Security Architect

Sanderson Government & Defence; Greater London; On-site; GBP 96,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanderson Government & Defence seeks a skilled Security Architect to help secure a major programme. You will provide architecture expertise, assess risks, and advise on controls to align security with business goals throughout the project lifecycle.

You will work closely with technical teams, risk owners, and governance bodies to translate complex security concepts into clear guidance and ensure secure designs across infrastructure, cloud, and applications.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Security Architect in complex enterprise environments.
• Strong knowledge of security architecture frameworks and best practices.
• Experience applying security concepts across infrastructure, cloud, apps, networks, and data.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and presenting security recommendations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working with risk owners and governance teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and review of secure solution architectures across projects and programmes.
• Apply security architecture principles to business and technical challenges with appropriate controls.
• Ensure rigorous security designs deliver proportionate solutions.
• Translate security concepts and risks into actionable advice for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Conduct security risk assessments and recommend risk treatment options.
• Collaborate with risk owners to guide informed decision-making.
• Advise stakeholders on risk impact and tolerance levels.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions and manage challenges from delivery teams.
• Build consensus across groups while balancing business and security needs.
• Review designs and recommend controls aligned with policies and industry best practices.
• Support security assurance and governance activities throughout the project lifecycle.

Skills

Security Architecture

Risk Assessment

Stakeholder Management

Cloud Security

Infrastructure Security

Networking Security

Security Governance

Communication

Governance

Security Frameworks

Job description

Security Architect

Location: London (2 days per week onsite)
Duration: 12 Months
Rate: £600 per day
Clearance Requirement: BPSS (Must be a UK National with a minimum of 5 years' unbroken UK residency)

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Security Architect to join a high-profile programme, providing security architecture expertise to support the delivery of complex technology and business initiatives.

The successful candidate will work closely with technical teams, risk owners, project stakeholders, and senior leadership to ensure security considerations are embedded throughout the design and delivery lifecycle. You will be responsible for assessing security risks, advising on appropriate controls, and ensuring solutions align with business objectives while maintaining an appropriate security posture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and review of secure solution architectures across a range of projects and programmes.
• Apply security architecture principles to real-world business and technical challenges, considering all relevant information and constraints.
• Ensure appropriate levels of rigour are applied to security designs to deliver effective and proportionate solutions.
• Translate complex security concepts, risks, and technical issues into clear, actionable advice for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Conduct security risk assessments and provide recommendations on risk treatment options.
• Work closely with risk owners to provide guidance, challenge assumptions, and support informed decision-making.
• Advise stakeholders on risk impact, risk appetite, and whether identified risks fall within acceptable tolerance levels.
• Facilitate discussions and respond confidently to challenges from stakeholders, delivery teams, and governance bodies.
• Build consensus across multiple stakeholder groups while managing expectations and balancing business and security requirements.
• Review solution designs and recommend security controls that align with organisational policies and industry best practices.
• Support security assurance and governance activities throughout the project lifecycle.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience working as a Security Architect within complex enterprise environments.
• Strong understanding of security architecture frameworks, principles, and best practices.
• Demonstrable experience applying security concepts at a deep technical level across infrastructure, cloud, applications, networks, and data.
• Strong risk management and risk assessment experience.
• Ability to analyse complex business and technical problems and design effective security solutions.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and presenting security recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
• Experience working with risk owners and governance teams to assess, document, and manage security risks.
• Strong understanding of risk methodologies and the ability to apply them proportionately within different business contexts.
• Ability to challenge constructively and drive consensus across diverse stakeholder groups.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within government, regulated, or large-scale enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with security assurance and governance processes.
• Knowledge of industry security frameworks and standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, and Secure by Design principles.
• Experience supporting cloud security architectures and digital transformation programmes.

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.