The posting
Job Description
Help shape the security foundations of digital public services used across Scotland.
The Impact You'll Make
Join the Scottish Government's Digital Architecture and Design Division and play a leading role in securing nationally important platforms, including payments, digital identity, cloud services and application delivery.
Digital Architecture and Design leads architecture and technology, promoting digital principles to deliver efficient, accessible services aligned with Scotland's Digital Strategy. Through reuse, interoperability, standards and shared platforms, we enable joined-up, secure, resilient and future-proof services, while championing user-centred design and accessible content that makes information easier to find, use and maintain.
To see how these principles translate into user-facing services, please explore Access to public services in Scotland, Scotland's online gateway to public services.
Our teams are building common platforms and reusable components that help public sector organisations deliver services more efficiently, securely and consistently for people across Scotland. The work is complex, high profile and has genuine public impact. You will play a pivotal role in supporting delivery of our Digital Strategy for Scotland and the new Public Service Reform (PSR) Strategy, helping to drive innovation and transformation across Scotland's public sector.
The Role
As Lead Security Architect, you will set the security direction for major digital platforms, influence decisions at senior levels and work with multidisciplinary teams to design secure services at scale. You will combine strategic thinking with hands-on architectural leadership, helping teams manage risk, embed security by design and respond to a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Your expertise will help ensure digital services remain secure, sustainable and aligned with organisational goals while supporting Scotland's wider digital transformation. You will work closely with our Cloud Engineering, Application Development and Component Based Service Delivery Teams.
Our Architecture Practice
Our architecture practice brings together people, technology and strategy to help create a fair, green and digitally inclusive Scotland. We provide the architectural foundations that allow government teams to deliver secure, scalable and sustainable digital services that improve the lives of people across Scotland.
Our vision is to create a trusted architectural foundation that empowers government to deliver better digital outcomes through collaboration, consistency and the adoption of best practice.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to apply your expertise to challenges that matter. In return, we offer the chance to work on meaningful national programmes alongside experienced digital professionals, supported by flexible hybrid working, a 35-hour working week, strong pension provision, a Government Digital and Data (GDD) pay supplement and a healthy work-life balance. See here and below for further details.
Responsibilities
- Lead the security architecture design of nationally significant digital platforms and services, communicating and justifying key design decisions.
- Own and communicate the security architecture vision, principles and strategy, maintaining security standards and baselines across programmes.
- Influence senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams on security architecture decisions across projects, programmes and organisations.
- Decipher complex security requirements, balancing risk, usability and delivery needs to implement proportionate controls.
- Lead quality assurance activities and act as the escalation point for security architecture matters.
- Ensure security solutions are aligned with operational security requirements and support effective responses to cyber threats.
- Support secure-by-design delivery practices, including DevSecOps approaches, security tooling and automation.
- Collaborate across the Digital Directorate to build security capability and support adoption of common platforms.
- Contribute to governance and assurance activity, including Technical Design Authority, Security and Privacy Design Authority and service assessments.
- Provide leadership and, where required, line management support for Security Architects and Analysts.
Responsibilities
Success Profile
Success profiles are specific to each job, and they include the mix of experience, skills and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.
Experience:
- Lead Criteria 1: An ability to understand the complex landscapes of technologies and the required collaboration with 3rd party suppliers, internal and cross-government teams across multiple projects to deliver successful outcomes in line with business and technical requirements.
- Lead Criteria 2: To be successful, you should also be able to balance potentially conflicting requirements and interests, negotiate a consensus and justify your architectural design decisions.
- Managing Human Resource activities, including interviewing, selection / hiring, and conducting performance assessments.
- You should have the experience, skills and personal qualities that allow you to be effective whilst working unsupervised in a dynamic environment with fluid priorities and high levels of uncertainty.
Experience is assessed at sift, along with a more in-depth assessment at interview.
Technical Skills:
This role is aligned to the Lead Technical Architect Job Role within the Architecture Job Family.
You can find out more about the skills required, here: Technical architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework
These skills are assessed by technical assessment, designed to represent the role. Candidates reaching this stage will receive a Technical Assessment Candidate Pack which outlines the specific skills to be assessed, plus the method of assessment.
Behaviours:
- Seeing the Big Picture - (Level 4)
- Making Effective Decisions - (Level 4)
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here.
Behaviours are assessed at interview. Full details will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.
How to Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet each of the 4 Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above.
Candidates will have their applications assessed against all Experience criteria. If a large number of applications are received an initial sift will be conducted on the Lead Criteria highlighted above. Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and GDD Technical assessment where the behaviours, experiences and technical skills outlined in the Success Profile will be assessed.
The sift is scheduled from 1st - 7th December.
Interviews and Technical assessments are scheduled for w/c 14th December, however these may be subject to change.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
Qualifications
About Us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including education, health, the economy, justice, housing, and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact [email protected]
Security Checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
Following appointment further security checks may be required depending on the nature of work undertaken.
Government, Digital and Data Profession
The Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession is a UK-wide group of over 24,000 civil servants dedicated to driving digital transformation in government through more efficient, data-driven public services. This community oversees a wide range of responsibilities, including architects, data scientists, engineers, and content designers, across different, multidisciplinary teams.
The profession, sponsored by the Government Digital Service (GDS), offers the frameworks, skills, and development routes necessary for these individuals to thrive and produce improved outcomes for the public.
Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £4,000.00 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly – pay supplements are reviewed regularly.
Equality Statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further Information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
The Digital Architecture Division - What We Do:
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive enterprise architecture framework for consistent design and delivery of digital solutions.
- Provide governance, compliance, and strategic roadmaps aligned with national digital priorities.
- Build and support reusable platforms and services, including identity management, payments, and API gateways for secure data sharing.
- Invest in capability building through training, knowledge sharing, and a community of practice. Engage with stakeholders across government, local councils, public bodies, and private sector partners to design inclusive, user-centred services.
- Drive continuous improvement through regular maturity assessments, performance dashboards, and sustainability impact evaluations.
- Explore and adopt emerging technologies to future-proof government services.
Apply before: 30th November 2026 (23:59)
