Technical Director: Platform & Cyber Security – Government Digital Service (GDS)

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is at the forefront of the UK’s digital transformation. We are seeking a visionary technical leader to safeguard and scale the nation’s digital spine. This role is responsible for the resilience and security of infrastructure relied upon by millions of citizens every week, including GOV.UK, One Login, and the GOV.UK App. Leading a multidisciplinary workforce of approximately 100 experts, you will ensure that the UK’s citizen-facing services are not only innovative but also fortress-secure and impeccably resilient.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director General of Digital Products, you will be the primary architect of the government’s shared platform strategy. You will bridge the gap between cutting-edge engineering and robust cyber security, embedding “security by design” into every layer of our stack. This is a mission-critical leadership position where you will oversee 24/7 live operations, drive the adoption of zero-trust architectures, and ensure that our infrastructure can withstand extreme load or sophisticated cyber attacks. You will act as a trusted peer to senior stakeholders across Whitehall, influencing the technical roadmap for the UK’s most vital digital assets.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Engineering: Own the architecture and CI/CD pipelines for shared components (APIs, cloud infra, developer tools) that power high-quality digital services.
Cyber Strategy: Define and implement security strategies embedding Zero Trust principles and advanced threat detection in alignment with NCSC guidance.
Critical Resilience: Oversee live service operations, including real-time monitoring and incident response protocols for nation-scale systems.
Technical Governance: Set and enforce engineering standards for scalability and interoperability, ensuring all infrastructure remains cost-effective and performant.
Team Leadership: Manage a 100-strong team of engineers, architects, and cyber specialists, fostering a culture of accountability and technical excellence.
Strategic Partnerships: Represent GDS in cross-government forums, collaborating with industry partners and regulators to drive national digital goals.

Person Specification (What You Will Bring)

National-Scale Leadership: Proven experience in designing, delivering, and scaling complex digital platforms at an enterprise or national level.
Technical Mastery: Deep expertise in cloud-native architecture, platform engineering, and modern cyber security (Identity Management, Encryption, Threat Detection).
Live Operations: A background in operating 24/7 mission-critical services with stringent SLAs and high-security requirements.
Resilience Expertise: A track record in incident management, disaster recovery planning, and building fault-tolerant systems.
Governance & Standards: Experience enforcing technical standards across diverse teams and complex supplier ecosystems.
Influencing Skills: Ability to navigate and collaborate within complex stakeholder landscapes, such as government, banking, or regulated industries.

Why Join GDS?

National Impact: Your work protects the systems that underpin modern life in the UK.
Leading Edge Tech: Work with containerisation, microservices, and automated observability at a scale few other organizations can offer.
Inclusive Leadership: Lead a diverse, multidisciplinary team where innovation and continuous improvement are part of the DNA.
Strategic Growth: Play a pivotal role in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) during a period of significant digital evolution.

To apply for this job please visit restless.co.uk.