Principal Technical Architect

UK Home Office; Croydon; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work

Career growth opportunities

Flexible working options

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

A UK government agency is seeking a Strategic Capability Lead to oversee technical strategy and governance for high-impact programmes. This role involves collaboration with senior stakeholders and mentorship of architects, contributing to national security and public service initiatives. Candidates should possess strong leadership in complex architectural design and a strategic vision for the future of technology.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in delivering innovative technical architectures.
• Ability to manage diverse technology landscapes.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the technical strategy for complex programmes.
• Lead governance and assurance processes ensuring security and alignment.
• Mentor architects and teams, driving a culture of excellence.

Skills

Leadership in complex architectures

Strategic foresight

Management of technology landscapes

Knowledge of engineering principles

Strong communication skills

Ownership of technical roadmaps

Job description

Strategic Capability Lead (Home Office Digital) – Product, Delivery & Architecture

As a Principal Technical Architect, you will serve as a senior design authority, responsible for setting and governing the technical strategy across complex, high‑impact programmes. Your role will involve leading the architectural vision, proactively identifying opportunities for digital transformation, and optimising solutions to address both organisational and cross‑government needs.

You will collaborate with senior stakeholders, both technical and non‑technical, to facilitate discussions that balance risk, complexity, and outcomes. Additionally, you will mentor other architects in this leadership position, ensuring that technology choices align with broader strategies and emerging best practices.

What You’ll Do

• Own and deliver the overarching technical strategy, guiding architectural decisions that balance risk, complexity, and delivery timelines.
• Lead governance and assurance processes, ensuring solutions remain secure, robust, and aligned with enterprise architecture principles.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to advocate for digital transformation initiatives, influencing decisions through clear, data‑driven insights.
• Mentor and guide architects and engineering teams, nurturing a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Oversee integration of new systems, developing detailed plans that align with broader organisational and cross‑government strategies.
• Assess current systems to identify areas for improvement, analyse potential risks, and promote emerging best practices in the field.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions, serving as the key escalation point for complex or high‑risk design challenges.
• Drive continuous improvement, incorporating lessons learned into future strategies and ensuring consistency in architecture across multiple domains.

Essential Skills

• Shown leadership in delivering complex, innovative technical architectures at scale, inspiring technical excellence and forward‑thinking design.
• Strategic foresight to anticipate future technologies and identify opportunities for transformation or optimisation.
• Experience managing diverse technology landscapes, including third‑party suppliers, cloud environments, and cross‑departmental teams.
• Deep knowledge of engineering principles, agile methods, DevOps, and secure‑by‑design approaches, ensuring robust, resilient solutions.
• Track record of delivering solutions on time and within scope, balancing budget, security, and quality considerations.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.
• Ownership of technical roadmaps and strategies, ensuring solutions align with enterprise objectives and evolving user needs.

Benefits

• Meaningful Work: Contribute to critical national security and public service initiatives.
• Career Growth: Benefit from tailored development frameworks and professional communities.
• Flexible Working: Balance your professional and personal life with hybrid work options.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Join a workplace where your unique background and talents are celebrated.

Additional Information

• This role requires SC clearance. To meet national security vetting requirements, you must typically have been resident in the UK for at least five years. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Information Technology, Engineering, and Strategy/Planning

Industries

Technology, Information and Media, Architecture and Planning, and IT System Data Services