible hybrid working, an excellent pension and a strong commitment to work-life balance.
We would love to hear from you if you have experience designing enterprise-scale Microsoft Azure solutions, shaping technology road-maps and providing technical leadership within complex technology environments in any sector.
Responsibilities
- Own designated digital components, ensuring their design and implementation align with broader architectural patterns and direction.
- Develop and document technical designs for the integration and implementation of technology solutions, working across GDD and wider business teams.
- Provide expert guidance to ensure recommendations and designs align with wider organisational and cross-government strategies.
- Contribute to the department’s overall technical strategy and roadmap, while owning the technical roadmap for services within your defined domain.
- Provide key contributions to architecture governance activities, ensuring the adoption of best practice and appropriate technology architecture standards.
- Present recommendations for technologies or system improvements to support project goals, based on IT knowledge and analysis of business and system needs.
- Ensure designs meet required security and operational standards.
- Evaluate the success of integrated solutions, identifying best practices and lessons learned.
Success Profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.
Experience
- Lead Criteria 1: Demonstrating a detailed knowledge of technical requirements to implement, design and manage a range of Microsoft technologies focusing on Azure with an awareness of Microsoft 365.
- Lead Criteria 2: Designing complex technology solutions recognising time, cost and quality targets and constraints.
- Providing technical leadership and expertise on large projects or critical work-streams in larger programmes.
- Anticipating and advising on future technology that present opportunities for the Scottish Government's 'SCOTS' Microsoft Platform.
Experience is assessed at sift, along with a more in-depth assessment at interview.
Technical Skills
This role is aligned to the Technical Architect job role within the Architecture job family. You can find out more about the skills required, here: Technical architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework. These skills are assessed by technical assessment, designed to represent the role. Candidates reaching this stage will receive a Technical Assessment Candidate Pack which outlines the specific skills to be assessed, plus the method of assessment.
Behaviours
- Managing a Quality Service (Level 4)
- Making Effective Decisions (Level 4)
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here. Behaviours are assessed at interview. Full details will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
About Us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including education, health, the economy, justice, housing, and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits.
Working pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.
Security checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
Government, Digital and Data (GDD) Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £4,000.00 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly – pay supplements are reviewed regularly. The Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession is a UK-wide group of over 24,000 civil servants dedicated to driving digital transformation in government through more efficient, data-driven public services.
Equality Statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Further information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
Principal Azure Architect employer: THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
As a Lead Technical Architect within the Corporate Operations Directorate, you will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to driving digital transformation and enhancing the efficiency of the Scottish Government. Our inclusive work culture fosters collaboration and innovation, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development. With a focus on people-centred decision-making and a commitment to making a positive impact, this role offers a unique chance to contribute to meaningful change in Scotland while enjoying flexible working arrangements and a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Azure Architect
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT.
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We think you need these skills to ace Principal Azure Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
