Technical Architect (Applications)

Overview

Do you want to help build the future of local government in Buckinghamshire?

We are looking for an Applications Architect to work as part of our Virtual Enterprise Architecture Team. The role will be primarily focused on the management of our applications portfolio, helping us consolidate and better leverage our existing capabilities to provide cost-effective and stable services.

Buckinghamshire Council is a unitary authority that was created in 2020 and this key role within our IT service will help us deliver the council of the future with integrated systems, applications, and processes that span an increasing range of public sector organisations such as our partners in health.

Please note this is a PTMG contract and the benchmarked salary is £69,556 per annum. 

About us

The IT Team at Buckinghamshire maintain and develop a wide range of corporate and line-of-business systems that our front-line teams and corporate services depend on.

We treat our applications portfolio as a strategic asset and manage it accordingly, working hand-in-hand with our service areas and software partners to have clear development roadmaps that meet the evolving needs of our teams. We are always mindful that these systems and processes underpin the effective delivery of a wide range of services to our residents.

You will work with a wide range of suppliers and stakeholders to help build our strategic applications roadmaps, define and implement best practice across our portfolio as well as supporting the delivery of key projects.

Benefits of working for us:

• a generous employer pension contribution in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Free parking across all our office sites
• staff discount at local gyms, restaurants, theatres, coffee shops, beauty salons and more
• discounts on local bus travel
• discount on O2 phone contracts and Microsoft Home Use Programme
• a wealth of online learning modules on our Learning Hub
• ambitious personal development plans and a coaching performance framework that focuses on your development
• personal development opportunities such as: buddying; shadowing others across teams and services; school/college outreach; conducting mock interviews; attending careers fairs; attending and hosting insights sessions and volunteering

We know time away from work is important. All of our roles come with:

• 25 days annual leaves increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service
• the chance to purchase 10 days extra annual leave a year
• enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• paid foster care and carers leave
• time off for public duties, including for school governors and military reserves
• the opportunity to apply for sabbaticals
• up to three days paid volunteering a year
• the opportunity to get involved in plenty of fundraising events

About the role

Key activities will be:

• Evaluating emerging technologies and their possible benefit to the organisation including building business cases with tangible ROI for the introduction of new technology products, solutions and services.
• To own and drive best practice and standards in the applications space with specific focus on cost effective application delivery, high-availability and DR solutions, and application-level security.
• Own the documentation of our applications portfolio, mapping capabilities to applications and supporting the consolidation of applications, ensuring we leverage all existing capabilities.
• To work as part of the Virtual Enterprise Architecture Team, helping to design, build and maintain our wider enterprise architecture.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

You will have experience within a similar enterprise architecture environment and be aware of the challenges of delivering cost-effective, stable and secure application services.. You will have some knowledge of emerging AI products and capabilities and be familiar with current cloud technologies. You will also have some networking/infrastructure knowledge to augment your applications skills. Your technical skills will be complimented by commercial awareness.

You will be an enthusiastic and collaborative individual able to articulate technical concepts and capabilities in a compelling manner using everyday business language.

Other information

For further information on this role please see the attached job summary.

Closing date: Midnight on Thursday 15th January

Interview date: Thursday 22nd January

Interview-type / process: In person

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Prod Sarigianis [email protected]

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/