Design Advisor (Secure Children's Homes)

Department for Education; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental education department in the UK is seeking a qualified architect to join their team as a design advisor. The candidate will advise on quality and technical standards for education projects, focusing on schools and children's homes. Responsibilities include providing design policy advice, managing technical standards, and collaborating with various stakeholders. The successful candidate should have significant experience in architecture and a keen interest in improving educational environments. This is a full-time role based in Bristol with a two-year contract.

Benefits

Generous leave

Pension contributions

Competitive salary

Hybrid working arrangement

Qualifications

• Substantial post-qualification experience in architecture.
• Knowledge of public sector design and construction.
• Experience with education and children's home projects.

Responsibilities

• Advise on quality and technical standards in education projects.
• Support technical policy development for children's homes.
• Manage projects related to design and technical standards.

Skills

Technical assurance reviews

Policy development

Collaboration with stakeholders

Communication and presentation skills

Knowledge of sustainability

Education

Qualified architect

Job description

Please note - Bristol and Leeds currently have site controls in place. Therefore, these location options are only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to these office locations., We are looking for a confident and versatile qualified architect with a keen interest in education buildings and a substantial experience post qualification to join the Department for Education's (DfE) Education Estates Directorate as a design advisor.

This role sits in the Technical Standards division (covering estates design, cost, engineering, sustainability and building technology expertise) and is based in the multi-disciplinary Design Team which advises on architecture, building and climate in the education estate. The team covers sector expertise across mainstream schools, SEND/AP, FE colleges and Children's Homes. The successful candidate will report to the Head of Technical Assurance (Design).

In this role, you will advise on quality and technical standards in new and refurbishment education projects in capital programmes to deliver healthy, safe and sustainable places for education in England. You will also provide design and technical policy advice to project teams in the Children's Homes Capital Programme on new build and smaller capital funded construction projects across the Secure and Open Children's Homes estate. This will include supporting the development of design and technical standards for Secure Children's Homes and research into best practice secure accommodation for children.

You will have knowledge of technical policies, systems and mechanisms which influence public sector design and construction - future developments in the sector, sustainability, design, standardisation, public sector procurement, stakeholders and delivery - and have a good understanding of historic precedents, trends and best practice in the sector to support outcomes for good quality environments for future generations.

The Department for Education's Design Team advises on architecture, building and climate, and is a key part of the DfE with roots that go back to 1947. We aim to provide children and young people with better spaces and greener places across the education estate and deliver good quality environments in which to learn and teach. The team has a substantive role in setting educational premises standards and developing technical specifications.

As a design advisor, you will provide technical advice to support quality across the education and children's home sectors. You will advise on projects at a strategic level to support quality and ensure that projects will be able to adapt to evolving educational, operational and legal requirements. You will advise on all aspects of technical standards and associated policies (e.g. educational, sustainability, construction.) You will support a feedback loop in developing technical standards and gathering evidence to uphold the DfE's business objective of delivering good value for public money. You will liaise with a wide range of audiences and stakeholders including Responsible Bodies, Construction Delivery, Contractors and Technical Advisors across the Department and with external bodies.

Successful candidates will provide client-side specialist advice on a range of aspects, for example:

• Technical advice: Carrying out technical assurance reviews/ advice on projects at different stages as required, including on high-risk project types, in line with DfE standards and policies. Visiting settings to carry out technical assessments as required.

• Technical standards: Preparing technical standards or guidance documents as required. Supporting on the range of sector requirements from furniture/ equipment to space standards to site requirements and contribute to the wider education estate strategy - underpinned by an understanding of user requirements, activities and organisational objectives. This role requires collaboration with a range of stakeholders in shaping policies and technical guidance to support high quality and affordable environments for users.

• Communication: Preparing and delivering training and presentations to address DfE priorities, reporting to senior stakeholders, responding to relevant technical queries and official government business. You will present to and influence a range of internal and external audiences to support objectives.

• Technical policy: Supporting on all aspects relating to the scope of the provision, and any policies which may affect it (regulatory, educational/ curricular, operational, sustainability/ net zero, inclusion, government procurement, standardisation and types of delivery).

• Evidence and best practice: Contributing to a portfolio of best practice, managing sector specific data, gathering lessons learned, collecting evidence and carrying out research, preparing sector updates, leading and developing new areas of business, supporting knowledge gaps and synthesising findings.

• Collaboration: Coordinating with other design advisors, subject matter leads and specialists to have a consistent approach and support evidence to enable change; liaising with colleagues and key stakeholders including other government departments and building effective relationships.

• Managing projects and programmes of work: Leading projects related to developing design and technical standards. This may include preparing project briefs, delivering areas of work, commissioning external consultants, driving outcomes, reporting on findings and setting/ monitoring budgets and programmes.

This role has a focus on open and secure children's homes. You will carry out premises visits and provide technical advice on a range of aspects.

Site and building assessments in line with design and technical standards to support decisions on quality;

• Review Suitability, safety and licensing needs of secure children's home premises to support children's needs being met.

• Responding to Serious Incident Notices.

• Liaison with Secure Children's Home managers and senior stakeholders.

We are looking for candidates who can positively support on the range of organisational requirements, carbon reduction strategies, standardisation and construction detailing and techniques including Modern Methods of Construction, public processes and risk/benefit identification at a strategic level to support robust, evidence-based, value for money solutions across the estate.

The successful candidate will have the relevant professional and technical experience to advise on new build and refurbishment projects in different delivery models and can apply technical expertise at a strategic level to improve quality across the education estate.

This is a rewarding post for a resilient, motivated, high calibre professional who is able see the bigger picture, work at pace as part of a multi-disciplinary team, manage competing and evolving priorities, meet demanding deadlines to deliver policy objectives and who can communicate with and effectively influence a range of technical and non-technical audiences with purpose, integrity, clarity and enthusiasm.

The successful candidate will be able to work independently and as part of a team, within a large organisation.

The work that the design advisor undertakes will be driven by government priorities and needs to adapt to changing needs.

This position is for a two year contract.

Presenting the Behavioural Criteria

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

• Changing and Improving

• Communicating and Influencing

• Seeing the Big Picture

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert.

Should there be a high volume of applicants, candidates may be sifted on the first three (3) essential criteria.

Application sifting will take place week commencing 11 January 2026. Please note these dates are subject to change.

If you are successful at application sift stage, your application will be progressed onto Stage 2 part of the Selection process.

Stage 2: Interview

The interview will be a 2-part process:

Part 1: Completion of a task and prepare a 5-minute presentation on the task, this will be assessed against the essential criteria. Presentation details will be provided at least 1 week prior to interview. Please be prepared to answer any follow up questions regarding the presentation.

Part 2: A series of questions about your experience to demonstrate, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria listed in the advert.

You will be interviewed by a panel which will last for approximately 60 minutes.

Interviews will take place beginning of February 2026. Please note these dates are subject to change. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Interviews will be held over video conferencing using MS Teams. If you are invited to interview, please ensure that you have access to this software and that you have your video turned on. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We receive many applications, and unfortunately we’re not able to provide feedback for candidates who aren’t shortlisted. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

All communications will be electronic therefore it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder.

Relevant Administrative Information

• The job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme, individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020, Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service.

• Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

• The role is for a two-year contract. All new entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

• You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years' service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days' bank and public holidays. Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. We run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria and a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities.

Architect Qualification

Alongside your salary of £58,185, Department for Education contributes £16,856 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department's transfer/promotion policies.

Benefits and Working Arrangements

You will receive a competitive Civil Service salary, a pension contribution, generous leave, and a hybrid working arrangement. The role is located in the UK and is not available for remote work from overseas.