Senior Solutions Architect – Network / SD-WAN

£700 per day (Inside IR35) | Mostly Remote | Policing Environment

A UK policing organisation is seeking a Senior Solutions Architect to provide technical leadership and architectural oversight across a portfolio of complex network and infrastructure programmes.

This is a customer-side role, focused on setting direction, assuring supplier delivery, and supporting internal architects. It is not hands-on; the emphasis is on leadership, governance, and informed decision-making within a secure and highly regulated environment.

Context

You will play a lead role across significant transformation activity, including:

• A large-scale network modernisation programme transitioning from Cisco DMVPN/MPLS to Fortinet SD-WAN

• Engagement with the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP)

• Managed service transition, including supplier onboarding and offboarding

Responsibilities

• Provide architectural leadership across network and on-premises infrastructure

• Assure and challenge supplier designs to ensure alignment with strategy and security standards

• Provide direction and oversight to internal Solutions Architects across multiple workstreams

• Oversee managed service transitions, maintaining service continuity and design integrity

• Act as a senior escalation point for complex technical and delivery issues

• Ensure solutions align to secure-by-design principles and OFFICIAL (SENSITIVE) requirements

Experience Required

• Experience leading WAN modernisation programmes (MPLS to SD-WAN)

• Strong Fortinet SD-WAN expertise

• Experience overseeing supplier transitions within managed service environments

• Cisco LAN expertise, including Catalyst Centre and ISE

• Broad on-prem infrastructure knowledge (IBM servers/storage, VMware, Hyper-V, Avaya Voice, CCaS)

• Experience working within secure or policing environments

• Ability to lead through complexity and provide direction on challenged programmes

• Demonstrable experience assuring third-party delivery

Desirable

• Awareness of Airwave/TETRA and ESMCP

• Exposure to Microsoft Azure

Additional Information

Due to the nature of the environment, candidates will be required to undergo appropriate police vetting. Experience working within similarly secure or regulated settings will be important.

This role would suit a senior architect with a strong infrastructure background who is comfortable operating at programme level within a mission-critical environment.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates, please apply at your earliest convinience. 

- works in team of 3. They are brining IT back in house from Node4 so a lot of interesting project work to get involved with

- need to be able to work autonomously

- have to have project experience, not just support

- exprerience working in the cloud (Azure or AWS) is desirable

- will be a Cisco engineer - look for Cisco certs - CCNA or CCNP

- hybrid working. need to live within an hour. they will be in the office when needed

- example project - working on a switch replacement

- role is 60% support, 40% project

- will be on the on call rota. 1 week in 4. 7pm - 7am on Weekdays, 24/7 on weekends. worth extra £4k for being on standby, then over time rate at 1.5 salary

Screening questions to ask:

1. What is a NSG and why is it used in Azure?

Answer: It is used as an Access Control List (ACL) to define network rules

2. What is the importance of ordering firewall rules?

Answer: You want the ones hit more frequently to be at the top of the list for performance and blocked rules should be at the top with default block rule at the bottom.

3. When looking to upgrade a network device how would you decide what to upgrade to?

Answer: Latest vendor recommended release level.

4. Describe the 5 TUPLE of a packet?

Answer: Source IP, Destination IP, Source Port, Destination Port and Layer 4 protocol.

5. How would you go about securing a WIFI network?

Answer: Encryption with PSK or certificate.

Contract Business Analyst – NPPV3 Cleared
UK Policing | Home-based with occasional travel to the South West
£400 per day | Inside IR35 | Initial 6 months

Data Careers are supporting a UK Police Force in the appointment of an experienced Business Analyst to support a programme of operational and organisational change. The role will focus on up-front analysis and discovery, helping teams understand current processes, assess potential improvements and define requirements for change initiatives.

Working closely with programme leads and operational stakeholders, the Business Analyst will support the early stages of projects through situation analysis, process mapping, change impact assessment and requirements gathering, enabling informed decision-making and effective delivery.

The Role

You will work with stakeholders across operational and corporate functions to understand challenges, define requirements and support the development of viable change initiatives.

