Principal Technical Architect

Become part of a mission-driven digital team helping to build secure, resilient services used by millions across the UK. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are seeking a Principal Technical Architect with strong architectural governance experience, the ability to lead across complex multi-team programmes and the confidence to operate at both strategic and delivery levels. Permanent role, hybrid working from Swansea (60% office-based), salary of up to £98,061 (inc allowances, based on skills and experience) plus 29% employer pension contribution and excellent Civil Service benefits.

Read the overview of this opportunity to understand what skills, including and relevant soft skills and software package proficiencies, are required.
OPEN SESSION
Would you like to find out more about the role, the digital team and what it's like to work at DVLA? If so, DVLA are organising a familiarisation session where you can virtually 'meet the team' and an opportunity to ask questions on Thursday 14th May at 12pm.
Please follow the apply link for instrictions to book yur virtual seat.

About role

DVLA delivers national-scale digital services that enable the safe and lawful use of vehicles across the UK, supporting millions of drivers and vehicles every year. With a significant increase in concurrent transformation programmes including legislative change, service improvement, and new digital initiatives - DVLA is strengthening its architecture leadership capability to ensure coherence, governance and long-term value.
As a Principal Technical Architect, you will provide end-to-end architectural ownership across a major programme, ensuring that solutions delivered across multiple products and teams align to agreed principles, standards and strategic direction. You will act as the architectural authority within the programme, bridging technical architecture, delivery and programme-level decision-making.

As a Principal Technical Architect, you will:

Provide end-to-end architectural oversight across a large, complex programme spanning multiple delivery teams
Lead and evolve architectural governance, ensuring consistency, quality and alignment with DVLA standards
Own and produce technical impact assessments, translating business change into architectural implications and options
Develop and maintain architectural roadmaps across short-, medium- and long-term horizons
Oversee and assure architectural outputs from Lead Technical Architects, providing coaching and direction
Work closely with programme and senior stakeholders, representing architecture at boards and planning forums
Identify risks, dependencies and cross-domain impacts early and drive resolution

Essential skills for the Principal Technical Architect include:

Proven experience operating as a Technical Architect or Lead Architect across multiple teams or programmes
Strong understanding of architectural governance and the ability to design and improve governance processes
Excellent stakeholder management skills, including engagement with senior leadership
Broad technical knowledge across systems, integrations and cloud platforms
Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-focused language
Demonstrable ownership of end-to-end architectural delivery in complex, ambiguous environments

Desirable skills for the Principal Technical Architect include:

Experience working in government or other regulated environments
Exposure to large-scale digital transformation programmes
Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
Background in software engineering or hands-on technical delivery
Experience working with emerging technologies, including AI

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,501 - £98,061, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:
Best in class learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
Generous employer contribution of 28.9%, depending on chosen pension scheme
Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
Digital communities with clear career frameworks
On-site gym plus personal training available (membership applies)
On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar
25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday
24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff
Free parking

Why Join?

This is a high-impact role with senior visibility, offering the opportunity to shape architecture across nationally significant digital programmes. xwzovoh You will influence how DVLA delivers and governs technology at scale, while developing your own career within one of the UK's largest and most complex digital organisations.