Lead Security Architect

National Grid; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy organization is looking for a Lead Security Architect to oversee security architecture across its operations. This role involves ensuring security standards, leading a team, and engaging with stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in security architecture, particularly in cloud environments, and strong communication skills. The position is based in Wokingham with hybrid working options, offering a salary between £72,000 and £82,000, alongside additional benefits.

Benefits

Bonus up to 15%

28 days annual leave

Competitive contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Significant experience in security architecture or senior security engineering role.
• Strong communicator with excellent writing skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Run the day-to-day security architecture function.
• Design security across cloud, on-premises, hybrid, and SaaS platforms.
• Work with Security Assurance teams to ensure architecture designs meet requirements.

Skills

Cloud security architecture

Identity and access management

Network security

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Relevant cyber security qualification (CISSP preferred)

Job description

About the Role

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

The Lead Security Architect is responsible for overseeing and facilitating the daily operations and development of the security architecture function. This position ensures that enterprise security architecture standards are applied consistently, using a pragmatic and risk-based approach across solution design, delivery, shared technology platforms, and business initiatives. Additionally, the Lead Security Architect serves as the operational lead and primary escalation point for the security architecture function.

Reporting to the Enterprise Security Architect, the Lead Security Architect helps turn strategic initiatives and direction into secure, practical, and repeatable designs that can be used by both architectural and delivery teams across the organisation.

Why Join the Security Architecture Team at NESO? Help shape the future of the UK’s energy network – securely!

This role can be based from our offices in Wokingham or Warwick and we continue to offer hybrid working arrangements that allow for a blend of office and home working.

Key Accountabilities

• Security Architecture Operations: Run the day-to-day security architecture function. Apply security standards consistently across all areas of the organisation. Turn enterprise security strategy into practical designs and patterns. Review and approve security aspects of technical and solution architectures. Provide security architecture guidance to architectural teams as part of the design, delivery and change.
• Technical Leadership: Design security across cloud, on-premises, hybrid and SaaS platforms. Define reusable security patterns and guardrails. Guide teams across identity, network, application, data and platform security. Assess emerging technologies for security impact.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with wider architectural, engineering, platform and delivery teams. Champion embedding security early in delivery lifecycles. Advise teams on risk and security considerations. Participate in architecture and governance forums.
• Risk, Compliance and Assurance: Work with the Security Assurance teams to ensure architecture designs meet regulatory and industry requirements. Support the identification of risk, assessing impact, and helping teams remain within the organisation's risk appetite. Support threat modelling and security reviews.
• Team and Capability Development: Lead and mentor a team of security architects. Set quality standards and development plans to ensure the team stays current with the changing threat landscape and emerging technologies. Identify and improve processes, documentation and tooling.

About You

We’re forging the path towards a sustainable energy future, and we know we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need visionary minds like yours to join us on this transformative journey. In this case, we’re looking for someone with:

• Significant experience in security architecture or senior security engineering role
• Strong knowledge of cloud security architecture, identity and access management, network security and ideally application security.
• Experience in working in large, complex environments with multiple workstreams – ideally regulated industries.
• Strong communicator with excellent writing skills, capable of articulating complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and a team-oriented mindset.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, with the ability to think critically and strategically about architectural challenges and opportunities.
• Must have a “can do” attitude when working in a fast-paced and high-pressured environment.
• Relevant cyber security qualification(s), for example Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) – CISSP preferred.

What success looks like

• Security architecture is used consistently throughout the organisation, becoming an enabler and an efficiency for supporting delivery.
• Design, delivery and change teams proactively engage security architects at the appropriate stages of development.
• Architectural risks are identified early, clearly understood and articulated and effectively managed and reduced.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NESO, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace for everyone. If you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

About What You\'ll Get

A competitive salary of circa £72,000 – £82,000 – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

You will also have access to a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your well-being and professional success. From a competitive salary to flexible work arrangements, we promote your work-life balance. Enjoy fit for purpose wellbeing and lifestyle offerings, ongoing skill development aligned to our Purpose and Values, and be part of a supportive community that values your individuality and where you can belong.

About Us

The creation of National Energy System Operator (NESO) is driven by an urgent need to unify and optimise our approach to energy. A more integrated and coordinated strategy is needed to meet the unprecedented challenges of climate change, ensuring secure energy supply, and keeping costs manageable for consumers.

Join us and empower your potential, energise our team, and be part of something bigger. Your energy, our future, together.

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system. The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

More Information

This role closes on 12/02/2026 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We\'re committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.