Head of Technical Architecture

• Job grade: Grade 6
• Contract type: Permanent
• Business area: CH - Digital Services - Software Engineering- Digital & Data
• Type of role: Architecture and Data
• Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Compressed hours
• Number of jobs available: 1

The Head of Technical Architecture is responsible for defining and leading the organisation's technical architecture capability, ensuring that technology solutions, platforms and engineering practices are designed, implemented and governed in line with enterprise architecture principles, organisational standards and strategic technology objectives.

The role provides strategic leadership for all technical architecture, developing and maintaining a coherent set of technical standards, reference architectures, design patterns and engineering guardrails that enable the delivery of secure, resilient, scalable and supportable digital services. Reporting to the Head of Software Engineering, you will work collaboratively across digital to ensure technical solutions are aligned with the target architecture, that architectural governance is applied consistently, and engineering teams are empowered to deliver high-quality technology solutions rapidly.

The role champions technical excellence by providing architectural leadership and assurance across the software development lifecycle, reducing technical debt, improving operational resilience, promoting interoperability and re-use, and enabling the adoption of modern technologies and engineering practices while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, performance and compliance.

You can read more about a career in Digital and Data within the Civil Service in the Government Digital and Data Candidate Information Pack.

About Companies House

Companies House holds one of the largest sources of data in the UK, supporting transparency, economic research and public trust. As we continue to evolve through legislative reform, the need for well-governed, trusted and clearly defined data has never been more important.

Why choose Companies House?

We take a proactive approach to wellbeing, promoting a welcoming culture and healthy work-life balance.

Our benefits include:

• Flexible working with no core hours (between 6am and 8pm)
• 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Civil Service Pension scheme, with an average employer contribution of 28%
• A strong focus on career development and progression

Find out more about what a great place Companies House is to work

• To be eligible for this role you also need to meet our Nationality requirements which are outlined below and also successful candidates must meet the security requirements for Security Clearance (SC) before they can be appointed. To gain (SC) clearance you will need to have been a UK resident for a minimum of 3 years out of the last 5 years. For more details, please refer to the ‘Things you need to know’ section below.
• You will be aligned to one of our office locations and will be expected to attend that office on a regular basis. Our office locations are Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.
• Occasional travel to other office locations, particularly Cardiff may also be required.
• Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
• We can accept applications for those looking to work full-time hours of 37 hours per week over 4 or 5 days.

The Head of Technical Architecture will lead the organisation’s technical architecture capability, establishing the standards, principles and technical direction needed to deliver a secure, resilient, scalable and sustainable technology landscape.

Working closely with Enterprise Architecture, Software Engineering, Platform Engineering, Data and Cyber Security, the role will ensure that technology decisions align with organisational strategy, enterprise architecture and the long-term technology roadmap.

The postholder will provide independent technical oversight and challenge through architecture governance, lead the management of technical risk and technology lifecycle decisions, and ensure that modernisation reduces technical debt, complexity and operational risk.

They will also build technical architecture capability, influence strategic technology investment and work across programmes and delivery teams to ensure that technology choices support successful transformation and sustainable services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop the organisation's Technical Architecture capability, providing strategic direction for technical design, architecture standards and engineering practices.
• Define and maintain the organisation's technical architecture principles, standards, reference architectures and design patterns.
• Ensure technical architecture supports the organisation's strategic objectives, enterprise architecture and technology roadmap.
• Establish and lead technical architecture governance, providing assurance that solutions comply with approved standards, policies and architectural principles.
• Chair Architecture Design Group providing independent technical oversight and challenge.
• Review and approve significant technical designs, ensuring they are secure, scalable, resilient, supportable and cost-effective.
• Manage technical architecture risks, exceptions and waivers, ensuring appropriate governance and executive visibility.
• Work closely with Software Engineering teams to embed architectural standards and modern engineering practices into software delivery.
• Lead the identification and retirement of obsolete, unsupported or high-risk technologies.
• Provide technical leadership across complex programmes and projects, ensuring solution architectures align with enterprise architecture and technical standards.
• Promote interoperability, API-first design and standard integration patterns across the technology estate.
• Ensure technical architectures are designed with resilience, availability, performance and recoverability as core design principles.
• Collaborate with Cyber Security teams to embed security by design and ensure compliance with organisational security policies and regulatory requirements.
• Work collaboratively with Enterprise Architects, Solution Architects, Data Architects, Software Engineering, Platform Engineering and Security teams to ensure architectural consistency.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders, suppliers and delivery partners to influence technical direction and support successful delivery. Develop technical architecture capability through coaching, mentoring and knowledge sharing.
• Monitor architecture maturity and identify opportunities to improve engineering quality, consistency and operational effectiveness.
• Provide strategic advice on technology investment, lifecycle management and architectural risk to senior leadership.