Responsibilities will include:

• Conducting situation analysis and discovery work to understand current business processes and operational challenges.
• Leading requirements gathering activities, including workshops and stakeholder interviews.
• Producing clear and structured business analysis artefacts, including process maps, use cases and functional / non-functional requirements.
• Supporting change impact assessments and identifying potential risks or dependencies associated with proposed changes.
• Helping define and articulate solution options aligned to business needs and operational priorities.
• Contributing to business case development, including early identification of benefits and value realisation.
• Acting as the link between programme teams and operational stakeholders to ensure solutions meet agreed requirements.
• Undertaking process analysis and process improvement activity to support efficiency and service performance.
• Supporting user acceptance testing and validation activities where required.

Experience Required

We are looking for an experienced Business Analyst with a strong background in business change, operational analysis and stakeholder engagement, ideally within policing, public safety or other regulated public sector environments.

You should demonstrate experience in:

• Process mapping and process improvement
• Requirements elicitation and documentation across business and technical stakeholders
• Workshop facilitation and stakeholder engagement
• Change impact assessment and analysis
• Translating business needs into structured requirements and solution options
• Working within project or programme delivery environments

Experience supporting policing, criminal justice, government or other public sector organisations would be beneficial.

Knowledge & Qualifications

• Recognised Business Analysis qualification such as BCS / ISEB (or equivalent)
• Understanding of change management within transformation programmes
• Awareness of lean methodologies or service improvement approaches
• Knowledge of data governance or information management practices would be advantageous

Security Requirements

Candidates must hold current NPPV3 clearance to be considered for this role.

Contract Details

• Contract: Initial 6 months
• Rate: £400 per day
• IR35 Status: Inside IR35
• Location: Primarily home-based, with occasional travel to the South West as required

If you are an NPPV3 cleared Business Analyst with experience supporting operational change in policing or the wider public sector, we would welcome a conversation.

Locum Police Lawyer

Midlands | 6 Month Contract | Competitive Day Rate

A Midlands based Police Force are seeking experienced Locum Police Lawyers to support the force’s legal services team on a 6 month assignment.

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of operational policing, advising officers and senior leaders on complex legal matters that directly impact public safety.

The role will involve providing operational legal advice and advocacy, particularly in relation to preventative orders and magistrates’ court proceedings.

The Opportunity

Working within the force’s legal services function, you will provide trusted legal advice to operational policing teams and represent the force in court where required. The role offers exposure to a wide range of policing issues and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to frontline policing activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide operational legal advice to officers and departments across the force
• Conduct advocacy in Magistrates’ Courts and other relevant courts
• Support applications relating to preventative orders
• Advise on legal matters affecting operational policing activity
• Work closely with internal teams to ensure policing decisions are legally robust
• Provide guidance on relevant legislation, policy and procedure

Essential Experience

Applicants should demonstrate experience in the following areas:

• Providing operational legal advice within a policing environment
• Magistrates’ Court advocacy
• Handling matters relating to preventative orders
• Wider police law experience

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting Professional Standards Departments (PSD)
• Previous in-house Police Lawyer experience within a UK police force

Requirements

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive
• Full UK driving licence
• Unrestricted right to work in the UK

Contract Details

• Duration: 6 months
• Rate: Dependent on post-qualification experience and police law expertise
• Location: Hybrid / West Midlands for court attendance and force presence as required.

Interested?

If you have relevant police law experience and would like to discuss the opportunity, please apply at your earliest convenience.

Blue Prism Developer – Government (RPA)

6 Month Contract

Location: Hybrid – Near Oxford / Home working
Salary: £300 per day – Inside IR35

We’re working with a large Central Government organisation that is expanding its RPA capability. This role sits within an established automation team, delivering Blue Prism solutions that improve the efficiency and quality of services provided to the general population.

You’ll work closely with business stakeholders to design, build and deploy robust automations in a governed, enterprise environment.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and deploy end-to-end RPA solutions using Blue Prism
• Engage with stakeholders to understand and automate business processes
• Support testing, release and early-life support of automations
• Contribute to standards, documentation and continuous improvement

Essential experience

• 1+ years’ hands-on Blue Prism development experience
• Delivery of 3+ production automations
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Desirable:

• Experience of digital or service transformation within government or the public sector

Security requirements

Applicants must be eligible for security clearance. You must:

• Have the right to work in the UK (no visa sponsorship)
• Have lived and worked in the UK for the last 5 years

This is a great opportunity to work on meaningful automation in a stable, well-supported public sector environment.

