Senior Security Architect
A senior leadership role shaping how security is designed and delivered across some of the UK's most critical platforms and services.
Why This Role
The cyber security function has grown from 6 to 16 people in six months and is heading to 30 to 35 within the year. This is a deliberate, quality-led expansion, not a headcount drive. The CISO is building a specialist-led team and is prepared to wait for the right people.
At this level, you will not just be delivering security. You will be setting the standard for how it is done, influencing the direction of the practice, and helping shape a team that works on some genuinely consequential programmes, from visa and passport processing to hospital medical record platforms and global financial management systems.
The Role
As Senior Security Architect you will take the lead on the secure design of cloud services and solutions, setting direction across agile delivery teams and ensuring that security is embedded from the start, not bolted on at the end. You will bring expertise, not just experience, and you will be expected to challenge, advise, and influence at every level, from engineers to executive stakeholders.
What You Will Be Doing
- Leading the secure design and delivery of cloud services and solutions, setting architectural direction across delivery teams.
- Identifying security issues in existing system designs and recommending mitigations that balance cost, risk, and usability.
- Advising on and applying security standards including NCSC, ISO, NIST, SOC, PCI, and GDPR across complex regulated environments.
- Running threat modelling exercises and architecture reviews with delivery teams and customers.
- Embedding security into CI/CD pipelines and guiding teams on Continuous Security practices.
- Managing, coaching, and developing a small number of architects and engineers.
- Sharing knowledge externally as well as internally, contributing to the wider security community.
- Contributing to pre-sales and solution discussions, representing the practice at a senior level.
What We Are Looking For
We need deep specialists with real sector experience. If you have genuine expertise in one of the following areas and a track record of delivering in complex, regulated environments, we want to hear from you:
- AI/ML and data security
- Cloud security architecture (AWS or Azure)
- Microsoft Security stack (M365, Defender, Sentinel, Entra, Purview)
- DevSecOps security architecture
Essential:
- Expertise in leading the secure design of cloud services and solutions at scale.
- Expertise in identifying security issues in system designs and recommending proportionate, practical mitigations.
- Strong knowledge of security standards including NCSC, ISO, NIST, SOC, PCI, and GDPR.
- Experience in application architecture, software development, or infrastructure architecture.
- Sector experience in Public, Healthcare, Defence, or Commercial environments.
- Experience testing the security of software and infrastructure using appropriate tools.
- Experience with Continuous Security, CI, and CD practices.
- Knowledge of network security (OSI, TCP/IP), web application security (OWASP), and cryptographic controls (PKI, TLS).
- A track record of managing, mentoring, and developing security talent.
- Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences including senior stakeholders.
- Applicants must be eligible for UK Security Check (SC) clearance. This role requires active SC clearance or the ability to obtain it prior to starting.
Desirable:
- Experience with identity management, authentication, and authorisation patterns.
- End-to-end security involvement including governance, risk, compliance, and supply chain security.
- Active involvement in the security community, conference speaking, or published work.
- Penetration testing qualification such as OSCP, CREST, or TIGER.
The Package
- Share options
- Hybrid/remote working from Belfast
- 35 days annual leave including statutory
- Enhanced pension scheme
- Private health cover
Please apply now if you are meeting the above criteria or contact Andrew Harrison directly.