IDAM Architect - DV Cleared

Sanderson Government and Defence; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

DV clearance

Job summary

Sanderson Government and Defence in Farnborough seeks an experienced IDAM Architect to design enterprise-grade identity and access management architectures for defence operations. You will architect secure authentication, MFA, RBAC/ABAC, and PAM across hybrid/cloud environments, while guiding governance and entitlement management strategies.

Leading IDAM technology evaluations, vendor selections, and ensuring compliance with MOD Classification Guides, Defence Security Policy, and ITAR will be

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years in IAM with 5 years in an architecture role.
• Proven design experience for enterprise-scale IDAM solutions.
• Strong background in defence, aerospace, or government IDAM programmes.

Responsibilities

• Design enterprise-scale IAM architectures for defence operations.
• Architect secure authentication, MFA, and authorisation frameworks.
• Lead RBAC, ABAC, and PAM solutions.
• Develop IDAM governance, access lifecycle, and entitlement strategies.
• Lead IDAM technology evaluations and vendor selections.
• Ensure IDAM architectures comply with MOD Classification Guides, Defence Security Policy, and ITAR.

Skills

Identity and access management

Architecture leadership

Defence or government domain

Azure AD

Okta

Ping

ForgeRock

LDAP/Active Directory

OAuth/SAML/OpenID Connect

PAM/RBAC/ABAC

Identity governance & entitlement mgm

API security & microservices identity

MOD security requirements & ITAR

Cryptography & security protocols

Tools

Azure

Active Directory

OpenID Connect

SAML

Job description

Salary: £85,000 - 85,000 per year

Requirements

• We need at least 12 years of identity and access management experience, including 5 years in an architecture role.
• We need proven experience designing enterprise-scale IDAM solutions.
• We need a strong background in defence, aerospace, or government IDAM programmes.
• We need demonstrated expertise with modern identity platforms such as Azure AD, Okta, Ping, and ForgeRock.
• We need a track record of leading IDAM modernisation and technology transformation programmes.
• We need deep expertise in IDAM architecture patterns, methodologies, and best practices.
• We need expert-level knowledge of identity technologies including LDAP, Active Directory, OAuth, SAML, and OpenID Connect.
• We need a strong understanding of Azure AD, Office 365 identity, hybrid identity, and cloud-native identity solutions.
• We need proficiency in privilege access management (PAM), role-based access control (RBAC), and attribute-based access control (ABAC).
• We need knowledge of identity governance, access certification, and entitlement management.
• We need expertise in API security, service-to-service authentication, and microservices identity.
• We need familiarity with MOD security requirements, Classification Guides, and defence compliance.
• We need understanding of cryptography, encryption, and security protocols.
• We need exceptional strategic thinking with strong technical depth.
• We need outstanding communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• We need strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities.
• We need proven ability to lead technical teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• We need a commitment to security and compliance excellence.
• We would value experience with defence or aerospace IDAM programmes.
• We would value CISSP, CISM, or equivalent security certifications.
• We would value Azure AD or Okta advanced certifications.
• We would value experience with identity-driven security and zero-trust architecture.
• We would value knowledge of ITAR compliance and export controls.

Responsibilities

• We design enterprise-scale identity and access management architectures supporting defence operations.
• We architect secure authentication, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and authorisation frameworks.
• We design role-based access control (RBAC), attribute-based access control (ABAC), and privilege access management (PAM) solutions.
• We develop identity governance, access lifecycle management, and entitlement management strategies.
• We lead IDAM technology evaluation and vendor selection processes.
• We ensure our IDAM architectures comply with MOD Classification Guides, Defence Security Policy, and ITAR regulations.
• We design identity solutions supporting defence contractor personnel vetting (PRF) requirements.
• We architect data protection and encryption strategies aligned with defence security standards.
• We lead security risk assessments for IDAM systems and vulnerabilities.
• We design audit and logging capabilities supporting MOD compliance and forensic requirements.
• We lead design and implementation of modern IDAM platforms such as AD, Azure AD, Okta, Ping, and ForgeRock.
• We design cloud-ready and hybrid identity solutions supporting multi-cloud environments.
• We guide API-driven identity architecture and microservices-based identity solutions.
• We lead IDAM system migrations and technology modernisation programmes.
• We lead IDAM technical teams and provide architectural mentoring.
• We establish IDAM design standards, architecture patterns, and operational governance.
• We drive technical decision-making through IDAM design reviews.
• We document IDAM architecture decisions and design specifications.
• We design IDAM integration with enterprise applications, systems, and cloud platforms.
• We architect identity federation, single sign-on (SSO), and cross-domain authentication.
• We support IDAM operational readiness, performance monitoring, and incident response.
• We establish IDAM lifecycle management and continuous improvement processes.
• We serve as technical authority for IDAM architecture discussions with customer leadership.
• We present identity and access management recommendations to defence programme teams.
• We lead IDAM design workshops and customer validation activities.

Technologies

• API
• Active Directory
• Architect
• Azure
• Cloud
• Cryptography
• Support
• LDAP
• OAuth
• Office 365
• OpenID
• RBAC
• SAML
• Security
• microservices

More

We are recruiting for a permanent, full-time IDAM Architect role based in Farnborough, Hampshire, UK. This is a security-cleared position requiring Developed Vetting (DV). The salary is £70,000 to £85,000. We are committed to respect, equality, and inclusion, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. We also support reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to help ensure an accessible experience for all candidates.

last updated 33 week of 2026