Lead Technical Architect

Full-time (Permanent) £75026 - £105077 per annum + 28.97% employer pension contributions
Manchester Published on 6 May 2026 Deadline 27 May 2026

• Experience designing technology solutions across on prem, cloud and hybrid environments, covering areas like networking, security, middleware, databases and integrations
• A strong understanding of architecture principles, patterns and standards, and how to apply them to real world problems
• Ability to turn business needs into clear technical designs, and explain how those designs meet requirements in a way stakeholders can easily understand
• Experience using architecture modelling techniques and tools to design and communicate complex systems
• Strong knowledge of End User Computing (EUC), including at least two of: device provisioning and management, Zero Trust, SASE networking, application delivery, or cloud identity
• An understanding of data and analytics in an EUC context, using insights to drive continuous improvement (knowledge of tools like Power BI, MS Fabric or Splunk is a plus)
• Hands on experience with EUC virtualisation, including both desktop (VDI) and session based (SBC) solutions, delivered on prem or in the cloud and at scale
• Deep understanding of either Windows or macOS, with the ability to choose the right device and operating system for different user needs (experience with ChromeOS or Linux desktops is desirable)

As a Lead Technical Architect, you'll operate at the highest level of technical leadership within DWP Digital. Your work will shape the Digital Workspace services that thousands of colleagues rely on every day to support millions of citizens across the UK.

You'll design and govern complex EUC and Digital Workspace solutions, ensuring they are secure, reliable and aligned to DWP's long term strategy. From defining architectural options and setting standards, to solving high risk technical challenges, your judgement and expertise will directly influence how technology is adopted and evolved across the organisation.

Collaboration is at the heart of this role. You'll work closely with product teams, engineers, security specialists, delivery leads and senior leaders, helping them make informed decisions and navigate complexity. You'll also play a key role in architecture governance - presenting designs, challenging assumptions, and ensuring that solutions meet both user needs and organisational goals.

Beyond delivery, this is a leadership role. You'll mentor other architects, promote best practice, and help grow architectural capability across DWP Digital. You'll succeed if you enjoy working at scale, thrive in complex environments, and are motivated by creating technology that genuinely improves how public services are delivered and experienced.

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

We offer competitive pay of up to £105,077. That's £80,267 salary plus a Government Digital and Data Allowance of up to £24,810 subject to our assessment of your capability at interview.

You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%.

A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.