About the Team

The Technical Architecture team plays a critical role in shaping the organisation’s technology direction, ensuring that our systems, platforms and technical solutions are secure, resilient, sustainable and fit for the future. As we prepare to embark on one of the largest transformations in our history, the team will be central to defining the technical foundations for modernisation, reducing legacy risk and ensuring that technology investment delivers long-term value.

Technical Frameworks

This role aligns with the Government Digital and data Technical Architect Professional Capability framework. Candidates may find these useful when preparing examples for their personal statement and demonstrating relevant technical skills and experience.

• Government Digital and data Technical Architect: Technical architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

• Proven experience leading, developing or setting the strategic direction of a technical architecture function within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience defining and maintaining technical architecture principles, standards, reference architectures, design patterns and engineering practices.
• Ability to establish a clear technical vision and roadmap aligned with organisational strategy, enterprise architecture and long-term technology objectives.
• Strong understanding of modern technology architectures, cloud platforms, integration patterns, APIs, distributed systems and contemporary software engineering practices.
• Ability to balance strategic technical direction with practical delivery requirements, operational constraints, cost and long-term sustainability.
• Experience establishing and leading technical architecture governance, design reviews and assurance processes.
• Demonstrable ability to assess and challenge complex technical designs, ensuring they are secure, scalable, resilient, performant, supportable and cost-effective.
• Experience managing architectural risks, exceptions and waivers, ensuring appropriate decisions, accountability and escalation.
• Ability to provide independent technical oversight and constructive challenge to programmes, suppliers and delivery teams.
• Experience making evidence-based recommendations on significant technical decisions, technology investment and architectural trade-offs.
• Strong understanding of security-by-design principles and experience working with Cyber Security teams to ensure technical architectures meet security policies and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Experience embedding architectural standards and modern engineering practices into software development and delivery.
• Understanding of API-first design, standard integration patterns, automation, cloud-native approaches and engineering quality practices.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Working Together

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements for Security Check (SC) before they can be appointed. Further information on the vetting process can be found at National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK.

To be eligible for SC clearance, candidates must meet the vetting criteria and have been a resident in the UK for at least 3 out of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

Please review our vetting charter to understand what you can expect from the process - The vetting charter - GOV.UK

If you have questions regarding this or are unsure if you meet the eligibility criteria, please contact recruitmentch@companieshouse.gov.uk

What will the process look like?

Communications will be electronic via email therefore it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder.

We welcome applications in Welsh / Rydym yn croesawi ceisiadau yn y Gymraeg.

Key Dates:(dates are indicative only and could be subject to change)

• Closing date - Sunday 29th November 2026, at 23:55
• Sifting - w/c 30th November 2026
• Interviews - w/c 7th December 2026, via Microsoft Teams

An initial sift of applications will be carried out to create a shortlist. This will be based on the evidence provided for the Experience Success Profile listed below.

We’re committed to being diverse and inclusive, so please make your application anonymous by removing all identifying personal information (such as your name and age) from your personal statement. This also applies to your employment history, this means excluding names of schools, or any personal identifiers.

• If invited to interview Technical, Experience, Behaviour and Strength based questioning will be used.
• Specific information regarding the Success Profile elements that will be assessed at interview will be contained within the interview invitation.
• As part of the selection process, candidates will be required to prepare (in advance) and deliver a presentation during the interview. This will be assessed against the Experience element of the Success Profiles framework. Further details, including the presentation topic and instructions, will be provided to candidates who are successful at sift and invited to interview.
• Interviews for this role will be carried out virtually via MS Teams.
• Experience will be used as the lead criterion at interview and will be used as the deciding factor where candidates achieve the same overall interview score.

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.

