JOB SUMMARY

Can you translate strategic data needs ensuring they align with organisational goals?
Are you proficient in using database management systems?
Have you got experience in data modelling tools and methodologies?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Information Technology (IT) Strategy & Architecture function enables the organisation to deliver world-class services. It is a centre of excellence that is responsible for the technology strategy, delivering a broad portfolio of change to transform the Agency’s legacy technologies and deliver innovative new solutions designed around our customers’ needs.
The architecture team is responsible for the definition of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency technology strategy, the development of the solutions’ architectures required to realise this strategy and ensuring that architecture and technology principles are met and maintained.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it’s like working at the Department for Transport and its agencies:

• MCA roles: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

JOB DESCRIPTION

A data architect designs and builds data models to fulfil the strategic data needs of the organisation, as defined by the Chief Data Architect. As Senior Data Architect you will also deliver the vision for the organisation as set by the Chief Data Architect. You will also be instrumental in the definition of technology roadmaps that are aligned to business and IT strategy that support business change, and you will define the Master Data Strategy and the Data Archival Strategy for operational data.
This is a Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework role and as a technology specialist, you’ll work at the cutting edge of how people interact and are empowered by digital government services.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Work closely with the Chief Data Architect to interpret strategic data needs and translate them into actionable architecture artefacts.
• Define and maintain the enterprise data architecture, encompassing data models, metadata standards, integration patterns, and structures to support business intelligence and data warehousing.
• Actively participate in governance forums such as the Architecture Review Board and Data Governance Board, while identifying and escalating any data-related risks, blockers, or deviations from agreed standards.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure clarity, uphold documentation standards, and support the delivery of strategic data initiatives.

WORKING HOURS, OFFICE ATTENDANCE AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.
This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.
The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your principal workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, visiting stakeholders and colleagues, or carrying out detached duty in another DfT or agency workplace. The chosen principal workplace will be the designated place of work and any remote or home working arrangement does not constitute a change to the designated place of work or contractual terms and conditions. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation. Applicants can request further information on how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see below for contact details).
If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments in accordance with the legal duty to make reasonable adjustments, please contact the Vacancy Holder (see below for contact details).

TECHNICAL SKILLS

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Data Governance (data architect)
• Data modelling
• Data standards
• Metadata Management
• Problem Management
• Turning Business Problems into Data Design

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)
• 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

TYPE OF ROLE

Architecture and Data
Digital
Information Technology

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Work closely with the Chief Data Architect to interpret strategic data needs and translate them into actionable architecture artefacts.
• Define and maintain the enterprise data architecture, encompassing data models, metadata standards, integration patterns, and structures to support business intelligence and data warehousing.
• Actively participate in governance forums such as the Architecture Review Board and Data Governance Board, while identifying and escalating any data-related risks, blockers, or deviations from agreed standards.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure clarity, uphold documentation standards, and support the delivery of strategic data initiatives

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Significant experience in data architecture, data modelling, database design, or a related area such as application architecture is expected.
• Expertise in data modelling tools and methodologies.
• Experience in leading data architecture projects and/or teams.
• Proficiency in database management systems (DBMS) like SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, and big data solutions using technologies such as no-SQL.
• Experience in using cloud services such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platforms