Overview

DDaT Principal Technical Architect - MoD - G6 role at Manchester Digital. Location options include MOD Corsham, MOD Abbey Wood, and MOD Main Building in London.

Job summary

Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain technologically advanced by delivering innovative and effective technology to over 200,000 users. We lead on data science, automation, and cybersecurity at scale and drive digital innovation that impacts lives across the globe.

Role purpose

Lead at the strategic level to shape the future of Defence’s digital landscape. Define and embed architectural strategy, and own the Pan-Defence digital technology architecture at the domain level, including vision, strategy, taxonomy, standards, patterns, and roadmaps across logical and physical layers.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and make enterprise-level decisions on digital technologies and product selections that align with the architectural vision and business requirements.
• Plan and deliver a prioritized schedule of work, secure stakeholder agreement, and maintain technical architecture artefacts in relevant repositories.
• Serve as a Service Assessor, evaluating internal and cross-government services for compliance with the service standard and architectural principles.
• Promote reuse and scalability across Defence, drive integration by default, and reduce duplicate technologies to support sustainability and value for money.
• Lead and inspire a team of Technical Architects to deliver high-quality outputs aligned with strategic priorities.

Person specification

The ideal candidate will combine strategic vision, technical depth, and leadership experience. You will be able to demonstrate:

• Expertise in architectural tools and frameworks (design patterns, modelling languages, component building blocks) to support complex design, governance, and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence decisions and align outcomes with strategic goals.
• Adaptability and resilience, thriving in uncertainty and guiding others through ambiguity to deliver at pace.
• Breadth of technical knowledge to advise and challenge teams for Defence.

Mandatory qualifications:

• Hold a recognised certification in TOGAF 9.1 or higher, or be proficient in the ArchiMate Notation Language with demonstrable practical application. These frameworks are critical to architectural consistency and strategic alignment across Defence.

Application notes

When submitting your CV, highlight relevant career history and experience. 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.

• Describe experience using tools, methods, or frameworks to support design, planning, and decision-making, including how you’ve used them to create clear, scalable solutions.
• Describe experience leading large-scale end-to-end architectural projects, including development and implementation of enterprise-wide strategies.
• Describe experience building collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and balancing multiple perspectives.

Note: This post is eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £18,000 per annum. Eligibility will be assessed at interview and reviewed annually in line with departmental policy.

Qualifications

• Mandatory TOGAF 9.1+ certification or proficiency in ArchiMate Notation Language with demonstrated practical application.

Behaviours

• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

• Technical Design Throughout the Life Cycle
• Architect For The Whole Context
• Making Architectural Decisions
• Strategy Design

Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Engineering and Information Technology
• Industries: Technology, Information and Internet

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