Security Architect

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly accomplished Senior Zero Trust Security Architect to lead the strategy, design, and implementation of enterprise-scale Zero Trust security programmes across Microsoft Azure, AWS, hybrid cloud, and on-premises environments.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining the organisation’s Zero Trust architecture vision, influencing executive stakeholders, driving cloud security transformation, and ensuring security-by-design principles are embedded across all business and technology initiatives.

The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to CIOs, CISOs, Enterprise Architects, and Security Leadership teams while leading the design of scalable, resilient, and compliant security architectures aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Security Leadership

• Define and own the enterprise Zero Trust security strategy and roadmap.
• Provide architectural leadership for cloud security transformation programmes across Azure and AWS.
• Act as the lead security authority for major technology initiatives and digital transformation projects.
• Advise executive leadership on cyber security risks, security investments, and architectural decisions.
• Drive adoption of industry-leading security frameworks, standards, and best practices.

Zero Trust Architecture

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise-wide Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) aligned to NIST 800-207.
• Establish security patterns and reference architectures incorporating:
  • Verify Explicitly
  • Least Privilege Access
  • Assume Breach
  • Continuous Validation
  • Adaptive Access Controls
• Develop architectural standards covering users, devices, applications, workloads, networks, and data.
• Conduct architecture governance reviews and security design assurance activities.

Azure & AWS Cloud Security

• Architect secure cloud landing zones, governance frameworks, and enterprise security controls across Azure and AWS.
• Define security architectures for:
  • Cloud-native applications
  • Hybrid cloud environments
  • Container platforms
  • Microservices architectures
  • Data platforms
  • Third-party integrations
• Lead secure cloud migration and modernization initiatives.
• Establish Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and Cloud Workload Protection strategies.

Identity & Access Management

• Design enterprise IAM architectures incorporating:
  • Microsoft Entra ID
  • AWS IAM
  • Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
  • Privileged Access Management (PAM)
  • Single Sign-On (SSO)
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Conditional Access
  • Identity Governance
• Design and implement RBAC and ABAC models across complex enterprise environments.
• Establish Just-In-Time (JIT) and Just Enough Access (JEA) frameworks.

Network Security & Micro-Segmentation

• Lead the design of Zero Trust Network Security architectures.
• Implement security strategies leveraging:
  • ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access)
  • SASE (Secure Access Service Edge)
  • Software Defined Perimeter (SDP)
  • Micro-segmentation
  • Secure Remote Access
• Reduce attack surface and lateral movement risks across enterprise environments.

Security Operations & Threat Protection

• Provide architectural leadership for:
  • Security monitoring
  • Threat detection
  • Incident response
  • Threat hunting
  • Cyber resilience
• Drive integration of:
  • Microsoft Sentinel
  • Microsoft Defender XDR
  • Defender for Cloud
  • AWS Security Hub
  • AWS GuardDuty
  • AWS Inspector
  • CrowdStrike Falcon
  • Splunk
• Guide security operations teams in improving detection and response capabilities.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Establish enterprise cloud security governance frameworks.
• Lead security risk assessments and architecture review boards.
• Oversee compliance initiatives aligned to:
  • ISO 27001
  • NIST CSF
  • NIST 800-53
  • NIST 800-207
  • CIS Controls
  • GDPR
  • Cyber Essentials Plus
• Present security risk and compliance posture to executive leadership and governance committees.

DevSecOps & Security Automation

• Drive security integration across software development lifecycle processes.
• Define secure Infrastructure-as-Code practices using:
  • Terraform
  • Bicep
  • CloudFormation
• Champion automation of security controls, compliance monitoring, and vulnerability management processes.

Required Experience

• 12-15+ years of Information Security and Cyber Security experience.
• 7+ years in Security Architecture leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading enterprise-scale Zero Trust transformation programmes.
• Extensive experience securing Azure and AWS cloud environments.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex security architecture programmes within large enterprises.
• Experience advising senior executives, architecture boards, and security governance forums.
• Strong experience managing security architecture teams and mentoring architects and engineers.

