AMS PSR

On behalf of the MOD, we are looking for a Principal Solution Architect (Inside IR35) for a 4 month contract based hybrid in Bristol once per week.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year. Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD’s customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including military fighting vehicles, education services, nuclear submarines and facilities management.

The MOD’s aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK’s security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term. To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD. The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

As a Principal Solution Architect, your main responsibilities will be:

• Lead teams of more junior solution architects
• Lead multiple architecture projects or programmes
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders across multiple business or technical areas in the organisation and its partners
• Be proactive in identifying opportunities to improve the organisation and its partners
• Work with technology partners to inform their roadmaps
• Take a leading role in the overall direction of business and digital capabilities
• Inspire other architects and help them understand how to meet organisational goals

Essential:

• Architect for the whole context. You can assess how trends in society and industry practices might impact the organisation. You can work with people outside of your organisation to inform policies, strategies and standards. You can anticipate changes to policy and build resilience through your architectural work. You can coach others in identifying important trends.
• Architecture communication. You can communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels, and across organisations, using architecture communication techniques. You can mediate between people in difficult architectural discussions. You can gain support from business and technical stakeholders for architectural initiatives with high levels of risk, impact and complexity. You can coach and support others in architecture communication.
• Commercial perspective. You can identify appropriate contractual frameworks and approaches. You can identify, evaluate and select appropriate suppliers.
• Making architectural decisions. You can make and guide architectural design decisions characterised by high levels of risk and complexity. You can identify and address architectural risks across the organisation or wider government. You can lead and evolve architectural governance and assurance. You can represent architectural governance as part of wider governance, for example, legal or commercial.
• Problem definition and shaping. You can lead the framing of a problem characterised by high complexity, complication, or risk so that a solution can be created. You can coach others in defining problems and describing appropriate options for solutions. You can help others challenge requirements and assumptions , and identify opportunities when defining problems and solution options.
• Strategy design. You can define and connect strategies or visions across the organisation or wider government. You can enable the implementation of strategies or visions across the organization or wider government, for example, by advocating for resources and removing blockers.
• Technical design throughout the life cycle. You can create technical designs characterised by high risk, impact, and complexity. You can lead and guide others in creating technical designs that achieve organisational objectives. You can use feedback to optimise and refine standards for technical designs throughout the life cycle.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

The MOD guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following “this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.