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Home  >  Current vacancies  > Lead Technical Architect

Lead Technical Architect

£69,574 - £78,538 per annum
External applicants will be offered at the base point of the salary range, the Civil Service pay rules apply for current Civil Servants on promotion or level transfer.

Location

Leeds (our Canary Wharf or South Mimms sites are only available to internal applicants)

Hours

37 hours per week (excluding lunch break)

Reports to

Deputy Director Strategy and Architecture

If you have had a COVID-19 vaccine or have ever taken a medicine, or used a medical device, then you have already come into contact with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

 

Our vision, One Agency - Delivering for Patients, underpins all that we do as we set out on an ambitious roadmap for change to become a truly world-leading, enabling regulator that protects public health through excellence in regulation and science.

 

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.

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About the Group and Function

  • 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.

  • 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, and for ensuring the effective running of the Division, including budget and performance management.

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Role Purpose

As an IT Technical Architect, you will play a crucial role in shaping and delivering our Agency’s technology vision, focusing on the strategic transition from on-premise to cloud services while ensuring business continuity.

 

You will be responsible for designing, building, and maintaining robust Technical Architectures that support business needs.

 

This senior position will be responsible for designing and overseeing complex technical solutions that align with public sector requirements, security standards, and modernisation initiatives.

 

This role requires a strategic thinker with deep technical knowledge, an understanding of emerging threats, and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to embed security principles throughout the IT landscape.

 

You will maintain relationships with relevant suppliers, making sure services and products are delivered and aligned to industry best practice and regulatory and contractual requirements.

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Key responsibilites

  • Technical Architecture Design

    • Develop and maintain a comprehensive Technical Architecture Reference Model that aligns with the IT strategy, government policies, and best practices.

    • Lead the development and maintenance of the technical architecture roadmap, with particular emphasis on cloud migration strategies and hybrid infrastructure to support wider Agency objectives.

    • Provide technical governance and oversight across IT projects, ensuring solutions meet security, scalability, and compliance requirements specific to UK public sector standards (including GDS standards and Technology Code of Practice).

    • Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies, cloud services, and architectural patterns that could benefit the Agency, maintaining awareness of technology trends and best practices.

    • Mentor and guide development teams, project managers, and other technical staff, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence while ensuring knowledge transfer across the Agency.

 

  • Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

    • Act as the Lead Technical Architect for project teams, providing expert guidance on requirements, design considerations, and risk management.

    • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure technical architecture is integrated into all aspects of the Agency’s digital transformation initiatives.

    • Influence and educate technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels, and across organisations, using architecture communication techniques​.

    • Mediate between people in difficult architectural discussions.

 

  • Innovation and Continuous Improvement

    • Proactively identify opportunities to improve the technical architecture and reduce risk through innovation, new technologies, and process improvements.

    • Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in Technical Architecture, bringing forward recommendations for improvement.

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Key Results areas

  • Architecture Development and Governance

    • Development and maintenance of the Technical Architecture Reference Model

    • Successful design and implementation of solutions aligned to architecture standards

    • Reduction in architectural complexity and technical debt

    • Achievement of cloud adoption targets and modernisation goals

    • Alignment with government technology standards and security requirements

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  • Solution Design and Delivery

    • Successful delivery of technical designs for major initiatives

    • Improved system performance metrics

    • Positive stakeholder feedback on technical solutions

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  • Innovation and Transformation

    • Successful implementation of cloud migration initiatives

    • Reduced operating costs through architectural improvements

    • Increased adoption of modern technology patterns

    • Measurable improvements in system scalability and flexibility

    • Demonstrated return on investment for technical initiatives

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  • Team Development and Collaboration

    • Increased technical capability within the team

    • Regular knowledge sharing sessions delivered

    • Enhanced documentation and architectural artifacts

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  • Stakeholder Engagement

    • High levels of engagement and collaboration with stakeholders, resulting in security being embedded into all aspects of IT and digital transformation initiatives.

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The job description is not intended to be exhaustive, and it is likely that responsibilities and outcomes may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the postholder.

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Person Specification

Important Candidate information:

 

The Civil Service use a recruitment framework called Success Profiles. Success Profiles are made up of 5 elements: Ability, Behaviours, Experience, Technical, Strengths but it is unlikely that you will be assessed against all 5.

 

Behaviours, Experience and Technical elements will be assessed through your application form, in the first instance.​​​​​​​

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Method of assessment key: (A) - Application, (T) - Test, (I) - Interview, (P) - Presentation ​

Behaviours (A, I)

Communicating & Influencing

  • Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust. 

  • Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.  Introduce different methods for communication, including making the most of digital resources whilst getting value for money.

  • Excellent communication skills with the proven ability to elicit and portray the organisational technology picture, with the ability to map out the current and target and future target state to a wide variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

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Working Together

  • Proactively create, maintain and promote a strong network of contacts across the organisation and externally.

  • Embed an inclusive culture of creating positive and supportive teams who consider the diverse needs and feelings of other colleagues.  

 

Leadership

  • Remain visible and approachable to all colleagues and stakeholders. Actively promote the reputation of the organisation with pride, both internally and externally.

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Experience (A, I, P)

Proven Experience in Technical Architecture

  • Significant IT experience in architectural roles

  • Extensive experience with both on-premise and cloud technologies

  • Experience in leading cloud migration initiatives and managing hybrid environments

  • Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

  • Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and methodologies

  • Track record of delivering complex technical solutions, within a public sector environment is desirable but not essential

  • Proven experience designing and implementing secure cloud architectures and understanding of cloud security principles across major cloud platforms.

  • Familiarity with UK public sector regulations, standards, and frameworks, such as the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the Technology Code of Practice (TCoP) is desirable

  • Experience of Healthcare/Medicines/Devices industries, Regulatory bodies desirable but not essential

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Technical (A, I)

  • Advanced knowledge of cloud platforms, with specific expertise in Microsoft Azure

  • In-depth understanding of hybrid cloud architectures, including integration strategies, security models, and performance optimisation techniques

  • Strong technical skills across multiple domains, including infrastructure design, application architecture, data architectures, and cybersecurity principles

  • Proficiency in emerging technologies such as containerisation, serverless computing, microservices architectures, and advanced integration patterns

  • MS Azure Solution Architect desirable

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Strengths (I)

  • Preventer – you think ahead to anticipate, identify, and address and risks or problems before they occur.

  • Explainer – you communicate ideas verbally or in writing. You simplify complexities and adapt communication so others can understand.

  • Catalyst – you are self-motivated to act to achieve a goal. You are confident using your own initiative to take forward actions.

  • Problem Solver – you take a positive approach to tackling problems and find ways to identify potential solutions.

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The Civil Service Code

These core values support good government and ensure the achievement of the highest possible standards in all that the Civil Service does. You can find out more about our values, standards of behaviour and rights and responsibilities in The Civil Service Code.

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Civil Service Values

Integrity

  • Putting the obligations of public service above your own personal interests

Honesty

  • Being truthful and open

Objectivity

  • Basing your advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence

Impartiality

  • Acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions

Agency Values

The code is reflected in the Agency's values, which state that:

  • We focus on patients and public health

  • We work together with respect

  • We take responsibility and are accountable

  • We create an environment where learning and innovation thrive

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