Principal Technologist - GDS - G6

Manchester Digital; Bristol, Manchester, Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 69,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

A government digital service is seeking a Principal Technologist to lead digital and data change across the UK Public Sector. You will shape and implement strategies, provide guidance, and work with various stakeholders to enhance technology adoption. The role requires extensive experience in digital transformation, technology design, and engaging with both suppliers and senior government officials. The ideal candidate will also possess relevant industry certifications and skills in coaching and mentoring others. This is an impactful role affecting public service delivery nationwide.

Qualifications

• Experience setting a vision and leading digital and data change.
• Experience designing and building technology.
• Comfortable in creating written content and presenting to senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Set a 10-year intent and strategy for the aligned field.
• Identify and develop principles, standards, and best practices.
• Work with vendors to maximize their offer to the UK Public Sector.

Skills

Leading digital and data change

Designing and building technology

Engaging with suppliers/vendors

Creating written content

Coaching and mentoring

Education

Industry certifications for technical specialism

Job description

Full-time (Permanent) £76,420 - £103,924 (London) & £69,523 - £91,453 (Bristol & Manchester)
Published on 22 December 2025 Deadline 4 January 2026

Location

Bristol, London, Manchester

About the job

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government — we are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need

The Principal Technologists in GDS exist to make building great technology easier in the UK Public Sector. In this role you can help central and local government, the NHS, Police, as well as 1,000+ agencies and other bodies. By setting strategies, principles, standards and identifying best practice, as well as supporting the adoption and embedding of these into the public sector, you’ll help your 100,000+ digital and data colleagues in these organisations deliver transformational change.

You may manage and mentor a Lead Technologist aligned to you and your team, who can support you when you need to rapidly deep-dive into a topic to achieve your team’s outcomes.

You will be part of a team including lead technologists, engagement leads and a delivery manager to:

• Set a 10-year intent and strategy for the field you are aligned to, and gain endorsement for this
• Identify and develop existing principles, standards and best practice and promote them, or form and lead a group of technologists from across UK Public Sector to create these
• Work with vendors to maximise their offer to UK Public Sector, and with Government Commercial Function in commercial engagements with vendors
• Build a network of peers across UK Public Sector to regularly engage with
• Promote your work through content written for GOV.UK, speaking engagements and hosting community events
• Help upskill others across UK Public Sector in your specialist area

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

These roles have a scale and impact unlike many others: we are routinely involved in commercial engagements worth £billions, respond to pan-Government technology questions from ministers, and provide advice to other international governments.

Person specification

This role requires that:

• You must have experience setting a vision and leading digital and data change
• You must have experience designing and building technology and be able to use this to build credibility with others, evaluate proposals and decide an execution approach
• You should have experience engaging with suppliers/vendors both formally and informally
• Communication in this role is key: you should be comfortable in creating written content and presenting to senior stakeholders, both technical (such as CTOs / CDOs across Government) and non-technical (including ministers and permanent secretaries)
• Learning should be embedded in the way you approach your working week, and you should be keen to share your learning with those around you through coaching and mentoring
• You should be at the top skill levels in your Digital & Data specialism, most likely from the Architecture, Data, IT Operations or Software Development groups.
• You should hold relevant industry certifications for your technical specialism.