Lead Data Architect - Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - G6

Location

Leeds

About the job

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Lead Data Architect to join our Strategy and Architecture Function within the Digital and Technology Group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 7-8 Wellington Place, Leeds.  

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly.

Who are we? 

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.  

The Digital and Technology Group (DTG) lies at the heart of the Agency and is responsible for delivering an optimised IT infrastructure and maximising the secure use of data to enable our scientists, inspectors, and the rest of the organisation to deliver world class services which can improve outcomes for patients and the general public. The Group was essential in the race to approve COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 and in supporting the UK to set up its own medicines and devices approvals systems following our exit from the EU. The work we do matters!

Its centre of excellence is also responsible for delivering a broad portfolio of change initiatives, both to transform the Agency’s legacy technologies and to deliver innovative new solutions, designed around our customers’ needs. DTG works in a holistic way to combine digital and technology change, data and information management, project delivery, business process, product management and cultural change to maximise out impact and ensure sustainability.

We plan to be at the heart of one of the most digitally advanced medical regulators in the world and we need people who can help us deliver that ambition. DTG is a great place to build your career and we are committed to enabling our people to do the best work of their lives.

Job description

The Strategy & Architecture team is responsible for ensuring that DTG service provision supports the delivery of the Agency's strategy and Corporate Delivery Plan including meeting MHRA’s financial and performance targets and delivery objectives. The team is responsible for providing digital, data and technology design assurance to ensure proposed solutions are compliant with legislation, standards and Government policy.

As a Lead Data Architect, you will play a vital role in designing and governing the enterprise data architecture to support regulatory, scientific, and operational functions.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on data-focused products and services in a complex digital environment, supporting major initiatives across MHRA.

In this role, you'll work across multiple projects, applying broad architectural thinking to design data models, metadata systems, and data dictionaries. You'll provide oversight and guidance to teams and projects, ensuring standards are met and solutions align with organisational principles.

You'll also work closely with technical architects to make sure systems are designed in accordance with the appropriate data architecture.

This role demands a strategic thinker with deep technical expertise, strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to create a cohesive data architecture that meets the department’s current and future needs.

Key responsibilities: 

• Data Architecture Design
  • Demonstrate expertise in data architecture including design of data platforms, modelling techniques, patterns, tools, and standards.
  • Experienced in presenting data architecture designs to technical governance forums, ensuring alignment with organisational standards and strategic objectives.
• Data Governance and Standards
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  • Skilled in data modelling, master data management (MDM), metadata management, and data governance to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance across the enterprise.
  • Ensure solutions adhere to government policies such as the Data Protection Act, GDPR, and the Technology Code of Practice.
  • Alignment to emerging global data standards

 Data Integration and Management

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  • Experienced in designing data integration services to ensure seamless data flow across various systems and platforms, including legacy systems, cloud environments, and third-party applications.
  • Develop and maintain data lineage and metadata management practices to provide transparency and control over data assets.

 Strategic Technology Leadership

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  • Proven ability to shape and support technology initiatives, projects, programmes, and portfolios, ensuring architectural integrity and alignment with organisational goals.

 Key Results

• High-Quality, Reusable Data Assets
  • Enterprise data models, metadata, and standards are well-governed, up-to-date, and widely adopted by delivery teams.
  • Data is consistently structured and reusable across multiple services, reducing duplication and integration costs

 Improved Data Quality and Interoperability

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  • Improvements in departmental data quality - scores, completeness, and consistency.
  • Increased interoperability between internal and cross‑government systems, enabling more efficient service delivery.

 Robust, Scalable Data Architecture for New Services

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  • New digital services and transformation projects implement approved data patterns, meeting architectural and compliance requirements.
  • Data platforms are scalable, secure, and aligned with the department’s enterprise architecture

.Strong Governance and Reduced Risk

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  • Reduced data-related risks through strong architecture assurance, improved governance, and adherence to privacy and security policies.
  • Clear data ownership and stewardship embedded across business areas.

 Strategic Value from Data

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  • Data is used effectively to inform strategic planning, operational reporting, and advanced analytics.
  • Stakeholders recognise the Data Architecture function as a trusted, enabling partner.

Person specification

Our successful candidate will demonstrate the following.

• Extensive experience working as a Data Architect within large or complex organisations, contributing to multi‑team or multi‑programme delivery working from early discovery through to live services, supporting projects and products at different stages of maturity.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, influencing design decisions, and balancing trade‑offs between business needs, cost, risk, and technical constraints.
• Desirable: Experience delivering data solutions in environments with strong regulatory, privacy, or security requirements (e.g. public sector, health).

Person Specification:

Method of assessment:  A=Application, T=Test, I=Interview, P=Presentation 

Behaviour Criteria:

• Leadership (I)
• Making Effective Decisions (I)
• Working Together (I)
• Communicating and Influencing (I)

Experience Criteria:

• Extensive experience working as a Data Architect within large or complex organisations, contributing to multi‑team or multi‑programme delivery working from early discovery through to live services, supporting projects and products at different stages of maturity. (A, I)
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, influencing design decisions, and balancing trade‑offs between business needs, cost, risk, and technical constraints. (A, I)
• Desirable: Experience delivering data solutions in environments with strong regulatory, privacy, or security requirements (e.g. public sector, health). (A)

Technical Criteria:

• Strong understanding of data modelling techniques (conceptual, logical, physical) and how they are applied to enterprise and solution architectures. (A)
• Knowledge of common integration patterns, including APIs, messaging, batch and event‑driven data flows, and how these support interoperability (A)
• Understanding of data governance principles, including metadata, lineage, data quality, ownership, and lifecycle management. (A, P)
• Knowledge of modern data platform components (e.g. cloud data services, data lakes/warehouses, MDM, analytics layers) and how they fit together architecturally. (A, P)

Desirable

• Knowledge of FHIR and HL7 standards. (A)
• Degree level or a minimum of 3 years of professional experience. (A)