Technical Architect
Central Government Programme | Defence Environment
Andover HQ (2 days onsite per week)
£110,000 – £120,000 + package
SC Clearance required
Overview
An opportunity has opened for a Technical Architect to join a high-security central government programme supporting a major defence-related capability. This is a hands-on architecture role where you will take ownership of complex system design across large-scale, secure environments, ensuring solutions are robust, compliant, and aligned to wider enterprise strategy.
You will operate across multi-disciplinary teams, providing technical leadership from early concept through to delivery, governance, and ongoing optimisation.
Key Responsibilities
You will:
- Lead the end-to-end technical design of complex systems and services
- Define, review, and assure architectural solutions across the full delivery lifecycle
- Provide governance and technical oversight across development and integration activity
- Conduct impact assessments, design reviews, and risk evaluation of solution changes
- Translate business and technical requirements into scalable, secure architectures
- Ensure adherence to enterprise standards, security principles, and regulatory requirements
- Apply architectural principles across software, infrastructure, cloud, and integration layers
- Support secure solution design aligned to government and defence security standards
- Contribute to architecture boards, governance forums, and technical decision-making
- Provide mentoring, guidance, and architectural leadership to delivery teams
- Support pre-sales / bid activity including solution shaping, estimation, and client engagement
- Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements across platforms and services
- Lead or support proof of concepts and technical demonstrations
Technical Environment
Strong experience required in:
- Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)
- Cloud platforms (AWS or Azure)
- DevOps / CI/CD toolchains and practices
- Microservices and web services architecture
- REST, SOAP, JSON-based integrations
- Identity and access management (SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect, Active Directory, LDAP, ADFS)
- Secure application development (Java or .NET)
- Agile delivery environments
- API-driven architectures
- Security frameworks and principles (OWASP, NCSC guidance)
- Data protection and GDPR-compliant design
Desirable Experience
- Defence, central government or highly regulated environments
- SC cleared environments
- Data architecture and modern data platforms
- Real-time data integration, APIs, streaming or IoT
- AI or emerging technology solutions
- Public sector procurement / bid support exposure
- Industry certifications (AWS, Azure, Microsoft or equivalent)
About You
- Has operated as a Technical Architect or Senior Solution Architect in complex environments
- Can operate across both hands-on technical design and stakeholder engagement
- Understands how to balance security, scalability, and delivery constraints
- Is confident working in governance-heavy, regulated environments
- Can influence senior stakeholders and translate complexity into clear decisions
