Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support
Salary: £49,300 - £53,300 per annum (plus generous benefits)
Grade: Professional II
Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working
Contract Type: Permanent

Job Summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work work for you.

For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description

We are currently recruiting for an Enterprise Architect, giving you a fantastic opportunity to join the dynamic, multi-skilled DE&S Strategy, Architecture and Solution Design Skills Group.

You will take the lead in designing technical solutions that address DE&S business needs, ensuring they align with established architectural principles and standards. You will also adopt a strategic approach to ensure that information and IT systems are secure, reliable, available, and compliant with departmental and legal requirements.

Strong leadership and management skills are essential, as you will need to build and maintain relationships with a specialist and operationally focused stakeholder community. As a Solutions Architect, you will hold a position of significant influence, requiring a candidate with the intellectual curiosity and drive to deliver cutting-edge technical solutions at pace.

You will also benefit from being part of a large community of IT Architects and IT professionals, where best practice and ideas are shared.

Having or working towards TOGAF Practitioner certification and/or experience in architecture modelling would be advantageous. These qualifications can also potentially be achieved while in post.

We hope you will join us in shaping these approaches and leveraging new technologies, analysis methods, and innovative practices to equip the UK armed forces with the capabilities needed to protect our nation.

We champion flexible ways of working. 3 days attendance per week is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role. There may also be the opportunity to travel to other UK locations on occasion.

What you’ll be doing

Develop and define viable system solution options to address business requirements effectively, providing informed recommendations while assessing associated risks in collaboration with Senior Architects.
Translate business requirements into comprehensive physical designs, producing detailed design documentation in close partnership with Business Analysts.
Collaborate with multiple stakeholders across the organisation to facilitate the delivery of solution designs, ensuring alignment with IT strategy, policies, and processes within your area of expertise.
Ensure all solutions are designed in compliance with relevant legal, regulatory, and legislative requirements, seeking clarification from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on complex or nuanced changes.
Recommend system design improvements that optimise business efficiencies, ensuring compatibility with existing systems and infrastructure.

Person specification
To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

Experience in solution design and/or enterprise architecture.
Working towards TOGAF Practitioner and/or BCS Foundation Certificate in Architecture.
Familiar with EA Modelling.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

Core Behaviour 1: Changing and Improving
Core Behaviour 2: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Technical Competence 1: Strategy, Architecture and Solution Design – Practitioner
Technical Competence 2: Development and Implementation [As SWDN Level 3] – Supervised Practitione

Offered benefits

25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
Flexible and hybrid working options
Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
Support for progression
Huge range of discounts
Volunteering days
Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest:

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:

1st: Core Behaviour 1
2nd: Core Behaviour 2
3rd: Technical Competencies
4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criterion, and/or and additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

Join an integral part of the UK's Defence and play your part in the procurement and in-service support of all our armed forces’ equipment, from fighter jets, armoured vehicles and aircraft carriers, to clothing, food, and ammunition. If you have the pride, passion and commitment to be part of an exciting organisation at the forefront of supporting our country's armed forces to deliver on operations at home and abroad, then apply online now!