Technical Architect - Data Platform Modernisation
Posted 1 day ago by CBSbutler Holdings Limited trading as CBSbutler
£520 Per day
Inside
Remote
Birmingham, West Midlands
Summary: The Technical Architect - Data Platform Modernisation role is a senior position focused on leading the architectural transformation of a large-scale data platform within the DWP. This hands-on role involves driving technical decisions across various domains, including data architecture and infrastructure, while ensuring uninterrupted service delivery. The position requires expertise in modernising complex brownfield environments and integrating multi-cloud solutions. The role is fully remote with travel expenses covered and requires SC clearance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the re-architecture of an established enterprise data platform (DWX).
- Support new microservice-based upstream integrations and large-scale schema evolution (300+ schemas).
- Design strategies to merge 3-5 years of legacy data with new data models while maintaining consistent user journeys.
- Define modernisation approaches that minimise disruption to live services.
- Design modern ingestion, transformation, and storage patterns.
- Define migration and schema transition strategies that maintain data quality, lineage, and service continuity.
- Architect phased rollout approaches to reduce operational risk.
- Lead the transition from bespoke UC MacBook/VPC setups to standardised DWP environments using Zscaler.
- Define secure connectivity models between AWS-hosted platforms and Azure-based DWP environments.
- Ensure secure cross-cloud data transfer, compliance, and governance.
- Assess existing technology choices and define migration strategies to DWP-aligned standards.
- Produce architecture options, technical roadmaps, and ADRs.
- Drive reduction of technical debt and alignment to DWP Digital Blueprint and Enterprise Architecture standards.
- Act as senior architectural authority across DWX and related platforms.
- Provide architectural assurance, governance, and strategic technical leadership.
Key Skills:
- Proven experience as a Senior / Lead Technical Architect in complex brownfield environments.
- Deep expertise in data platform architecture, including ingestion patterns, schema evolution, and microservice integration.
- Strong AWS + Azure multi-cloud integration experience.
- Background working within government, public sector, or regulated environments.
- Strong infrastructure, security & network architecture experience (Zscaler, VPCs, VPN, identity).
- Experience modernising critical platforms while maintaining live service delivery.
- Strong governance, security assurance and SRE handover experience.
- Excellent stakeholder communication and leadership skills.
- Strong technical documentation skills (Confluence / SharePoint).
- Event-driven and microservice-based data architectures (desirable).
- Kotlin experience and migration pathways to Java / Python (desirable).
- Knowledge of Power BI, CoPilot, or GenAI (desirable).
Salary (Rate): £520/day
City: Birmingham
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: remote
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: IT
Technical Architect - Data Platform Modernisation
+ Fuly remote role (with expensed travel)
+ £500 to £520 per day Inside IR35
+ SC Cleared role
Role Overview
We are seeking a highly experienced Technical Architect to lead the architectural modernisation of a large-scale, mission-critical data platform within DWP. This is a hands-on senior architecture role focused on transforming a complex brownfield data estate while maintaining uninterrupted service delivery. You'll be driving major technical decisions across data architecture, infrastructure, security, and cross-cloud connectivity - shaping the future of a platform that directly supports millions of UK citizens.
Key Responsibilities
- Brownfield Architecture & Platform Modernisation
- Lead the re-architecture of an established enterprise data platform (DWX).
- Support new microservice-based upstream integrations and large-scale schema evolution (300+ schemas).
- Design strategies to merge 3-5 years of legacy data with new data models while maintaining consistent user journeys.
- Define modernisation approaches that minimise disruption to live services.
- Data Platform & Integration Architecture
- Design modern ingestion, transformation, and storage patterns.
- Define migration and schema transition strategies that maintain data quality, lineage, and service continuity.
- Architect phased rollout approaches to reduce operational risk.
- Infrastructure, Security & Network Architecture
- Lead the transition from bespoke UC MacBook/VPC setups to standardised DWP environments using Zscaler.
- Define secure connectivity models between AWS-hosted platforms and Azure-based DWP environments.
- Ensure secure cross-cloud data transfer, compliance, and governance.
- Technology Modernisation & Standards Alignment
- Assess existing technology choices and define migration strategies to DWP-aligned standards.
- Produce architecture options, technical roadmaps, and ADRs.
- Drive reduction of technical debt and alignment to DWP Digital Blueprint and Enterprise Architecture standards.
- Leadership, Governance & Stakeholder Engagement
- Act as senior architectural authority across DWX and related platforms.
- Provide architectural assurance, governance, and strategic technical leadership.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Proven experience as a Senior / Lead Technical Architect in complex brownfield environments.
- Deep expertise in data platform architecture, including ingestion patterns, schema evolution, and microservice integration.
- Strong AWS + Azure multi-cloud integration experience.
- Background working within government, public sector, or regulated environments.
- Strong infrastructure, security & network architecture experience (Zscaler, VPCs, VPN, identity).
- Experience modernising critical platforms while maintaining live service delivery.
- Strong governance, security assurance and SRE handover experience.
- Excellent stakeholder communication and leadership skills.
- Strong technical documentation skills (Confluence / SharePoint).
Desirable
- Event-driven and microservice-based data architectures.
- Kotlin experience and migration pathways to Java / Python.
- Knowledge of Power BI, CoPilot, or GenAI.