24211 - Lead Digital Architect
Directorate: Digital Change Directorate
Location: Flexible - Digital Change Directorate is based at 102 Petty France, London, so frequent work at this location will be part of the role. (Regional offices/ Flexibility to travel / homeworking.)
No. of Roles: 4
Job Title: Lead Digital Architect
Pay Span or equivalent: Band A
Appointment
This is a permanent role in Digital Change Directorate.
Background/ Purpose
HMCTS is in the process of deploying a large scale Digital Transformation known as ‘Reform’. This £1bn programme aims to bring new technology and modern ways of working to the way justice is administered in collaboration with the senior judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.
HMCTS systems and processes have not kept pace with the world around us. We know we can make justice less confusing, easier to navigate and better at responding to the needs of the public. We want every user to feel they have been treated swiftly, fairly and with respect.
We are building a modern system for administering justice which will benefit everyone who uses it. By designing systems around the public who need and use our services, we can create a more effective system for them and generate efficiencies for the taxpayer.
The rate and scale of change to be delivered by the programmes under Reform is expected to increase, requiring additional architecture leadership focus and cross-programme integration. This role will be central to the successful transition from delivery to ‘business as usual’ for new digital platforms and services so that the organisation’s benefits and objectives can be fully realised.
The Role
You will be working for the HMCTS Chief Digital Architect, as part of the Digital Architecture & Cyber Security function (DA&CS).
As a Digital Architect, you will be will be responsible for the architectural integrity, suitability and strategy of the Digital systems portfolio that support either the Crime, Civil, Family & Tribunals, Judicial and Operations or Headquarters functions of HMCTS.
You’ll have a vision for government services and communicate this to developers and non-developers alike. You’ll ensure a project’s overall technical design meets user needs and acceptance criteria, whilst conforming to time and budget constraints. You’ll thrive using agile methods and enjoy working collaboratively with Heads of IT Departments and multidisciplinary teams.
As the Reform programmes deliver solutions into ‘business as usual’, the Digital Architect will lead the knowledge transfer from delivery partner Architects to the HMCTS organisation and will direct a group of Solution Architects that work across product enhancement teams on a matrix management basis with dotted line responsibility for these teams.
You will require a balance of good technical know-how with leadership and relationship skills to effectively influence key decision makers and to manage & direct service providers or solution delivery partners.
You will have strong leadership, communication and relationship building skills and a highly collaborative team player approach as well as the ability to interact with senior stakeholders and manage feedback from multiple stakeholder groups.
You will work proactively to highlight and evaluate new or innovative opportunities that are enabled by the HMCTS Digital Architecture and Collaborate with MoJ Digital Services to ensure that shared or integrated services and technology continue to provide HMCTS with effective solutions into the future.
You will be an effective liaison with Government Digital Services (GDS) to verify, clarify and interpret government standards as part of the definition and evolution of HMCTS Digital Standards and actively maintain the architecture knowledge base for DA&CS to reflect changes in the solution landscape, standards, strategies and roadmaps.
Key Responsibilities
- Build, own and maintain, applying creative and adaptive thought, the Digital Strategy and roadmap for the business function that you are responsible for;
- Provide technical leadership and consultancy to both internal and external development teams, ensuring infrastructure is fit for purpose, whilst meeting time and budget restraints and leading on negotiations and discussions;
- Lead and promote the architectural alignment, consistency and component re-use across the portfolio of Digital Change Programmes, balancing the velocity of change against longer term impact;
- Provide technical leadership to ensure that projects overall technical designs meet user needs and acceptance criteria, whilst allowing for time and budget constraints;
- Develop reference architectures and common patterns for digital solutions, applying creative and adaptive thought, and lead the effort for review and approval of these;
- Lead and direct a community of Solution Architects that work in Product Enhancement Teams as part of the digital change organisation;
- Define and operate a suitable solution assurance mechanism to provide the Senior Management Team and other decision makers with information and insight;
- Maintain effective collaboration and a productive working relationship, with your peer group of the Heads of IT for Crime, Civil, Family & Tribunals, Judicial and Operations or Headquarters functions of HMCTS;
- Understand and consider the different architectural challenges or risks within projects and the consequences and implications of those risks across a wide spectrum;
- Develop the architecture community in HMCTS as one where a diverse group of people feel welcome, respected and supported;
- Advise product managers on the estimated effort and technical implications of current user stories, as well as those in the backlog;
- Contribute towards and help to build an active community that everyone in architecture across The Civil Service can belong to and participate in;
- Responsible for mentoring and monitoring ongoing performance of developers, setting standards and ensuring delivery targets are met.
Key Criteria
Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following skills & experience:
- Experience of leading technical teams and delivering user focused services;
- A wide-reaching knowledge and expertise in information technology architecture and design with the ability to apply it across a variety of customer and business scenarios;
- The ability and experience of engaging with senior management and stakeholders and leading the representation of the work of your team and demonstrating its contribution to overall organisation goals;
- The ability to communicate complex ideas in a focused, simple and commercially relevant manner to a senior audience;
- The ability to translate business drivers, problems and priorities into suitably aligned Digital Architectures, strategies, tactics, roadmaps and plans;
- A proven track record in solution architecture definition including domain-driven architecture, micro-service identification and design patterns;
- Drive the architecting solutions that make use of REST web services, open API development, MSA/SOA concepts and associated design patterns;
- Experience of developing business cases to inform key design decisions relating to initial deployment costs compared with ongoing operating and maintenance costs;
- Strong leadership, communication and relationship building skills;
- Good understanding of risk, managing cyber and information security challenges for digital services;
- Experience of working collaboratively with Senior Heads of Departments and multi-disciplinary teams;
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Selection process details
Please submit your CV and statement of suitability outlining how your skills are suited to the role. Longlisted candidates may then be invited to an assessment/preliminary interview. This will typically involve a commitment of up to 2 hours.
Final interviews may also include an additional assessment or presentation exercise. Please note that your CV must demonstrate evidence of the key criteria for you to be progressed to the next stage.
Key Dates
Close Date: 11 March
Interviews: w/c 25 March
For further information please contact:
SallyAnne.Barber@twentysevenconsulting.co.uk
Rebekah.Ramsay@twentysevenconsulting.co.uk
Working Arrangements & Further Information
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
11/03/2019, 23:55 hours.
Closing Date: 11th March 2019 at 23:55 hours
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote job reference 24211.
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
· 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) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· 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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.