Lead Technical Specialist x3

Defra is delivering large-scale transformation across its digital, data and technology estate, including the Future Network Procurement Project (FNPP), identity modernisation initiatives, and hosting and cloud transformation.

Within the Digital, Data and Technology Services (DDTS) function, the Architecture and Governance team provides technical authority, design leadership, and assurance across enterprise services.

We are recruiting multiple Lead Technical Specialist Architects to provide domain leadership in:

• Network & Connectivity (FNPP)
• Identity & Access (Active Directory)
• Hosting, Cloud & Service Architecture

These roles operate at the centre of complex, multi-supplier programmes, ensuring designs are secure, operable, aligned to strategy, and deliverable at scale.

As a Lead Technical Specialist Architect, you will act as the technical authority within your domain, providing leadership across programmes and services. You will shape strategy, assure complex designs, and guide delivery teams and suppliers in a federated environment.

You will work across security, operations, and delivery to ensure coherent end-to-end architectures, balancing strategic direction with hands-on design leadership.

Please note these posts require Security Check (SC) clearance. To gain (SC) clearance all applicants are required to have been a UK resident for a minimum of 5 years. If this requirement is not met, the individual will not be able to progress their application further., * Act as the technical authority for your domain, supporting critical architectural decisions

• Lead and assure technical designs across the full lifecycle (HLD, LLD, transition and implementation)
• Ensure alignment to enterprise architecture principles, security standards, and operational requirements
• Challenge supplier designs and drive technical quality and consistency
• Identify, manage, and communicate architectural risks and dependencies
• Represent your domain in governance forums, providing clear recommendations to senior stakeholders
• Ensure solutions are secure, resilient, operable, and supportable
• Contribute to domain standards, patterns, and architectural roadmaps
• Support knowledge transfer to internal teams to build long-term capability

Domain Focus Areas:

Network & Connectivity (FNPP)

• SD-WAN, DIA, LAN, Wi-Fi and network foundation services (DNS, DHCP, NTP)
• Secure access patterns (e.g. internet/private access)
• Supplier-led delivery and transition (including WITO)

Identity & Access (Active Directory)

• Active Directory architecture (legacy and target state)
• Domain consolidation and identity modernisation
• Identity dependencies across applications and services

Hosting, Cloud & Service Architecture

• Hybrid and multi-cloud (on-prem, Azure, AWS)
• Hosting and storage strategy and datacentre migration
• CMDB/CSDM modelling and service architecture governance
• Technical input to procurement and supplier evaluation

Person Specification

Responsibilities

You will:

• Define and maintain domain architecture (principles, standards, patterns, roadmaps)
• Lead technical design for high-impact, complex services and programmes
• Guide and assure architects, delivery teams, and suppliers
• Use governance and assurance to support decision-making and manage risk
• Contribute to the architecture community through mentoring and leadership, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Architect for the whole context.
• Architecture communication.
• Community collaboration.
• Making architectural decisions.
• Strategy design.
• Technical design throughout the lifecycle., Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match., If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., * UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Do you have experience in ServiceNow?, * Significant experience in enterprise architecture within a large, complex organisation

• Proven ability to act as a technical authority across programmes or services
• Strong experience of architectural governance, assurance, and risk management
• Experience working in multi-supplier environments, including design challenge
• Ability to lead complex design decisions across the delivery lifecycle
• Strong stakeholder engagement, including influencing at senior levels
• Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to technical and non-technical audiences

Domain-Specific Experience (one or more)

Network & Connectivity

• Enterprise network architecture (WAN/LAN/Wi-Fi)
• SD-WAN and modern network/security architectures

Identity & Access

• Active Directory architecture (including legacy environments)
• Identity modernisation and dependency management

Hosting, Cloud & Service Architecture

• Hybrid/multi-cloud architecture (Azure, AWS, on-prem)
• Service modelling (CMDB/CSDM) and enterprise service architecture

One or more of the following:

• Experience of large-scale transformation, transition, or procurement programmes
• Understanding of secure-by-design and government security expectations
• Experience mentoring and developing architects or technical specialists
• Experience of ServiceNow or equivalent platforms (for hosting/service roles)
• Experience of modern identity platforms (e.g. Entra ID), Technical Skills, This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills., Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Pulled from the full job description

• Employee discount
• Employee assistance programme
• Company pension
• Paid volunteer time
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan, £56,375 - £69,105 National: National: £56,375 - £62,830 London: £62,000 - £69,105, plus industry leading pension and benefits. For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.

This post offers successful candidates the opportunity to be considered for an additional Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Skills Supplement. The level of the awarded supplement is determined following a separate skills assessment process, the outcome of which has no impact on the decision to make a job offer. This digital capability supplement ranges from £0 to £26.608 and you may be awarded a pay supplement within this range based on results of your additional skills assessment. For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’. A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP, Alongside your salary of £56,375, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,331 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days leave (rising to 30 days over 5 years) plus bank holidays.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A day off per year for the King's birthday.
• Access to a range of retail discounts (these include supermarket, tech, gym, holiday, phone and more).
• Flexible working options such as condensed hours, part-time and flexi time.
• 3 paid volunteering days per year.
• Funding for professional membership of a recognised professional body.
• Learning and development tailored to your role and budget for training or qualifications.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan to help you manage health costs for a reduced monthly fee.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme open 24 hours, 7 days a week, that provides support to you during any times of stress or difficulty.
• Free access to Headspace for wellbeing.
• Season ticket loan for public transport., New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group. We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.