Senior Solution Architect at Department for Work & Pensions, Manchester/Remote, 6 Months, £Contract Rate

About the role:

The Solution Architect will join the Provision Portfolio team, part of the broader Working Age Services group responsible for Labour Market initiatives. Working Age Services oversees the Provision and Payment Service (PRaP), which supports the referral, processing, management, and payment of suppliers delivering National Contracted Provision, programmes designed to help individuals into employment.

PRaP is built on aging legacy technology (Oracle E-Business Suite), which is increasingly difficult and costly to maintain and adapt. This limits our ability and that of the wider Department to implement meaningful changes in how we procure, refer and manage outcomes for new provisions and reduces our agility when responding to the Governments Get Britain Working mission.

Our ambition is to replace the essential capabilities currently provided by PRaP, enabling the modernisation of how we deliver and track provision outcomes. This includes decommissioning PRaP while continuing to deliver new services aligned with ministerial priorities, maintaining system security and operability, and integrating with major change programmes across the Department and Government (e.g., Real-Time Earnings Modernisation and the Cross-Government Synergy Programme).

To achieve this, we must:

• Assess PRaP's current capabilities.
• Identify which capabilities are essential for future delivery.
• Explore alternative solutions and ownership models.
• Present viable options for transition.

As a Senior Solution Architect your main responsibilities will be to:

• Develop technical strategies, roadmaps and solution designs for complex systems.
• Map legacy ERP capabilities and propose secure, scalable alternatives.
• Act as a bridge between technical teams, project managers and stakeholders.
• Ensure solutions meet quality and security standards ( "Secure by Design ").
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other architects.
• Advise senior management on technology direction and future needs.

Essential:

• Proven experience leading ERP transformation or migration projects (Oracle or similar).
• Strong understanding of Oracle Financials or equivalent finance/commercial processes.
• Enterprise-level solution architecture skills, including capability mapping and transition planning.
• Ability to produce roadmaps and articulate trade-offs to senior stakeholders.
• Experience in transforming services and business processes alongside technology change.
• Public sector experience (desirable).

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.