Principal Technical Architect

Manchester Digital; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Manchester Digital is seeking a Principal Technical Architect to lead the architectural vision for high-impact public service programs. You will be responsible for developing strategic technical solutions while mentoring a team of architects and ensuring alignment with enterprise objectives. This role requires a background in technical architecture, strong leadership skills, and the ability to drive innovation using emerging technologies. SC clearance is required, and candidates must have been resident in the UK for a minimum of five years.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in delivering innovative technical architectures at scale.
• Strong communication skills translating technical concepts into actionable insights.
• Ability to manage complex systems and stakeholder expectations.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the overarching technical strategy.
• Lead governance and assurance processes for technical solutions.
• Mentor architects and engineering teams, advocating for continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership in Technical Architecture

Strategic Foresight

Stakeholder Engagement

Agile Methods

DevOps Practices

Job description

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 programs. 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. With a genuine passion for next-generation technologies, you will drive innovation, security, and scalability, helping to shape the future of public services on an enterprise scale.

As Principal Technical Architect, you will define and execute the technical strategy for your responsibility, collaborating with senior leadership and diverse teams to ensure alignment with organisational, cross-departmental, and government-wide objectives. You will proactively seek opportunities to leverage emerging technologies such as cloud, AI, and IoT, and ensure that technical solutions are secure, user-focused, and capable of adapting to evolving business needs.

You will lead the design and review processes for complex systems and infrastructure, championing architectural best practices and governance. By bridging technical and business perspectives, you will resolve high-risk issues and shape initiatives that drive transformation. Your role includes guiding and inspiring other architects, facilitating professional growth, and establishing an environment where innovative thinking thrives.

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:

The essential skills are used to assess your demonstrable passion for Technical Architecture, with the following skills or shown experience expected to be highlighted in your CV and personal statement:

• 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.

Learn more about our benefits: Benefits - Home Office Careers

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.

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