Reserve list

This recruitment campaign will keep a reserve list for 12 months. If you meet the requirements for this role but aren't offered after passing the interview, you'll be placed on the reserve list. Subject to business need, if a suitable position opens up during this time, we will reach out to individuals in merit order. Successful applicants will be required to start on the date offered to align with the training schedule. Those who are unable to start on that date or are unavailable for certain parts of the training period will be placed on the reserve list for consideration in a future intake.

This post is being advertised Externally.

Incomplete and/or late submissions will not be accepted or considered. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, or if you'd like to discuss any person-centred adjustments then please let the recruitment team know via; recruitmentch@companieshouse.gov.uk

Sponsorship

Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. Companies House holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship, your application may be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment withdrawn.

Pre-Employment Checking

In line with Government guidance, successfully appointed candidates will need to provide documents for our Right to Work checks.

From June 2026, applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). Your personal details (name, National Insurance number, and date of birth) will be checked against the Civil Service Resourcing Extract IFD.

This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued.

If your details appear on this database, you will not be offered employment unless you can demonstrate exceptional circumstances. Companies House, acting on behalf of the vacancy holder, will inform you if your application is refused for this reason.

Please note: You are not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window)
and the

Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

• Name : Hannah Matthews
• Email : hmatthews@companieshouse.gov.uk

• Email : recruitmentch@companieshouse.gov.uk

info@csc.gov.uk

Civil Service Commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road SW1A 2HQ

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We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Architecture

In your application form we’d like you to:

CV

• Tell us about your employment history, including key responsibilities and achievements.

Personal statement

Tell us why you’re a great fit for this role by writing a 1000-word personal statement that highlights your relevant experience, skills, and motivations.

As part of the assessment process, we’ll be reviewing your statement for clear evidence of how you meet the criteria outlined below:

• Proven experience leading, developing or setting the strategic direction of a technical architecture function within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience defining and maintaining technical architecture principles, standards, reference architectures, design patterns and engineering practices.
• Ability to establish a clear technical vision and roadmap aligned with organisational strategy, enterprise architecture and long-term technology objectives.
• Strong understanding of modern technology architectures, cloud platforms, integration patterns, APIs, distributed systems and contemporary software engineering practices.

For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process , Civil Service Careers.

You can use examples from work, volunteering or other experiences. It is advisable to give clear examples for each criteria listed above, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) with most detail on what you did and the outcome. Please use this link as guidance How to write your PS , Civil Service Careers.

Please note:

• In the event of a high volume of applications, an initial sift may be conducted against the Lead Criteria- Proven experience leading, developing or setting the strategic direction of a technical architecture function within a complex organisation.
• If you pass the initial sift (lead criteria), you may either move on to a full sift (full personal statement) or go straight to interview, depending on number of applications received.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications.
• At sift we may choose to take through the highest performing candidates to the next stage. If, after the final stage is completed and roles are unfilled, we will proceed to invite lower scoring candidates to interview.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We believe that our success is driven by the well-being and satisfaction of our team members at all levels of the organisation. At Companies House we’re committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary, ensuring your career journey with us is not only fulfilling, but also rewarding. We pride ourselves on offering a quality work-life balance with our employee wellbeing being central to our working practices.

Head to Our benefits - Working for us - Recruitment (companieshouse.gov.uk) to find out more about the fantastic benefits package we have at Companies House.

We celebrate diversity...

As an equal opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity, being committed to ensuring we’re representative of the citizens we serve and creating an inclusive environment. Everyone in Companies House brings something different, and so will you. To fulfil our commitment to recruiting and attracting diverse talent we welcome applications from underrepresented groups. We also welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

We are proud to be a disability confident leader. Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments as needed through our process. These could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments and receiving interview questions in advance, to name a few.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at application stage, or if you'd like to discuss any person-centred adjustments, please contact us by emailing recruitmentCH@companieshouse.gov.uk.

Read our 'Applying under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS)' guide to find out how to successfully complete an application under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS).

We are currently using a hybrid approach to the way we work which provides opportunities for you to be adaptable in the way you work so that you can achieve a healthy balance between your work and home life. The degree of choice you have will depend on your role and your day-to-day work activities. Your manager will agree regular patterns of attendance with you, however you may be required to make yourself available to attend the office more frequently when required to meet business needs.