Senior Technical Architect – Birmingham

Job Description

Senior Technical Architect – Birmingham About the job nJob summary nnDiscover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you‘re seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it‘s really like to work at HMRC.nnVisit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.nnHere in HMRC‘s Chief Digital & Information Group (CDIO) we‘re increasingly delivering in-house through our growing network of digital delivery centres – hi-tech, innovative facilities across the UK. We are a small, agile team within our Chief Technology and Design Office that focus on Technical Innovation. Our objective isn‘t necessarily what we can change tomorrow, but the longer-term improvement of the UK tax system. We work to understand and solve problems, proposing innovative solutions through continuous exploration. Tracking emerging technology and market changes, Innovation maintains a future technology focus, with an enviable remit to proactively demonstrate the art of the possible, seeking to tackle challenges at source by ‘designing out problems‘ with new technology, improved processes, user-centred design and innovative solutions.nJob description nnAs key member of our multidisciplinary Innovation Team, you‘ll work alongside User Researchers, Analysts, Designers, Product Managers, Software Developers, Architects, policy, innovation and technology specialists. As a team, you‘ll develop innovative approaches for digital products that are part of end-to-end services across HMRC and government.nnThis is an exciting opportunity to make real changes for HMRC and our customers through innovation and to join our Architecture community supporting a large-scale dynamic transformation that has profound impact both on customers and our staff. Proactive and reactive to changing opportunities, you‘ll have the skill to interpret and react to small, medium and large-scale challenges, and the vision to identify potential and future opportunities.nnBy using emerging technology, data, and considering user needs, you‘ll develop innovative concepts and solutions, supporting Innovation colleagues with technical and architecture expertise. You‘ll test the art of the possible by designing proof of concepts to test solutions for future services, working with internal groups, third parties, external suppliers and academia to develop concepts and MVPs. You‘ll run proof of value exercises to support concepts by demonstrating customer and HMRC impact. You‘ll contribute to business cases and make compelling recommendations for future direction, delivering these to senior partners to influence policy and strategy. You will be an expert Technical Architect, able to investigate, design and develop solutions to technology challenges in a fast-paced, collaborative, multidisciplinary Innovation Team.nnYou will:nn

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• Rapidly develop an understanding of technologies in use and the overall architecture strategy.

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• Work closely with Innovation scrum teams, business partners and IT colleagues to design innovative but appropriate solutions that demonstrate that new technology and approaches can deliver improvements, ensuring operational delivery and that they fit with strategic end-to-end functional design.

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• Be flexible and self-motivated, have a keen eye for detail and a solid focus on quality.

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• Have a good track record in delivering customer-focused technology change and be able to articulate technical detail to non-technical people, so it is understood.

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• Be credible, influential and a team-player. A confident communicator with good interpersonal skills.

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• Be comfortable working creatively in a ‘fail fast‘ manner on inception and discovery projects, where scope and concept are not clearly defined or understood and without relying on defined process or established requirements.

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nPerson specification nnWe are looking for a Senior Technical Architect who has experience of:nn

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• Leading technical discussions between internal teams and external stakeholders, clearly communicating concepts and driving continuous improvement.

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• Evaluating products/tools and providing enterprise appropriate recommendations. Developing an understanding of user needs, to design user-centred technical service propositions.

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• Identifying business problems and recommending technical solutions and designs. Undertaking structural analysis of technical issues, translating this analysis into technical designs that describe a solution.

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• Building collaborative relationships with partners across teams and services. Articulating technical requirements and implications compellingly to technical and non-technical colleagues, senior leaders, business partners and customers.

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• Working with innovators to design aspirational concepts for future services and processes.

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• Mentoring colleagues.

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nEssential Criteria nn

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• Governing high and low-level designs with full lifecycle management, from requirements management to supporting the operations teams with service introduction.

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• Effective communication with colleagues, business partners, customers and senior leaders. You are skilled at proactive and reactive communication.

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• Bridging the gap between the technical and non-technical with the ability to translate technical concepts, so they are understood by all.

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• Technical governance and delivering the assurance of a service.

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• Making and guiding effective decisions, explaining clearly how the decision has been reached.

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• Applying strategy for technology that meets business and customer needs with the ability to create, refine and challenge standards, policies, roadmaps and vision statements.

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• Working with business and technology partners to translate business problems into technical designs. You can work across multiple services or a single large or complicated service.

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• Understanding trends and practices outside your team and organisation, their potential impact and how they can fit into broader strategy.

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• Looking beyond the immediate technical problem and identifying wider implications, understanding the broad context.

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• Cloud computing knowledge and experience designing and implementing (e.g. AWS/Azure/Google or Hybrid) based.

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nDesirable Criteria nn

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• Software development and technical architecture.

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• Knowledge of innovative and emerging technologies (e.g. Artificial Intelligence, Geospatial and Synthetic Data, Cryptocurrencies, Open Banking etc.)

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• Agile methodologies and principles.

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nFurther Location Information nnPlease ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a ‘Further Location Preferences (optional)‘ field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.nOffice closures nnFor more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.nnIf your location preference is for one of the following sites, it‘s important to note that these are not long-term sites for HMRC and we will require you to move to a new building in the future, subject to our location strategy and the applicable employee policies at that time.nnThese sites are:nn

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• Benton Park View, Newcastle – moving to Pilgrims Quarter, Newcastle

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• Telford Plaza, Telford – moving to Parkside Court, Telford

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nnYou will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stage. nLeeds Locations nnMoves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague in Bradford and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRC‘s Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.nTechnical skills nnWe‘ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:nn

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• Architecting for the whole context.

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• Architecture communication.

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• Community collaboration.

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• Marking architectural decisions.

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• Strategy design.

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• Technical design throughout the lifecycle.

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nBenefits nnAlongside your salary of 58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes 16,959 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).nnHMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.nnWe offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.nn

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• Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues‘ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.

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• Family friendly policies.

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• Personal support.

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• Coaching and development.

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nnTo find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it‘s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil ServicenThings you need to know nArtificial intelligence nnArtificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.nSelection process details nnThis vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.nHow to Apply nnAs part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:nn

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• A name-blind CV including your job history, previous experiences and qualifications.

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• A 1000-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Essential Criteria and Person Specification outlined in the advert.

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nnPlease complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at interview.nnFurther details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.nSift nnIn the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.nnAt full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.nnWe may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.nInterview nnDuring the panel interview, your experience will be assessed against the Essential Criteria.nnWe‘ll also assess your Technical Skills using the The Government Digital and Data (GDAD) Framework for Technical Architect. These skills are listed under Technical Skills.nnInterviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.nEligibility nnPlease take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)‘. nnTo check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.nnExceptionally, candidates who are not successful at this grade may be considered for appointment to similar roles at a lower grade where the eligibility criteria are met. If this applies, we will contact you directly.nSponsorship nnWe have assessed this role against both Home Office and HMRC criteria and we are unable to offer sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. This means the vacancy is not open to applicants who require visa sponsorship.nThe HMRC app can help you with your application nnThe HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years‘ employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.nnIf successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.nnDownload the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.nHow to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account nnDownload the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store. nnIf you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.nnYou‘ll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.nnYou can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.nReserve List nnA reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we‘ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.nMerit List nnAfter interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in

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