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These are exciting times at the Department for Education. We are transforming to become a user centred organisation, delivering better outcomes for all our users through agile and iterative software development and continuous improvement.

You will work with user researchers, product managers, designers, business analysts, delivery managers and content specialists as part of a multi-disciplinary team to directly deliver better outcomes for users. You will innovate to radically transform how public services are delivered and improved.

Read more about software development on the DfE Digital blog.

Principal technical architect

As a principal technical architect, you will be designing and building services for a diverse set of users, including citizens, teachers, social workers, and school professionals.

You will be working in [for example] the Schools and Curriculum digital delivery portfolio, which includes services like Get help buying for your school, Start and manage an academy and Build or repair a school.

The role

Your main responsibilities will include:

  • Defining and championing the technical strategy for a service or group of services - keeping up to date with the latest technologies and trends, whilst delivering working software early and often.
  • Leading technical specialists in multiple projects and services across a portfolio or business domain, on problems that require broad architectural thinking.
  • Defining how we buid and operate user-centred, open source web systems in an agile environment, to serve a variety of citizen and government needs - setting the standards across the DfE.
  • Being responsible for the technical design and development of your services, including how they interact with their surroundings, and how they evolve over time.
  • Challenging entrenched practices and influencing decision-makers, looking for deeper underlying problems to solve, and larger opportunities for digital transformation.
  • Active engagement across Government, supporting and influencing cross-Government change in your domain.
  • Communicating the vision for Government services to technical communities, working in multi-disciplinary teams that bring policy and delivery together.
  • Play an active role in shaping governance and assurance across DfE Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT), establishing controls and measures to ensure architectures comply with related frameworksand standards.
  • Leading the DfE Technical Architecture community, setting the standards for tools and techniques, and be an active member of related communities of practice and events, such as product, user research, design, platforms, security, etc.
  • Helping to build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the Technical Architecture community, both in and outside DfE, growing awareness, inclusivity and balance.
  • Working with the Head of Profession, colleagues and peers on profession-based activities (and cross-profession), such as defining standards and guidance around best practice.

Skills you need

It is essential that you can demonstrate the following experience in your application and at the first stage interview:

  • Experience leading technical teams and delivering user-centred services in an agile environment.
  • Experience of owning, shaping and influencing technical strategies, standards, patterns and policies.
  • Experience of introducing practices such as Test-Driven Development (TDD), continuous integration, automated deployment pipelines, version control with Git and DevOps.
  • Experience working with cloud-first architectures and how to build applications that take advantage of the opportunities they offer.
  • Experience of software development in either Ruby, .Net (or similar) and open source principles and technologies.

In addition, the following essential criteria will also need to be demonstrated at the second interview stage:

  • An ability to build consensus between diverse and often conflicting interests, working with technical and non-technical stakeholders to achieve agreement on technical plans.
  • The ability to look beyond immediate technical problems and identify the wider implications.
  • Practical knowledge at many levels of the web stack, from front-end code, down to infrastructure and networking.
  • Ability to communicate and work with senior stakeholders to produce effective strategies for technology choices, using the most appropriate languages, frameworks and tools to meet user and business needs.

It is desirable that you demonstrate the following:

  • Experience using automated tests to continuously validate your work.
  • Experience of applying the UK Government Service Standard and service assessment.
  • Experience of mentoring and supporting colleagues in multi-disciplinary teams, one-to-one or in groups.

Please note that desirable criteria will only be considered to make an informed decision in the event of a tie.

Selection process

Application

Candidates should complete the advertised Civil Service Jobs application by submitting a completed application form and CV, explaining how they meet the essential criteria specified under the Selection Criteria heading in the advert.

CV details need to be included in the template within the application form which is accessible through the Civil Service Jobs advert. Emailed CVs will not be considered.

Sift

Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look further at the evidence provided. The CV will be assessed in-line with the essential criteria listed in the advert.

Depending on the number of candidates who meet the minimum pass mark at sift, you may be invited to a first stage interview.

First stage interview

Longlisted candidates may be invited to attend a preliminary interview, which will be conducted via telephone, typically involving a commitment of up to 1 hour. The interview will consist of a series of questions to further assess the essential criteria listed in this advert.

As interviews will be conducted via telephone, please ensure that you are in a suitable location to hear and answer the questions.

If successful, candidates will then be invited to a second interview, which will be conducted via a video call.

Second stage interview

At this interview, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of the essential skills, specified as being assessed at the second stage interview, under the Selection Criteria heading.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.