Lead Technical Architect - The National Archives - G7
Government Digital & Data -
What will the future know of today? Archives, as the homes for our collective memories, are in the future business. Your work will ensure that today’s digital records are accessible to the next generation of citizens, researchers and historians.
Archives matter. Without records, we could not hold government to account, carry out pioneering research or learn from the past. Whether they are websites, the evidence heard by inquiries or the algorithms which support decision-making in official institutions, the survival of our digital public records is vital. In this role, you will create the technical platforms that will enable us to deliver our ambitious vision to build the disruptive digital archive of the future.
About the role:
Our digital strategy sets out the ambition to transform ourselves into an archive that is digital by instinct and design, embracing disruptive innovation to re-invent what it means to be an archive in the digital age. This role is about building our future, harnessing user research and technical innovation to create solid foundations for services that channel digital records into the archive, preserve them for the future and widen access.
Job description
Full job description attached (see below).
Person specification
About you:
You will have the vision and technical expertise to design a robust and scalable architecture for digital archiving and build strategic alignment across our digital teams. You will help shape the future of our digital archiving services and communicate this vision to stakeholders across government and the international digital archiving community. We are looking for an excellent communicator who thrives working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and is passionate about applying technology to solve problems.
This is an opportunity to work with committed and talented developers, data specialists, engineers, designers, archivists and researchers who share a passion for creating high quality, user-focused digital services for a range of audiences.
This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.
A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.
Join us here in beautiful Kew, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Overground and Underground stations, and you can expect an excellent range of benefits. They include a pension, the option to work part time or job share and discounts with local businesses (e.g. beauty salons and bars). We also offer wellbeing resources (e.g. on-site therapists) and have an on-site gym, restaurant, shop and staff bar.
How to apply:
If you are an internal applicant: please do not use the link on this page. Please apply via your employee Workday account.
If you are an external applicant: to submit your application please click the 'Apply at advertiser's site' button on this page.
You will be asked to provide details of your work experience and write a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words. In your statement please explain, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria below. You may draw on knowledge, skills, abilities, experience gained from paid work, domestic responsibilities, education, leisure interests and voluntary activities. Please note selection for interview will largely be based on the information you provide in this section.
We understand that you might use artificial intelligence (AI) and other resources to assist with your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.
SC-level Security Clearance or willingness to obtain SC clearance is mandatory for this role and requires that you have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. The length of required residency may depend on individual circumstances.
Essential criteria:
- A deep knowledge of current and emerging technologies, standards and practices for digital archiving or digital records/information management. Qualified to degree level (or with equivalent experience) in computer science or a related discipline.
- A demonstrable passion for applying technology to create and evolve great, user-focused digital products and services.
- Strong oral and written communication skills with the presence and confidence to represent The National Archives nationally and internationally.
- Able to bridge the gap between software engineering, delivery management and service management to translate problems into optimised technical designs and solutions, aligning user needs with system requirements and organizational strategies.
- Strong ability to understand the wider implications of an issue, seeing beyond the immediate technical problem to understand historical context, relate to broader strategies and identify future impact, looking for deeper underlying problems and opportunities.
- Capable of responding to technology strategy to create, refine and challenge patterns, standards, policies, roadmaps and vision statements to meet business needs.
- Able to understand and resolve technical disputes across varying levels of complexity and risk and explain clearly how decisions have been reached.
- Good experience of at least three of the following, with a demonstrable commitment and ability to develop expertise across all of these areas:
- scaling digital services
- designing and implementing cloud architectures (specifically AWS)
- designing and implementing secure services
- open source technologies
- application architecture
Desirable criteria:
- Current SC level security clearance.
- An understanding of technical governance and the UK government service standard with an ability to participate in the assessment and assurance of a service.
- Able to adapt quickly to new technologies, maintain your awareness of the technology landscape, prototype and evaluate new approaches, tools and products.
- Experience of applying Agile techniques and iterative approaches to make and guide effective decisions.
- Experience and enthusiasm for mentoring and developing technical staff.
