Senior Data Architect - MoD - G7

Manchester Digital; Wyton-on-the-Hill; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading data-focused organization is seeking a Senior Data Architect responsible for designing data models and overseeing data governance. You will collaborate closely with various teams to enhance data standards and management processes. This role is based at RAF Wyton with hybrid working options available, promoting flexibility and work-life balance.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Digital Skills Allowance

Qualifications

• Experience in designing data models and metadata systems.
• Ability to identify and provide solutions for obstacles.
• Proven relationship management skills across data programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture team in data-related projects.
• Provide oversight and advice to data architects.
• Ensure compliance with data standards set by leadership.

Skills

Data Governance

Data Standards

Metadata Management

Communicating between technical and non-technical

Turning Business Problems into Data Design

Job description

£59,690 This post is eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £15,300 per annum.
Published on

Full-time (Permanent) £59,690 This post is eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £15,300 per annum.
Published on 29 July 2025 Deadline 18 August 2025

Location

About the job

Job summary

This post will be part of the Defence Intelligence (DI) Data Office (DO) leading the Architecture Team andresponsible for delivering the vision of the Architecture and Engineering Principal and Chief Data Officer (CDO).

As a Grade 7 Senior Data Architect you will use your knowledge to help design data models and metadata systems. Working closely with the Architecture and Engineering Principal you will help interpret the organisation’s needs. You will provide oversight and advice to other data architects who are designing and producing data artefacts and design and support the management of data dictionaries and data catalogues. You will be responsible for ensuring that teams are working to the data standards set for the organisation by the Architecture and Engineering Principal and CDO, working with other technical architects to make sure that an organisations systems are designed in accordance with the appropriate data architecture.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Organisational Summary

In DI our people solve problems, create understanding and give perspective to the diverse and complex Defence threats and challenges in a rapidly changing world. Together our civilians and military personnel inform decision making in Defence, manage complex finance programmes and develop new technology.

In DI we believe your unique experiences, view and understanding of the world could provide a vital perspective and contribution to our work. We recognise that great minds do not think alike and are striving to increase our diversity representation at all levels. As an equal opportunities employer we hire, train and promote people based on merit and inspire to create an inclusive workplace free of discrimination.

Data is at the heart of our business. The DI CDO is responsible for the curation, sharing and use of data for strategic and operational advantage. The DO provides data services across DI and wider Government incorporating activities such as data access, discoverability, interoperability and data exploitation. The team also aims to understand the wider data landscape – in use, planned and potential – across MOD, HMG and by our partners and allies, and drive integration.

Defence Intelligence works for the safety, security and prosperity of the UK and our Allies. DI senses, understands and acts.

• We are an organisation based on brilliant people – our focus is as much building the team as completing the task. We take pride in our leadership and management approach, based on our core values of courage, candour, creativity and community. Our organisational culture prizes professional excellence, collaboration by default, diverse representation, and inclusion. Central to this is our focus on learning, training and development.
• We lead and manage our foundational data, intelligence and assessment with professional rigour and subject area and a strong customer focus. Our impact spans from the strategic to the tactical, at one end ensuring the UK nuclear deterrent and at the other, providing intelligence support directly to troops in contact.
• We provide extraordinary insight, advice and advantage to decision-makers, responding to strategic challenges and acute threat. We keep watch and advise on other global, regional, thematic, and operational issues, maintaining worldwide 24/7 awareness.
• Our powerful intelligence operations create effects that advance national security outcomes.
• Through the MOD’s Function of Intelligence, we partner strongly with the Front Line Commands to have Defence-wide impact and we work closely with the UK’s other Intelligence Agencies.
• We are a uniquely trusted, reliable and effective international partner and work closely with counterpart organisations in other nations.

In all our work we focus on innovation and improving for the future, continuously evolving our organisation, people, technology and tradecraft to bring intelligence advantage now and in the future.

The main functions of the role will include, but not limited to:

• Designing data models and metadata systems, designing and producing data artifacts, overseeing advanced analytic inputs, designing and developing data catalogues and dictionaries.
• Responsible for identifying obstacles andproviding potential solutions/agreeing final solution andhelping the team overcome them to retain momentum for delivery.
• Building and maintaining relationships with all aspects of the data programmes across DI.
• Providing support to the Data Office leadership to ensure that the team is motivated and collaborating appropriately and upskilled to meet dynamic requirements of the vision.
• Responsible for providing the interpretation of the needs of both the technical and business stakeholders,providing potential solutions/agreeing final solutionto product an appropriate delivery pipeline.

You will be based at RAF Wyton with frequent travel to other DI, Defence Digital and Contractor locations as required. This job role is suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance at the permanent duty station (at least 60%) and working remotely. Any proposals of working outside of this arrangement will need to be highlighted at Interview if you are successful at the sift stage.

We also offer flexible working arrangements such as flexi time, job share and compressed hours. All jobs adverts in DI are subject to fair and open competition. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week terms and conditions dependent.

Person specification

The main functions of the role will include, but not limited to:

• Designing data models and metadata systems, designing and producing data artifacts, overseeing advanced analytic inputs, designing and developing data catalogues and dictionaries.
• Responsible for identifying obstacles andproviding potential solutions/agreeing final solution andhelping the team overcome them to retain momentum for delivery.
• Building and maintaining relationships with all aspects of the data programmes across DI.
• Providing support to the Data Office leadership to ensure that the team is motivated and collaborating appropriately and upskilled to meet dynamic requirements of the vision.
• Responsible for providing the interpretation of the needs of both the technical and business stakeholders,providing potential solutions/agreeing final solutionto product an appropriate delivery pipeline.

The following Functional Competences at Practitioner Level or above.

• Communicating between the technical and non-technical.
• Data Governance – Data Architect
• Data Standards
• Metadata Management
• Turning Business Problems into Data Design

The following Functional Competences at Working Level or above.

• Communicating Data
• Data Analysis and Synthesis
• Strategic Thinking

You will be based at RAF Wyton with frequent travel to other DI, Defence Digital and Contractor locations as required. This job role is suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance at the permanent duty station (at least 60%) and working remotely. Any proposals of working outside of this arrangement will need to be highlighted at Interview if you are successful at the sift stage.

We also offer flexible working arrangements such as flexi time, job share and compressed hours. All jobs adverts in DI are subject to fair and open competition. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week terms and conditions dependent.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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