Apply now for a confidential discussion.

EUD Field Engineer (End User Devices)

Location: Field based to sites across Hampshire or Oxfordshire
Rate: £250 per day (Inside IR35)
Contract: 6 months initially, likely extension
Additional: Vehicle and fuel card provided for site visits

The Organisation

Our client is a UK policing organisation, delivering critical ICT services that directly support frontline and operational policing. Reliability, professionalism and security are essential in everything they do.

The Role

This is a field-based End User Devices (EUD) role providing hands-on installation, maintenance and support of ICT and voice devices across a wide geographic area. You will be a visible, customer-facing presence, ensuring officers and staff have the equipment they need to work effectively.

The role requires regular travel to Hampshire or Oxfordshire-based sites, Monday to Friday, and would suit an engineer who is comfortable working independently in live operational environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Install, configure and support end user devices including laptops, mobiles and hardware peripherals
• Diagnose and repair hardware and connectivity issues on site
• Set up and support Windows 10 devices, including user connectivity and authentication
• Work with Azure AD, SCCM and voice communications platforms
• Respond to service tickets and incidents, meeting agreed SLAs
• Liaise confidently with end users and third-party suppliers
• Maintain accurate records of work undertaken

Skills and Experience

• At least 2 years’ experience in a field-based IT support or engineering role
• 4+ years’ experience installing, repairing and supporting IT equipment and network connectivity
• Strong hands-on knowledge of end user device hardware and peripherals
• Practical experience with Windows 10, Azure AD, SCCM and voice comms
• Experience working to SLAs in a service-led environment
• Clear, professional communication skills

Location & Travel

• You must be based in or near Hampshire or Oxfordshire
• Willingness to undertake frequent travel to local sites is essential
• Full, clean UK driving licence required
• Vehicle provided for site visits (hire vehicle available for non-commutable journeys)

Security & Eligibility

• Current NPPV3, SC or DV clearance is highly desirable
• Eligibility for NPPV3 is essential

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a full-time UK resident with the right to work in the UK (no visa sponsorship)
• Have lived and worked in the UK continuously for the past 5 years, without extended periods overseas

Applications Packager – Windows 11 / Intune / Active Directory
Gloucestershire (on-site requirement)
£500 per day
NPPV3 Clearance Required

A Gloucestershire-based public sector organisation is seeking an experienced Applications Packager to support the controlled release, testing and deployment of software across a secure enterprise environment.

This role sits within a highly regulated setting where governance, security compliance and structured release processes are critical. You will take ownership of packaging, validating and deploying applications aligned to defined Active Directory security groups and organisational access controls.

The Role

You will be responsible for:

• Packaging applications for a Windows 11 estate in line with enterprise standards
• Testing software releases to ensure stability, compatibility and compliance
• Deploying applications using Microsoft Intune within a secure, managed environment
• Managing releases based on assigned Active Directory security levels and group structures
• Ensuring appropriate documentation, version control and change governance
• Supporting troubleshooting and remediation of deployment issues

The environment demands a methodical, security-aware approach with a clear understanding of working within structured public sector change and release frameworks.

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience packaging applications within Windows 11 environments
• Strong hands-on expertise with Microsoft Intune for deployment and device/application management
• Deep understanding of Active Directory, including security groups and role-based access
• Experience operating within secure or compliance-driven environments
• Proven ability to manage testing, release and deployment cycles end-to-end

Security Requirement

Active NPPV3 clearance is essential. Candidates without current clearance cannot be considered.

The Opportunity

This is a contract opportunity within a Gloucestershire-based public sector organisation offering a day rate of £500 – £600, dependent on experience.

You will play a key role in ensuring secure, reliable software delivery across a sensitive operational estate where precision and governance matter.

Please apply at your earliest opportunity if you hold active NPPV3 clearance and bring strong Windows 11, Intune and Active Directory packaging expertise.