Principal Technical Architect

Become part of a mission-driven digital team helping to build secure, resilient services used by millions across the UK. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are seeking a Principal Technical Architect with strong architectural governance experience, the ability to lead across complex multi-team programmes and the confidence to operate at both strategic and delivery levels. Permanent role, hybrid working from Swansea (60% office-based), salary of up to £98,061 (inc allowances, based on skills and experience) plus 29% employer pension contribution and excellent Civil Service benefits.

DVLA delivers national-scale digital services that enable the safe and lawful use of vehicles across the UK, supporting millions of drivers and vehicles every year. With a significant increase in concurrent transformation programmes-including legislative change, service improvement, and new digital initiatives-DVLA is strengthening its architecture leadership capability to ensure coherence, governance and long-term value.

As a Principal Technical Architect, you will provide end-to-end architectural ownership across a major programme, ensuring that solutions delivered across multiple products and teams align to agreed principles, standards and strategic direction. You will act as the architectural authority within the programme, bridging technical architecture, delivery and programme-level decision-making.

• Provide end-to-end architectural oversight across a large, complex programme spanning multiple delivery teams
• Lead and evolve architectural governance, ensuring consistency, quality and alignment with DVLA standards
• Own and produce technical impact assessments, translating business change into architectural implications and options
• Develop and maintain architectural roadmaps across short-, medium- and long-term horizons
• Oversee and assure architectural outputs from Lead Technical Architects, providing coaching and direction
• Work closely with programme and senior stakeholders, representing architecture at boards and planning forums
• Identify risks, dependencies and cross-domain impacts early and drive resolution

• Proven experience operating as a Technical Architect or Lead Architect across multiple teams or programmes
• Strong understanding of architectural governance and the ability to design and improve governance processes
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including engagement with senior leadership
• Broad technical knowledge across systems, integrations and cloud platforms
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-focused language
• Demonstrable ownership of end-to-end architectural delivery in complex, ambiguous environments

• Experience working in government or other regulated environments
• Exposure to large-scale digital transformation programmes
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
• Background in software engineering or hands-on technical delivery
• Experience working with emerging technologies, including AI

Alongside your salary of £69,501 - £98,061, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role 
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues 
• Generous employer contribution of 28.9%, depending on chosen pension scheme
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks
• On-site gym plus personal training available (membership applies)
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar 
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff
• Free parking

This is a high-impact role with senior visibility, offering the opportunity to shape architecture across nationally significant digital programmes. You will influence how DVLA delivers and governs technology at scale, while developing your own career within one of the UK's largest and most complex digital organisations.