Technical Architect - Working for Essex

About the role

Technical Architect

Permanent, Full Time

£63,001 to £74,118 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Interviews will be held W/C 20th and 27th October 2025.

*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our Chelmsford office, typically around 2 to 3 days per month dependent on business need.

Join a Council Shaping the Future of Public Services

Essex County Council (ECC) is on a bold journey to become one of the most effective, forward-thinking, and financially sustainable councils in the UK by 2030. At the heart of this transformation is a bold commitment to digital innovation and world-class customer service.

In this expert-level role, you’ll lead the design of complex technical solutions that underpin ECC’s digital transformation. As Technical Architect, you’ll translate strategic objectives into robust, scalable architectures ensuring alignment with ECC’s principles of simplification, standardisation, and reuse. You’ll work across teams and stakeholders to shape the future of ECC’s technology landscape, guiding high-impact decisions and enabling innovation through well-governed, forward-thinking design.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the structured analysis of technical challenges, translating them into optimal designs that align with ECC’s architectural principles and reference models.
Provide expert guidance across all areas of ECC’s technology estate, including applications, infrastructure, data, integration, and communications ensuring alignment with strategy and standards.
Communicate complex architectural concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders, mediating discussions and gaining support for high-impact initiatives.
Collaborate on high-risk, high-complexity technical designs, refining standards and ensuring solutions meet organisational goals.
Research existing technology structures and advise on renewal, retirement, or redesign of services and components.
Define and connect strategic visions across ECC and partner organisations, creating roadmaps and advocating for resources to enable delivery.
Review vendor proposals to ensure technical fitness and value for money.
Stay abreast of emerging technologies, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement across ECC’s digital services.
Lead architectural governance and assurance, making strategic design decisions and managing architectural risk across the organisation.

The Experience You Will Bring:

Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject, with extensive experience in senior technical architecture roles.
Deep understanding of architectural frameworks and methodologies, including TOGAF 9.2, ArchiMate, BPMN, COBIT, and IT4IT.
Proven experience designing technical solutions that meet complex business needs and enable standardisation and reuse.
Skilled in architecture communication techniques, with the ability to influence and inspire stakeholders at all levels.
Strong knowledge of ICT standards including ITIL V4, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 38500, ISO/IEC 22301, ISO/IEC 20000, PRINCE2, and MSP.
Experience using enterprise modelling tools such as EA Sparx and Orbus iServer.
Demonstrated interest in emerging technologies and their application in public sector digital services.
Committed to continuous professional development and staying current with evolving delivery models and technical trends.

Why Join ECC?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost.

Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working, excellent development opportunities, and the chance to work with a supportive team that’s passionate about what they do, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Ready to help shape the future of public services in Essex? Apply now and become a key player in ECC’s digital transformation journey.

What else do you need to know?

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email Abbie.Mollison@essex.gov.uk