Principal Technologist

Principal Technologist - IT Operations
Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
Contract Length: 6 Months
Contract Type: Temporary / Contract
Locations: London, Manchester or Bristol
Working Pattern: Hybrid

Rate: £800 per day inside IR35

About the Opportunity

As a Principal Technologist - IT Operations, you will work directly with senior leadership to establish and evolve a new IT Operations function that will serve government at a national scale. This is not a traditional architecture or technology leadership role. Instead, it combines strategy, operational excellence, research, technology leadership, and stakeholder engagement to help define how government technology operations will evolve over the next decade.

You will influence nationally significant digital transformation initiatives, support the development of future operating models, and explore how emerging technologies, including AI and automation, can modernise IT Operations across the public sector.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development of a long-term vision and strategy for IT Operations across government.
• Help establish and shape a new IT Operations capability within GDS.
• Define future-state operating models, roadmaps, and strategic objectives.
• Support long-term planning and spending review activities to ensure alignment with government priorities.

Research & Operational Excellence

• Lead research initiatives to assess the maturity of IT Operations across the public sector.
• Analyse current operational practices, capabilities, and technologies.
• Identify opportunities for standardisation, efficiency, and transformation.
• Develop recommendations to improve operational effectiveness across government organisations.

Emerging Technologies & Innovation

• Explore the impact of emerging technologies on future IT Operations models.
• Assess how AI, automation, and agentic technologies may transform operational delivery.
• Create future-state scenarios and transformation roadmaps.
• Support the introduction and adoption of innovative operational technologies.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Work closely with senior leaders and stakeholders across government.
• Influence strategic decision-making through expert technical guidance.
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, accessible language for senior non-technical audiences.
• Build strong relationships across departments, agencies, and external organisations.

Community Leadership

• Develop and maintain a network of peers across government and the wider technology community.
• Promote the work of the team through speaking engagements, forums, and community events.
• Contribute to the growth of operational excellence communities across GDS and government.
• Mentor and upskill colleagues within OCTO and the wider organisation.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Significant experience in the technical professions aligned to IT Operations and/or Software Development specialisms or significant previous experience in this area - preferably in a Government context.
• Experience helping to deliver operations and technology-related change at significant scale to support wider organisational objectives
• Experience to be able to influence and share your learnings and expertise with others across organisational boundaries, with the ability to adapt feedback to ensure change is effective and lasting
• Technical experience which you have used to build credibility with senior stakeholders to influence decisions and drive change
• Experience evaluating proposals and create design approaches characterised by high risk, impact, and complexity
• Experience to be able to translate complex concepts into straightforward language to present to senior stakeholders, both technical and non-technical
• Experience working with technology suppliers

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within UK Government, central government departments, or public sector organisations.
• Knowledge of Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and ways of working.
• Experience developing operating models for large-scale digital organisations.
• Understanding of AI, automation, and emerging operational technologies.
• Experience contributing to spending review, business case, or strategic investment activities.