Lead Platform Security Architect (Network Security)

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 173,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in Chicago, IL, is seeking a senior security architect to design and implement enterprise security solutions for cloud and on‑prem environments.

You will drive Zero Trust, AWS and Palo Alto architectures, lead security programs, and translate risk into secure-by-design decisions in collaboration with executives and IT teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in Security/Enterprise Architecture roles.
• Experience leading enterprise security architecture initiatives across cloud, storage, and infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design, deliver, and integrate security monitors, defenses, and foundational capabilities.
• Partner with executives and IT stakeholders to translate vision into secure-by-design requirements.
• Design, develop, and implement security policies, architectures, and specs leveraging best practices.
• Serve as the security architecture voice for strategic initiatives and adoption programs.
• Architect secure, agile, secure-by-design solutions across product and program lifecycles.

Skills

Security architecture

AWS security

Palo Alto

Zero Trust

Threat modeling

Executive communication

Network security

Leadership

Industry knowledge

IT environment

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Description Summary

Responsible for designing and implementing security solutions to protect an organization's systems and data. Assess security risks, develop security strategies, and ensure that security measures are integrated into all aspects of the organization's IT infrastructure. Additionally, provide guidance and leadership to security teams, conduct security audits, and stay up to date on the latest security threats and technologies.

Job Description Summary

Responsible for designing and implementing security solutions to protect an organization's systems and data. Assess security risks, develop security strategies, and ensure that security measures are integrated into all aspects of the organization's IT infrastructure. Additionally, provide guidance and leadership to security teams, conduct security audits, and stay up to date on the latest security threats and technologies. In this specific role, the ideal candidate will have deep AWS and Palo Alto expertise who can establish secure-by-design network architectures, drive cloud security modernization, implement Zero Trust principles, and provide strategic leadership for enterprise-wide network security programs.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Security Design and Integration: Lead the design, delivery, and integration of security monitors, defenses, and foundational capabilities to ensure robust and reliable security for both information systems and cloud platforms.
• Collaboration and Vision Translation: Partner with executive teams, IT, security, and other stakeholders to understand and translate the broader vision into secure by design technological and process requirements.
• Policy and Architecture Development: Design, develop, and implement security policies, architectures, and technical specifications, leveraging industry best practices to support technology applications and recommend future investments.
• Strategic Initiatives and Adoption: Serve as the voice of security architecture for strategic initiatives and adoption programs, ensuring secure and reliable product adoption.
• Agile Security Delivery: Work collaboratively to architect and deliver agile, secure by design solutions throughout the product aInd program lifecycle.

The Posting Range For This Position Is

173,400.00 - 251,400.00

Required Education, Certifications And Experience

Education

• Required Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Experience

• Required 10+ Years relevant technical and business experience working in roles, such as: Security Architect, Enterprise Architect, Solution Architecture
• Experience leading enterprise security architecture initiatives across cloud, storage, VDI and other infrastructure domains

Knowledge Skills And Abilities

• Interpersonal Relationships - Knowledge of the techniques and the ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.
• Problem Solving - Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.
• Leadership - Ability to work with a group to set its objectives and agenda, generate allegiance to those objectives, and guide and motivate their achievement.
• Industry Knowledge - Knowledge of the organization's industry group, trends, directions, major issues, regulatory considerations, and trendsetters; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.
• IT Environment - Knowledge of organization's total Information Technology (IT) environment with minimum knowledge of MS office and other software’s used by the organization.
• Effective communication skills - (written and verbal) to properly articulate complicated cloud reports to management and other IT development partners.
• Demonstrates AI literacy and an understanding of generative AI tools, including appropriate business applications and limitations.
• Knowledgeable in enterprise networking, AWS security architecture, Palo Alto security platforms, Zero Trust design, micro-segmentation, identity-based security, security monitoring, cloud networking, and cybersecurity frameworks.
• Skilled in network security architecture, AWS cloud security design, Palo Alto engineering and architecture, firewall policy governance, threat modeling, security strategy development, architecture governance, and executive-level communication.
• Ability to define enterprise network security strategy, lead large-scale security transformation initiatives, architect secure hybrid-cloud environments, implement Zero Trust networking, reduce enterprise attack surface, and influence technology decisions across business and IT organizations.

The posted salary range is the lowest to highest salary we, in good faith, believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the hiring range and this hiring range may also be modified in the future. A candidate’s position within the hiring range may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, relevant experience, skills, seniority, performance, shift, travel requirements, and business or organizational needs. This job is also eligible for annual bonus incentive pay.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, 11 holidays, medical/dental/vision insurance, generous 401(k) matching, lifestyle spending account and many other benefits to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.