Lead Technical Architect (Digital Architecture and Design)

Help shape the architecture behind some of Scotland's most important digital services. The decisions you make as an architect can shape how millions of people access public services.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Lead Technical Architect to join our Digital Architecture and Design division and help design and deliver the platforms, services and technology foundations that support Scotland's digital future. This is a senior architecture role spanning national platforms, shared services, and major digital transformation programmes. You'll work with senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams to solve complex architecture challenges, guide critical technology decisions supporting the delivery of accessible, secure, sustainable and scalable digital services that enable millions of interactions each year.

Our architects work across identity, platform, cloud, integration and digital service architectures, supporting some of the most complex technology environments in the Scottish public sector. The role offers exposure to modern cloud-native platforms, shared government capabilities, digital identity services, enterprise integration and large-scale service transformation. You'll work in multidisciplinary teams alongside engineers, delivery managers, designers and product specialists to solve complex public sector challenges.

You'll provide leadership throughout the lifecycle of digital services, from early discovery and design through to implementation and assurance, helping balance delivery with Scottish Government objectives, user needs, and long-term service outcomes. Unlike many architecture roles focused on a single product, platform or programme, you'll work across a broad portfolio of services, shared capabilities and transformation initiatives supporting Scotland's Digital Strategy and wider Public Sector Reform ambitions. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to major national programmes and help shape the future direction of digital public services across Scotland.

Why Join Us?

Few architecture roles offer the opportunity to improve services relied on by millions of people while working across nationally significant digital platforms and transformation programmes. You'll have the chance to:

• Help shape services and platforms relied on by millions of people across Scotland.
• Combine strategic architecture with hands‑on delivery across live services and transformation programmes.
• Play a leading role in delivering technology-enabled public service transformation.
• Develop your expertise across a broader range of technologies, services and large-scale digital programmes.
• Coach and mentor colleagues while continuing to develop your own expertise.
• Join a collaborative architecture community of around 20 architects spanning enterprise, cloud, security and solution architecture.

You'll also benefit from a 35‑hour working week, flexible hybrid working, a competitive Civil Service pension and the opportunity to build a rewarding career while maintaining a healthy work‑life balance.

Our Architecture Practice

Our architecture community provides leadership, consultancy and governance across Scottish Government and the wider public sector. We help teams make better technology decisions, establish common approaches, and deliver services that are accessible, secure, scalable and designed for long‑term sustainability. You'll work alongside experienced architects from across enterprise, cloud, security and solution architecture, sharing expertise, shaping standards and influencing technology decisions across government. Alongside delivery work, we develop and maintain architecture standards, reference architectures and guidance that help shape technology decisions across government.

Current Areas of Work include:

• Digital Identity
• Shared platforms and common capabilities.
• ScotPayments
• CivTech Initiatives
• Scottish Government Mobile and Mobile Web Applications
• Cloud Platform Architecture and Design

The Role

As a Lead Technical Architect, you'll provide architectural leadership across national digital services, platforms, and shared capabilities, helping teams solve complex technical challenges and deliver secure, sustainable services.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and review processes for new solutions and services, evidencing the inclusion of Secure by Design principles within the technical designs you produce, oversee, and approve.
• Create optimal technical designs through an iterative process, aligning user needs, system requirements, security considerations, and organisational objectives.
• Contribute to the overall technical strategy and roadmap for the department within your area of expertise.
• Present recommendations for technologies and improvement opportunities to senior leaders, based on technical expertise and analysis of business and system requirements.
• Be recognised as a subject matter expert, contributing to the development of architectural practice and helping shape a coherent strategy across cybersecurity, cloud, data centre, storage, networking, mobile and infrastructure user experience.
• Manage, coach and mentor Technical Architects, helping to strengthen architecture capability across the organisation.
• Develop and document technical designs for the integration and implementation of solutions, working across GDD, business areas, and delivery teams.
• Act as a key contributor to architecture governance activities, promoting effective working methods and the consistent application of technical architecture standards.
• Ensure technical designs meet security and operational requirements.
• Evaluate implemented solutions, identifying lessons learned and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Provide feedback to leadership and support the adoption of lessons learned and best practice in future delivery and integration plans.