Principal Architect

Title: Principal Architect / Head of TDA

Duration: 6 Months but a likely to be extended due to the Multi‑year programme

Contract: Inside IR35

Location: Stevenage 2 days in the office but flexible - Hybrid Working

Lead the architecture, design authority and technical delivery of a large, high‑profile government service. You’ll oversee the end‑to‑end digital solution, shape the technology roadmap, and guide multiple suppliers to deliver a secure, resilient and scalable platform.

Ideal for a senior contractor experienced in major defence‑related technology programmes.

• Act as the overall design authority for the programme’s digital and data systems.
• Own the enterprise architecture, technical standards and roadmap.
• Oversee security, performance, resilience and end‑to‑end solution integrity.
• Coordinate and assure delivery across multiple primary and secondary suppliers.
• Manage technical risk, lead incident response where required, and maintain service continuity.
• Represent the programme in senior governance forums and with government stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and value creation across the technology landscape.
• Lead and mentor cross‑functional technology teams.
• Strong enterprise architecture and systems integration background.
• Proven track record of delivering complex digital services in Agile or hybrid environments.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills at senior levels.
• Experience managing security, accreditation, data protection and high‑assurance environments.
• Ability to operate in fast‑moving, high‑scrutiny environments.