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Location: MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, SN13 9NR; MOD Abbey Wood, Filton, Bristol, BS34 8JH; MOD Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB

Reference number: 424960

Overview

Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain technologically advanced by delivering innovative technology to over 200,000 users, from the boardroom to the front line. We lead on data science, automation, and cybersecurity at scale, and drive digital innovation with global impact.

We’re seeking a visionary individual to lead at the strategic level, shaping the future of Defence’s digital landscape. This is a unique opportunity to influence technical direction across complex, large-scale programmes with real-world impact. You will define and embed architectural strategy, lead the Pan-Defence digital technology architecture at the domain level, and own the vision, standards, patterns, and roadmaps across both logical and physical layers.

If you’re passionate about designing innovative, scalable solutions and making enterprise-wide technology decisions that shape national capability, this is your chance to lead with purpose.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and make enterprise-level decisions on digital technologies and product selections that drive integration and alignment with the architectural vision and business requirements.
• Plan and deliver a prioritised schedule of work, secure stakeholder agreement, and ensure all technical architecture artefacts are captured and maintained in relevant repositories.
• Serve as a Service Assessor, evaluating internal and cross-government services for compliance with the service standard and alignment with 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

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds. The ideal candidate will bring strategic vision, technical depth, and leadership experience. You’ll 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, building trusted relationships across diverse groups, influencing decisions, and aligning outcomes with strategic goals.
• Adaptability and resilience, thriving in uncertainty, managing shifting priorities, and guiding others through ambiguity to deliver at pace.
• Breadth of technical knowledge to advise and challenge teams for Defence.

To be considered for this role, you must either hold a recognised certification in TOGAF 9.1 or higher, or be proficient in the ArchiMate Notation Language with demonstrated practical application. These frameworks are critical to delivering architectural consistency and strategic alignment across Defence.

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 below:

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

Benefits and compensation

Salary: £70,540 + £20,435 Civil Service Pension contribution. Benefits include a flexible working environment, inclusive culture, generous annual leave, volunteering leave, parental/adoption leave, employee assistance programme, and travel/parking facilities where available.

• A highly competitive pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• 25 days annual leave plus allowance to 30 days after 5 years
• Leave rollovers and public holidays, plus additional leave for volunteering and special circumstances
• Supportive wellbeing and development programmes

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Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Analyst
• Information Services

Note: This posting is current and open to applicants as listed.