Technical Expertise

Microsoft Azure

• Microsoft Entra ID
• Defender for Cloud
• Microsoft Sentinel
• Azure Firewall
• Azure Policy
• Azure Key Vault
• Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
• Conditional Access
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM)

Amazon Web Services

• AWS IAM
• AWS Organizations
• AWS Security Hub
• AWS GuardDuty
• AWS Inspector
• AWS KMS
• AWS WAF
• AWS Shield
• Amazon EKS
• Amazon VPC

Security Domains

• Zero Trust Architecture
• Cloud Security Architecture
• Identity & Access Management
• Privileged Access Management
• Network Security
• Data Security
• Security Operations
• Threat Modelling
• DevSecOps
• Kubernetes Security
• Risk & Compliance

Security Technologies

• Microsoft Defender Suite
• Microsoft Sentinel
• CrowdStrike Falcon
• Splunk
• Prisma Cloud
• Wiz
• CyberArk
• BeyondTrust
• SailPoint
• Saviynt

Leadership & Business Competencies

• Executive stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Experience presenting security strategy to CIO, CISO and Board-level stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and risk-based decision-making.
• Ability to lead globally distributed teams and large transformation programmes.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and consulting skills.
• Strong mentoring and people leadership capabilities.

Preferred Certifications

• CISSP
• CCSP
• Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert (SC-100)
• Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty
• AWS Solutions Architect – Professional
• CISM
• SABSA Practitioner or Chartered
• TOGAF Practitioner
• Certified Zero Trust Practitioner (CZTP)

Typical Deliverables

• Enterprise Zero Trust Strategy & Roadmap
• Azure & AWS Security Reference Architectures
• Cloud Security Governance Frameworks
• Security Architecture Standards & Patterns
• Identity Security and PAM Strategies
• ZTNA/SASE Solution Designs
• Cyber Resilience Roadmaps
• Executive Security Briefings
• Security Risk Assessments
• Regulatory Compliance and Audit Reports

Ideal Candidate

A senior security leader with deep expertise in Zero Trust, Cloud Security, Identity Security, and Security Architecture, capable of partnering with executive stakeholders and leading enterprise-wide security transformation initiatives across Azure and AWS environments. The individual should possess both strategic leadership capability and strong technical depth to influence architecture decisions at the highest organisational level.

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly accomplished Senior Zero Trust Security Architect to lead the strategy, design, and implementation of enterprise-scale Zero Trust security programmes across Microsoft Azure, AWS, hybrid cloud, and on-premises environments.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining the organisation’s Zero Trust architecture vision, influencing executive stakeholders, driving cloud security transformation, and ensuring security-by-design principles are embedded across all business and technology initiatives.

The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to CIOs, CISOs, Enterprise Architects, and Security Leadership teams while leading the design of scalable, resilient, and compliant security architectures aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Preferred Certifications

• CISSP
• CCSP
• Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert (SC-100)
• Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty
• AWS Solutions Architect – Professional
• CISM
• SABSA Practitioner or Chartered
• TOGAF Practitioner
• Certified Zero Trust Practitioner (CZTP)

Typical Deliverables

• Enterprise Zero Trust Strategy & Roadmap
• Azure & AWS Security Reference Architectures
• Cloud Security Governance Frameworks
• Security Architecture Standards & Patterns
• Identity Security and PAM Strategies
• ZTNA/SASE Solution Designs
• Cyber Resilience Roadmaps
• Executive Security Briefings
• Security Risk Assessments
• Regulatory Compliance and Audit Reports

Ideal Candidate

A senior security leader with deep expertise in Zero Trust, Cloud Security, Identity Security, and Security Architecture, capable of partnering with executive stakeholders and leading enterprise-wide security transformation initiatives across Azure and AWS environments. The individual should possess both strategic leadership capability and strong technical depth to influence architecture decisions at the highest organisational level.