Lead Solution Architect

Join ICS Digital, where innovation meets expertise to create digital solutions. We are a cohesive digital community who work in the open, solving problems together and fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration. Our commitment to user-focused design and data-driven decision-making ensures that we deliver accessible services tailored to the needs of our customers.

The Architecture team comprises of three architects. We are actively working to streamline our digital assets, support DESNZ and DSIT through new initiatives, and provide architectural oversight.

As a Lead Solution Architect, you will support architectural governance, working with Business Partners and policy teams to shape new initiatives and guide decisions on new or enhanced systems. You will design technical solutions, support implementation teams, and provide oversight of third-party proposals, ensuring they align with departmental standards and progress through the appropriate governance processes., As a Lead Solution Architect, you will be part of a community responsible for the Architectural Governance Board. You will work closely with our Business Partners in supporting new initiatives set out by policy teams, supporting and guiding decisions when developing or upgrading new systems.

You will be responsible for designing solutions and supporting technical teams with the implementation of these solutions, you will be supporting 3rd parties with any proposed solutions being placed upon our technical estate by ensuring that that they adhere to the standards set out by the department and ensure they are taking the correct path through our governance processes.

You’ll also be responsible for the following:

• Understanding the problem and shaping the solution
• Tailoring the systems engineering and architecture processes to address product risks.
• Developing, maintaining, and communicating the vision, architecture, and technology roadmap for the product
• Developing high-level designs, solution outlines, and key design decisions
• Managing the technology risk and design as the product evolves
• Supporting integration with other products and release to service. The above responsibilities are not exhaustive, and the post holders may be required to undertake some additional tasks not listed above, within the remit of their grade, to support the team.

As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance., Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify., * 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

• Experience in managing critical aspects of product development and system changes.
• Experience as a Solution Architect for complex applications, experience in designing and delivering public facing applications
• Application of enterprise and domain architecture, understanding how systems fit into the organisational context.
• Knowledge of multiple architecture and delivery frameworks
• Experience in delivering technical information to a non-technical audience, We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Competency: Technical Design throughout the life cycle (Level: Expert)
• Competency: Architecture Communication (Level: Expert), This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills., Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Pulled from the full job description

• Childcare
• Annual leave
• Employee discount
• Company pension, £56,900 - £69,765 G7 - National: £56,900 - £64,510; London: £62,595 - £69,765 (pro-rata for part-time hours) This vacancy is being offered on the Government Digital and Data Framework and can include an allowance of up to £10,000 over time depending on skills, qualifications, and experience. Further details on the framework can be found here A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP, This vacancy is being offered on the Government Digital and Data Pay Framework and can include an allowance of up to £10,000 depending on skills, qualifications, and experience. Further details on the framework can be found on This link, Alongside your salary of £56,900, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £16,483 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) is a shared corporate service. It provides corporate services (HR, Finance, Digital, Commercial, Security and Estates) across the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT).

Our team of over 400 professionals will be leading the way in how these functions will be delivered in the future. Our ambition is to be the leading provider of integrated corporate services for government and set the standard for quality, efficiency, and innovation in our field.