DDAT - Senior Enterprise Architect

The Integration Design Services (IDS) is a new organisation in UK Strategic Command that provides a unified approach across Defence, focused on delivering integration by default; providing advice and support for project / programme / portfolio development, delivery, and in-service capabilities; and is scalable beyond the Ministry of Defence (Partners Across Government, industry, and international partners).
The IDS will ensure that integration will be at the heart of the funded, future and conceptual Force Development decision making, challenging conventional ways of thinking about Defence and Security, driving new ways of working through an integration lens. The IDS will work with teams across Defence, building strong and productive relationships to develop the Integrated Force. A crucial element of this will be provided by the IDS, including their architecture service, which will be responsible for integrating and exploiting architectures to help senior decision-makers understand where the key integration risks and opportunities lie, and make evidence-based Balance of Investment decisions, to enable Defence to be architected in a coherent and integrated way.
The Senior Enterprise Architect will develop and implement the IDS architecture strategy to support the Deputy Heads to deliver against Defence and UK Strategic Command objectives. Due to the nature of the role the incumbent will potentially be required to work from the office 5 days a week, requiring frequent access to restricted platforms, which cannot be accessed when working from home. This role may also require occasional travel to other sites and internationally.
This role will be required to support establishment of the IDS architecture service, implementing the strategic direction and developing the capability, ensuring that policy and architecture solutions are optimised, business needs are met for the IDS, and benefits of exploiting architectures through innovative solutions and tooling are realised. This will require championing the development of a coherent architecture approach across a complex landscape in Defence. The Senior Enterprise Architect will need to work closely with other teams in Defence, such as Defence Digital (DD), Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), Front Line Commands (FLCs), and other industry and international partners.
This position requires a dynamic self-starter, capable of building connections across Defence with crown servants and contractors, with a real opportunity to take on numerous strategic challenges.
This role is advertised at 37 hours per week., As the Senior Enterprise Architect, you will be responsible for supporting development of the strategy and architecture service for the IDS. You will support architecture engagement for integration across Defence, taking a strategic, pan-Defence view across all relevant architectural domains, security classifications, industry, suppliers, partners and international communities, which will require excellent technical and communication skills. You will also be responsible for helping to foster a culture that is inclusive, trusting, collaborative, innovative and diverse, so that all in the IDS can fully contribute to its success.
Taking on this challenging, exciting and influential role, you will be part of a team at the forefront of delivering major transformation through integration in Defence. Bringing your technical and detail-orientated expertise, you will help build and develop the architecture service to deliver quality outputs as agreed with the Leadership Team.
You will undertake stakeholder engagement to understand the context of a problem, and have the ability to proactively influence, cohere and shape client, and capability demands. You will need to be able to listen to and interpret the needs of technical and non-technical stakeholders, as well as being able to translate and communicate often-complex information to varied audiences.
The Senior Enterprise Architect will deliver an agreed schedule of prioritised work, including ensuring that architecture artefacts are incorporated into relevant architecture repositories. You will also contribute to developing a network across Defence to support the architecture service, to promote best practices, increase standardisation and share lessons.
The initial responsibilities of the role include:
+ Apply architectural methods to translate Defence level strategy into design, harnessing more effective ways to design and deliver the integrated force.
+ Provide subject matter expertise on technical aspects of architectural design and modelling, and the benefits of implementation for integration.
+ Deliver architectural innovation, based on a clear understanding of current and emerging methodologies to develop thematic capability blueprints.
+ Monitor performance and initiate corrective action where necessary to make improvements and mitigate risks on architectures.
Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Communicating and Influencing
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Leadership

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Community collaboration - Working
+ Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) perspective - Working
+ Enterprise and business architecture - Working
+ Governance and assurance - Working, External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
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Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Things you need to know

Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
At sift candidates will be assessed against:
+ A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
+ A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, essential and desirable criteria.
+ Success Profiles Behaviour - Leadership.
Failure to submit both a CV and Statement of Suitability will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
At Interview candidates will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours and Technical Skills (Government Data and Digital Profession Capability Framework):
Success Profiles Behaviours
+ Leadership
+ Seeing the bigger picture
+ Making effective decisions
+ Communicating and Influencing
Technical Skills
+ Community collaboration - Working
+ Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) perspective - Working
+ Enterprise and business architecture - Working
+ Governance and assurance - Working
The behaviours and technical skills will be assessed throughout the interview, and as part of it you will be asked to deliver a presentation (10 minutes) explaining how you would integrate and exploit architectures to generate insights and inform design-making.
In the event of a strong field of candidates at sift and interview, the desirable criteria will be considered to distinguish the order of merit.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).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.

+ Significant experience in leading the design, implementation and exploitation of Systems, Architecture and Design.
+ An established Subject Matter Expert (SME) as a Solutions or Enterprise Architect.
Desirable Criteria
+ Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Systems Engineering, or related field or similar in experience.
+ TOGAF, BCS or EA Modelling qualifications.
+ Knowledge of Force Development or Capability acquisition in Defence.
+ Professional Membership of a recognised Professional body (e.g. Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET) or British Computer Society (BCS)) with externally recognised evidence of professional development.

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,480 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
UK Strategic Command actively seeks to provide an inclusive working environment which gets the best from every member of our team, and which recognises people for their commitment and professionalism. We are a learning organisation in which you will be encouraged to develop your skills and knowledge, building on our wide range of work areas, and given support to develop your career on your own terms, ranging from on-line training, short courses, and other personal development opportunities.
We seek and encourage diversity of thought, background, experience, and approach. We also recognise that everyone has different personal and family commitments and encourage applications from those who require flexible working patterns.
+ Northwood or MMB London allowance may be applied (£3,250 pa).
+ Annual leave - up to 30 days.
+ A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role.
+ An environment with flexible working options.
+ A cultural encouraging inclusion and diversity.
+ On-site gym.
Grade SEO: This post may be eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £11,400 per annum. Eligibility for this allowance will be assessed at interview against the 4 core technical skills only and reviewed annually in line with departmental policy.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.