Security Solution Architect – Data protection & Azure Cloud Security
Sector: Financial Services
Location: London (Hybrid, 2 days per week onsite)
Duration: 12 months (extensions confirmed)
Rate: Market rate DOE (Likely INSIDE IR35)
I am specifically looking for candidates with experience in the Financial Services sector (Banking preferred), also you must have strong Azure Security Architecture experience and experience within the area of Data Protection / Data Security. If you do not, your application will not be considered.
The Security Solution Architect plays a pivotal role in designing and implementing enterprise-wide security architecture. This position bridges technical and business teams, translating security requirements into actionable designs. The architect ensures that solutions are scalable, compliant, and aligned with our strategic goals
Your responsibilities
- Design and implement security solutions aligned with enterprise architecture frameworks.
- Provide technical security guidance to IT and business teams.
- Collaborate with cross divisional engineering teams to develop high-level security designs for new applications and platforms.
- Define architecture principles, tools, and standards for the assigned security domain mainly on Cloud Security or Data protection domains.
- Translate business requirements and risk assessments into security architecture requirements.
- Facilitate consistent application of security best practices across projects.
- Participate in high-level IT and operational process design discussions.
- Act as a subject matter expert and go-to person for the assigned security domain.
- Detect unaddressed security needs and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Support secure technology adoption and innovation.
Your profile
Mandatory:
- Senior cybersecurity architecture experience: proven experience as a security / solution / enterprise architect delivering end-to-end security architecture in large, complex, regulated environments, including architecture governance, design validation, standards, patterns, and stakeholder engagement with business, IT, risk, compliance, and engineering teams.
- Strong data protection and data security architecture experience covering data classification, discovery, inventory, labelling, data governance, retention/disposal, data lifecycle controls, structured and unstructured data, and CIA/risk-based control selection.
- Strong cloud security (Azure, AWS, SAAS) experience, application security, infrastructure protection.
- Familiarity with regulatory frameworks (e.g., GDPR, Swift CSP, DORA, PCI-DSS, SOX).
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Nice to Have:
- Preferred / desirable certifications: One or more recognized certifications in cybersecurity architecture, cloud security, enterprise architecture, or IT risk management .
- Experience with Agile methodologies and architecture alignment across release trains.
Assets:
- Experience in financial services or critical infrastructure environments.
- Ability to mentor and build security awareness across teams.
