Principal Technical Architect

Job summary

At FCDO Services, we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings and courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we’re on. In our world, it all matters.

Job description

Our Digital and Data technology team are at the forefront of digital innovation. They provide the best in-class solutions for our customers, helping to shape and support a data-driven future for the UK government. Whether it’s creating bespoke, secure software, offering programme and application support or moving an entire embassy’s servers to a Cloud platform. No matter the task, they are on hand to support. Now, you’ve got the opportunity to join them.

• Providing innovation to government partners
• Delivering best-in-class solutions
• Working at the cutting-edge of technology
• It all matter s
• Define the technical standards that shape the vital work we do

When you join us in this significant role you’ll lead the definition and evolution of enterprise architecture, ensuring it aligns with our organisational goals, government standards and technological strategy. Building capability, promoting excellence and overseeing the infrastructure, networks and cloud architecture domains, you’ll inspire your dedicated team as you drive the design and execution of architectural roadmaps and transformational change across applications, operations, infrastructure and cloud domains. Making an important contribution to our technology and target operating models, and shaping strategies for the adoption of AI, DevSecOps, and identity management, we’ll also expect you to establish architectural standards, policies and guardrails across our organisation.

You’ll use all your leadership skills as you coach and mentor our architects and technical specialists by articulating FCDO Services’ vision, principles and value, and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning. Engaging with a diverse range of senior stakeholders across government, technical communities and industry as you represent our organisation and share insights at relevant forums, you’ll also work with other senior leaders to align our architecture with business strategy, procurement and operations. Your additional key tasks will include identifying and governing risk, ensuring decisions and solutions comply with relevant requirements, and participating in incident reviews. And it goes without saying that you’ll be committed to driving innovation and improving performance as we stay at the forefront of emerging technologies, architectures and industry trends.

Shape the technical architecture that keeps the UK secure

To be a success in this vital role you should possess the skills to translate business and security requirements into secure, efficient and cost-effective designs, and have experience of reviewing and assuring complex solutions and designs using the TOGAF framework. With proven experience of using VMware, Microsoft on-premise, and multi-cloud technologies to define and govern enterprise scale architectures, we’ll also look for the ability to translate strategic objectives into technical roadmaps, the skills to design secure or air-gapped platforms within the government sector, and knowledge of NCSC, GDS and UK government security frameworks.

Committed to fostering technical excellence and professional growth in the architects and specialists you work with, and with the confidence to influence and advise senior civil servants, you’ll be a skilled user of Terraform, CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager, Ansible, Puppet and Chef, and have expert knowledge of VMware and Microsoft infrastructure technologies. When it come to academic qualifications you should have a degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or Information Technology, expert or professional level certifications in relevant specialisms, and hold or be willing to work towards qualifications such as TOGAF, ITIL, Agile Project Management and PRINCE2.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further

But we’re always looking to improve – just like you. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you to undergo our vetting process to achieve Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. You can find out more about vetting at fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

• To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk
• Closing date: Wednesday 21st October
• It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Person specification

We are looking for people with:

• Degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or Information Technology.
• Hold or willing to work towards recognised qualifications such as TOGAF, ITIL, Agile Project Management, PRINCE2, or equivalent experience.
• Hold professional or expert level certifications such as; Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) or equivalent experience.
• Translate business/security requirements into secure, efficient, and cost-effective designs.
• Experience in reviewing and assuring complex solutions and authored concise and high quality high and low-level designs (conceptual, logical, and physical architecture layers) using the TOGAF framework.
• Proven experience defining and governing enterprise scale architectures across using VMware (private cloud), Microsoft on-premise, and multi-cloud (Azure and/or AWS) technologies, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into technical roadmaps and standards.
• Demonstrable experience leading, coaching, and developing senior architects and specialists, fostering technical excellence, and professional growth.
• Experience designing secure or air-gapped platforms within the government sector.
• Knowledge of NCSC, GDS, and UK government security frameworks, including Secure by Design, Cloud Security Principles, Government Functional Standards, and the Technology Code of Practice.
• Expert in VMware (VCF) and Microsoft infrastructure technologies with strong capability across networking, storage, recovery, monitoring, and multi-cloud platforms (Azure, M365, and AWS).
• Knowledge of Agile, DevSecOps, and CI/CD practices for infrastructure delivery.
• Skilled in infrastructure design and automation using provisioning and configuration management tools including Terraform, CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager, Ansible, Puppet, and Chef.
• Influencing and advising Senior Civil Servants (SCS), both internally and externally (through wider governance forums) through credible, evidence-based recommendations.
• Developing and maintaining enterprise architecture frameworks, standards, and roadmaps aligned with strategic goals.

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or Information Technology.

Holds or is willing to work towards recognised qualifications such as TOGAF, ITIL, Agile Project Management, PRINCE2, or equivalent experience.

Holds professional or expert level certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) or equivalent experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or Information Technology
• Holds or is willing to work towards recognised qualifications such as TOGAF, ITIL, Agile Project Management, PRINCE2, or equivalent experience.
• Holds professional or expert level certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) or equivalent experience.
• Translate business/security requirements into secure, efficient, and cost-effective designs.
• Proven experience defining & governing enterprise scale architectures across using VMware (private cloud), MS on-premise, & multi-cloud (Azure &/or AWS) techs, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into technical roadmaps and standards
• Demonstrable experience leading, coaching, and developing senior architects and specialists, fostering technical excellence, and professional growth.
• Demonstrable experience deputising for senior technology leaders (i.e. CTO, Chief Architect, Principal Technical Architect), providing strategic oversight and principal technology coverage where required.
• Knowledge of NCSC, GDS, and UK government security frameworks, including Secure by Design, Cloud Security Principles, Government Functional Standards, and the Technology Code of Practice.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,055, FCDO Services contributes

£21,743 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• Annual leave starting at 25 days.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension.
• Free shuttle bus available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park
• 9 days per annum public and privilege days

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide your CV, a personal statement, and provide answers to some job specific/technical skills.

Your CV and personal statement will not form part of the assessment they will provide an insight into your work history and experience.

Your CV should include:

• no personal identifying details
• career history with key responsibilities
• achievements
• qualifications

Your personal statement should outline your interest in the role.

Candidates will only be sifted on answers provided to the technical/ job specific questions which are outlined in the application form.

Those that are