PKI Architect/Head of Architecture

Unsung Limited; Corsham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in IT services is seeking a Head of Architecture to lead technical vision and design integrity for their PKI solutions. This role combines hands-on architecture with leadership responsibilities, requiring expertise in PKI technologies and strong stakeholder engagement skills. The ideal candidate will guide technical governance and ensure alignment with client objectives while fostering innovation within the team.

Qualifications

• Expertise in PKI technologies and standards (X.509, SSL/TLS, S/MIME).
• Experience leading a team and engaging stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of cryptographic algorithms and key management.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical discussions and solution scoping with clients.
• Design end-to-end PKI solutions tailored to client needs.
• Produce architectural documentation and support risk management.

Skills

PKI technologies

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical mindset

Problem-solving

Leadership

Education

CISSP, CISM

CompTIA Security+

TOGAF

Tools

EJBCA

Microsoft AD CS

Entrust Security Manager

HSMs (Thales Luna, EnTrust nCipher)

Fortanix DSM

Job description

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The Head of Architecture will be responsible for leading the technical vision, design integrity, and strategic direction of all architecture-related activities within the organisation. This is a dual role combining hands-on solution architecture for client delivery projects with the leadership and management of the internal architecture function. The successful candidate will operate as the senior-most technical authority, shaping our PKI solution portfolio, guiding technical governance, and ensuring architectural alignment with client and organisational objectives.

This role would suit an experienced PKI Architect who is looking to move into a leadership/managerial role whilst maintaining a connection with technology, overseeing delivery activities.

Responsibilities:

• Lead technical discussions and solution scoping with prospective clients.
• Translate business and technical requirements into detailed, costed proposals.
• Educate stakeholders on PKI fundamentals, compliance, and industry best practices.
• Represent Unsung in pre-sales workshops, guiding clients through solution considerations.
• Design end-to-end PKI solutions tailored to client environments and regulatory needs.
• Oversee implementation of Certificate Authorities (CA), Registration Authorities (RA), and supporting infrastructure.
• Collaborate with internal teams, client stakeholders, and third-party vendors to ensure timely and quality delivery.
• Produce architectural documentation including Solution Architecture Documents (SAD) High-Level Designs (HLD), policies, procedures, and training materials.
• Support risk management within project delivery.

Internal Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Develop reusable design patterns, standards, and solution building blocks.
• Contribute to the evolution of Unsung’s architectural maturity and strategic direction.
• Assess new and emerging technology and its suitability for inclusion in Unsung delivered solutions and services.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and facilitate innovation experiments/de-risking.
• Own and manage the Architecture pipeline and tasking and resourcing of the architecture team.
• Mentor direct reports on technical and soft skills.
• Arrange and execute team meetings, 1-1 sessions and formal review cycles for direct reports.
• Maintain and renew contracts for associates (Contractors)
• Deliver internal knowledge-sharing sessions and architecture-focused training.
• Support hiring and onboarding activities by leveraging your industry network.

Personal Growth & Industry Engagement

• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies in cryptography and PKI.
• Attend and speak at vendor/sales events as a trusted advisor/thought leader.
• Actively engage in personal development and contribute to Unsung’s growth journey.

Technical Skills and Experience

• Expertise in PKI technologies and standards (X.509, SSL/TLS, S/MIME).
• Strong understanding of cryptographic algorithms, key management, and code signing.
• Hands-on experience with tools such as:
• EJBCA, Microsoft AD CS, Entrust Security Manager
• HSMs (Thales Luna, EnTrust nCipher), Fortanix DSM
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure experience (AWS, Azure).
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks: NIST, GDPR, etc.
• Proficiency in technical documentation (MS Word, Visio, PowerPoint, Excel).

Soft Skills and Experience

• Experience of leading a team
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication.
• Analytical mindset and problem-solving capability.
• Detail-oriented and compliance-focused.
• Leadership, decision-making, and influencing skills.
• Comfortable working independently and in cross-functional teams.

Qualifications & Experience

• CISSP, CISM,
• CompTIA Security+, or a recognised Vendor Certification (Thales, Venafi, Keyfactor, AppviewX)
• TOGAF

Security Clearance: SC required, DV preferred.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

• Industries

  IT Services and IT Consulting

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