Senior Security Architect - DWP Digital - Multiple Locations
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Job Description
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Job summary
Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.
Are you excited about the opportunity to protect critical citizen facing services from cyber-attacks at scale?
Are you the type of person who is thrilled by new technologies, hungry to learn new techniques to defend against global cyber threats?
Are you an engaging leader with advanced technical and architecture skills?
Are you a security architect with experience across a wide range of technologies and protective techniques who thrives on designing and developing secure solutions?
If so, come join us as a Senior Security Architect.
We are currently expanding our security architect capability across a number of delivery teams, to help embed a secure-by-design and secure-by-default culture.
As Security Architects you will blend technical security knowledge, architecture design, and development skills.
2 roles are based in Digital Health and Disability. Health and Disability delivery teams manage a large portfolio of IT services, including the Functional Assessment Service (FAS), which provide support to some of DWP's most vulnerable customers. Health and Disability are currently delivering a large digital transformation providing modern, secure, cloud-based services to our customers.
1 role is based in Digital's Data Insight and Analytics function. This team is responsible for the development of reusable technical capability in the form of advanced analytics and MI platforms. This capability underpins the development and deployment of analytics driven controls such as those supporting payment accuracy, and ambitions to reduce fraud, error and debt, as well as the strategic capability for MI reporting and visualisations across DWP.
Job description
- Deliver and support the technical and security architecture design elements of DWP Digital projects / initiatives.
- Work with engineering teams, and other Digital colleagues, to create VFM solution designs.
- Develop security product roadmaps and represent product designs at governance forums.
- Provide clear communication of security architecture design and decision making, in order to gain approval to proceed with designs.
- Engage senior stakeholders to create security solution options and recommendations - during project discovery and inception phases.
- Provide expert advice to Solution Architects to drive technology choice decisions.
- Contribute to, and build capability in, the DWP Architecture community, and in particular its security expertise.
It would be beneficial to have one or more of the following qualifications when starting the role but are not essential:
- Azure/AWS Architecture certified.
- CCSK Certified /CCSP Certified.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).
Person specification
When giving details in your CV and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:
- Security Architecture analysis, design, and modelling techniques, tools and standards.
- Application Security - Securing web applications and Microservices, APIs, event driven architecture.
- Cloud Security: Understanding of securing cloud environments and the shared responsibility model, including securing IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS architectures.
- Enterprise scale IT, in at least one recent security architect role in a complex large scale, national or multi-national organisation.
- Ability to identify threats, assess risks, and recommend security controls and mitigations.
- Securing data in transit and at rest i.e. Encryption & Cryptography technologies.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Akhtar.ali1@dwp.gov.uk.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Technical Breadth
- Turning business problems into technical designs
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £55,557, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,094 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Generous annual leave - at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro-rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
- Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
- Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
- Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
- Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Salary Information
Pay for this role is from £55,557 to £66,058.
The maximum salary for the grade is £66,058, however a Digital Allowance of up to £3,942 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed.
Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.
Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.
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.
Stage 1: Application
Your application will consist of three parts:
1. A Personal Details application form.
2. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements in line with essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.
When uploading your CV, do not include personal information or links to any webpages or profiles that identifies you. This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity. Take out references to your name/title, age, sex, email address, postal address, telephone number or nationality/immigration status.
3. Personal statement - up to 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person specification. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The sift panel will use the information in your CV and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria.
You will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your CV and Personal Statement.
For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.
Important Information
- Please attach your redacted CV as a separate additional document in either PDF or word format.
- 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.
- If your CV or personal statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
- We recognise that AI may be helpful when applying for this role, but it is important to use it in the right way. Read the DWP AI Candidate Guide to understand how you can make the best use of GenAI while ensuring your application remains authentic and effective.
Stage 2: Interview 1
If you're successful at stage 1, you will be invited to interview. You will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams
You will be asked to do a 10 minute presentation based on the essential criteria in this advert. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Interviews will take place from late April 2025. Interview dates to be confirmed.
Stage 3: Interview 2
If you're successful at stage 2, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and Technical Skills:
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Technical Breadth
• Turning business problems into technical designs
Interviews will take place from mid May 2025. Interview dates to be confirmed.
Further Information:
Find out more about Working for DWP
If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.
Security Clearance Requirement
You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.
For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" 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.
For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
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 security check (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.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name :Akhtar Ali
- Email :Akhtar.ali1@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles. If you wish to make a complaint, please find further details here: https://careers.dwp.gov.uk/how-we-recruit/.
Attachments
DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window(docx, 17kB)
Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview-Accessble-Version Opens in new window(docx, 67kB)
Requirements
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