Technical Architect - MoD - SEO

Location

MOD Corsham

About the job

Job summary

The MOD's digital teams ensure we remain among the most technologically advanced Armed Forces in the world. We develop and lead in cutting-edge data science, automation, and cybersecurity solutions to protect the UK and its interests, at home and abroad.

Our mission also goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving innovation that impacts lives across the globe.

Working at the MOD

Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here!

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Join Defence Digital as a Technical Architect and play a pivotal role in designing innovative technology solutions that serve millions across the UK. You'll be part of a dynamic organisation where your expertise will directly contribute to supporting the nation through cutting-edge digital programmes and future-focused initiatives. 

As a Senior Technical Architect working on digital obsolescence management, you will work with the Lead Technical Architect in this area and stakeholders across Defence and wider-government, to drive out obsolescence, where it matters most, in MOD’s technology estate.   

Obsolescence and legacy IT management has a broad scope; it applies to all digital technologies, in all parts of Defence. It relates to cyber security, operational management and delivery. It is a theme across government. Work is being done in all these areas to structure and communicate how best to manage legacy technology in a fast-changing world. Your work will contribute to shaping this structure and you will be key in defining and communicating best practice to stakeholders.  

Our work in the Chief Technology Office is to provide obsolescence direction and assurance to teams across MOD. We work within the government digital function and engage with Government Digital Service (GDS) teams in Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and other government departments as appropriate. In this role, you will be required to gather and analyse obsolescence risk data and communicate on risk across MOD and to the GDS.    

Borrowing from industry practices is essential for us to evolve our understanding of the drivers and solutions for managing obsolescence.  Engaging with obsolescence management professional groups and organisations is an important part of this role.  

As Senior Technical Architect you will be keen to learn and grow your understanding of obsolescence as a complex problem relating to processes, people and technology. You will use your technical architecture skills to help define and craft responses to this problem.   

Responsibilities

Contribute to the development of frameworks, strategies, policies and standards relating to digital obsolescence management 
Gather and report on obsolescence risk data 
Collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to understand obsolescence problems and possible resolutions from multiple viewpoints 
Contribute to defining how MOD’s IT and digital asset data is structured and collated 
Ensure solutions comply with security, governance, and regulatory standards 
Provide technical guidance and communicate best practice to teams across the digital function in MOD 

For more information on the Technical Architect profession please see the Government Digital and Data Framework; 

Technical Architect

Person specification

To be successful in the role of Senior Technical Architect you will be able to work in a fast paced changing environment, able to identify their own and the business priorities, a self-starter and able to work independently. You will bring experience of; 

Communicating collaborating with people across many levels of an organisation 
Managing obsolescence, or related areas such as: through-life management, or asset management.  
Framing business problems in structured ways that express options for resolutions 
Understanding, creating or applying strategic aims to deliver specific business outcomes 
Working with, designing or managing structured data  
Working within industry recognised frameworks: e.g. TOGAF, Agile and ITIL  

Application 

When submitting your CV, please highlight your career history and experience relevant to this role.  Additionally, refer to the "Things You Need to Know" section of the advert and provide a personal statement (max.1250 words) demonstrating the Essential Criteria listed below:   

Essential Criteria

Experience in technical architecture, or a similar technical design role,  with a proven examples of defining technical strategy and/or assurance (policy, frameworks, standards, risk reporting) activities related to obsolescence and legacy management. 
Experience of collaborating and finding agreement with stakeholders, providing direction and challenge 
Growth mindset, with a willingness to identify problems and translate these into non-technical descriptions that can be widely understood  
A great listener with excellent communication skills (written, verbal and presentational), able to create compelling communications to diverse stakeholders by adapting communication style, language and format to fit the needs of the audience.  

Behaviours

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

Seeing the Big Picture
Changing and Improving

Technical skills

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

Architect for the whole context: align your work with the work being done by other architects and technical professionals
Community collaboration: actively networking with others
Making architectural decisions: by identifying and managing risk and complexity
Strategy design: support the development of strategy or vision in line with organisational objectives, and challenge requirements and assumptions.