Senior Solution Architect - Respond & Analytics
HM Revenue and Customs
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 11th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
Are you passionate about cloud computing and keen to join one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world? HMRC, with one of the largest and most dynamic IT estates in Europe, offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future digital landscape of one of the Civil Service’s biggest departments.
We’re in a pivotal phase, undertaking major digital transformation to deliver cutting-edge services that make us a fully digitally advanced organisation, benefitting both customers and colleagues. With key strategic digital initiatives like real-time transactional information and a unified customer account, you'll help architect solutions that enable customers to interact with HMRC seamlessly.
Working with leading technologies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), SAP, SAS, Pega, Azure, and Microsoft Power Platform, you'll design and implement solutions that operate at a national scale across all of HMRC’s tax and benefit systems—from Self-Assessment and VAT to Corporation Tax and Counter-Fraud. Nearly every individual and business in the UK interacts with HMRC, and as a Senior Solution Architect in the Chief Digital & Information Office (CDIO), you’ll help shape the technology direction that powers public services and supports millions of UK citizens.
This is a challenging yet rewarding role, and we're seeking individuals with the right skills and determination to help us realise our ambitious vision.
At HMRC, we prioritise the professional development of our staff. With technology constantly evolving, we offer extensive tailored training and development opportunities to help you grow.
Job description
As part of the Respond and Analytics team, you'll architect and deliver systems that provide insights into customer behaviour and support compliance. Whether working on the Analytics Lakehouse that guides government decisions, supporting customers to meet their obligations, or architecting systems to manage compliance and investigations, you’ll play a pivotal role in our digital journey. Additionally, you’ll collaborate with our intelligence teams to design systems that strengthen our counter-fraud capabilities and manage criminal activity.
Who We're Looking For:
We’re seeking individuals who:
- Are intrigued by evolving technologies and want to design IT solutions that shape the future.
- Thrive on building technology projects that deliver impactful results.
- Have an interest in machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.
- Can solve real-world business problems with creative IT solutions.
- Enjoy working collaboratively in a larger team environment.
If you resonate with these qualities, this role could be the perfect opportunity for you.
Key Responsibilities:
As a Senior Solution Architect, you will:
- Lead a team of architects within large-scale IT Change Programmes, setting the direction and delivering results.
- Design technical IT solutions that align with HMRC’s IT strategy and meet business objectives.
- Produce costed design documentation, working closely with business stakeholders and technical teams.
- Ensure the successful delivery and implementation of Solution Designs in collaboration with delivery teams and partners.
- Take a hands-on approach to new technologies, testing their potential and ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, and user-centric.
Person specification
We’re looking for someone who can:
- Architect IT solutions that power national systems.
- Design solutions that prioritise user experience while ensuring security and scalability.
- Quickly understand new technologies and apply that knowledge effectively.
- Collaboratively solve business problems by working with cross-functional teams.
- Create proof-of-concepts, prototypes, and technical spikes to de-risk delivery.
- Drive change at pace, managing architectural risks along the way.
Essential Criteria:
You’ll need to demonstrate:
- Experience in architectural governance.
- A proven track record of developing technology solutions to meet business and user needs.
- The ability to quickly learn new technologies and apply that learning in practical ways.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to deliver pragmatic IT solutions.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, especially in stakeholder management.
- The ability to work at pace and manage architectural risks.
Desirable Criteria:
- Strong interpersonal skills, particularly in managing diverse stakeholders.
- Experience in large-scale IT change or transformation programmes.
- Possession of, or willingness to work towards, TOGAF, BCS, or CITP qualifications.
- Experience working with teams of architects and business analysts.
- An understanding of ITILv4.
Technical Skills:
While we don’t expect you to have all these skills, we’d like you to have expertise in some of the following areas:
- AI/ML technologies and their role in improving customer behaviour.
- SAS, R, Python, and cloud technologies (e.g., Kubernetes, APIs).
- Case management and workflow technologies.
- Cloud architecture (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS) and resilient capability platforms.
- Database technologies such as Oracle, Redshift, and Postgres.
- Security-focused design approaches.
- Managing applications throughout their lifecycle, from idea to decommissioning.
- Experience with cost modelling and managing technical debt.
Join us at HMRC and be part of a team that makes a national impact. Together, we’re shaping the future of tax and public services across the UK.
*This role may require travel and overnight stays.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Presentation
Benefits
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
- A CV including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements for each role/job.
When giving details in your CV you should be explicit in highlighting your experience in line with the essential criteria & technical skills listed in the advert. You should therefore include details of the work and projects that you have been involved in, and the role you played.
Important information
• Please attach your CV as a separate additional document in either PDF or word format no bigger than 5MB.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• Please do not include any personal details in your document title.
• If your CV contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
• Desirable skills will not be scored but will only be used in the event of a tie break situation.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
At full sift your CV will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
Interview process
Informal Interview
If you’re successful at sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. In this 30-minute session you will be asked to provide an overview of your CV and answer questions around experience.
Interview
If you’re successful in the Informal Interview, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the essential & technical skills and your experience. You will also be asked to prepare a presentation - further details will be provided prior to interviews.
Interviews will take place via video link.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 375447 & vacancy closing date 11/11/2024’
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Additional Security Information
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers
This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.
Terms and Conditions
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (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. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is 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.
New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Neville de Mendonca
- Email : neville.demendonca@hmrc.gov.uk
- Telephone : 03000 507129
Recruitment team
- Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk
Further information
In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.
