Principal Security Architect

Bank of America; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 156,500 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual discretionary plan

Industry-leading benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Bank of America is seeking a Principal Security Architect to lead cybersecurity architecture across the Global Information Security organization. This senior role partners with GIS to define scalable security architectures, addresses evolving threats, and aligns with regulatory expectations and business priorities.

The role shapes enterprise security strategy, mentors GIS architects, and guides architectural practices across multiple initiatives while influencing resourcing and budgeting.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in security architecture and related leadership roles.
• Broad expertise across information security technologies, processes, and control frameworks.
• Familiarity with NIST CSF, ISACA, SANS, ISC2 and related standards.

Responsibilities

• Define architectural vision in partnership with business and technology leaders, aligning with GIS policy and standards.
• Collaborate with senior architects and product managers to develop and execute security roadmaps delivering strategic outcomes.
• Advise executives on security risks, gaps, and trade-offs to develop secure solutions through proofs of concept.

Skills

Automation

Influence

Result Orientation

Stakeholder Management

Technical Strategy Development

Application Development

Architecture

Business Acumen

Risk Management

Solution Design

Agile Practices

Analytical Thinking

Collaboration

Data Management

Solution Delivery Process

Job description

Principal Security Architect

At Bank of America, cybersecurity is foundational to protecting the enterprise and our customers. The Principal Security Architect is a senior technical leader within the Cyber Security Technology (CST) organization and a member of the Cyber Security Product Management team. This role partners across Global Information Security (GIS) to define, design, and deliver scalable security architectures and capabilities that address evolving threats, regulatory expectations, and business priorities.

CST is a globally distributed organization responsible for cybersecurity architecture, engineering, innovation, product and technology strategy, cyber resiliency, access management, data strategy, and security control support. The Principal Security Architect plays a critical role in shaping enterprise security architecture, influencing technology strategy, and driving execution across multiple engineering initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Define solution intent and architectural vision in partnership with senior business and technology leaders, ensuring alignment with GIS policy and enterprise standards.
• Collaborate with senior architects and product managers to develop and execute security roadmaps that deliver on strategic outcomes.
• Advise senior executives on security risks, technology gaps, and architectural trade-offs; develop secure solutions through domain expertise, experimentation, and proofs of concept.
• Lead the evolution of enterprise-level security architecture, ensuring designs are secure, resilient, and adaptable to emerging requirements.
• Partner with governance and control owners to resolve policy issues and strengthen standards and best practices.
• Mentor and guide other GIS architects, driving consistency, reuse, and adoption of architectural patterns across the cybersecurity organization.
• Establish and continuously improve architectural practices, templates, and documentation.
• Work with product managers and senior technology leaders to prioritize security backlog items that enable business epics and features.
• Contribute across multiple initiatives simultaneously and adapt quickly between priorities.
• Influence resourcing, budgeting, and funding decisions through architectural input and business case development; may provide people leadership or direction for special initiatives.

How Success Is Achieved

• Promotes collaboration and builds consensus across stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Applies enterprise policy, best practices, and threat analysis to influence secure outcomes.
• Diagnoses root causes and solves complex problems in dynamic, high‑pressure environments.
• Provides informed input into financial planning and investment decisions.
• Demonstrates strong ownership, accountability, and commitment to delivery.
• Maintains a clear enterprise perspective, aligning individual and team efforts to shared goals.
• Drives consistent, sustainable processes that deliver predictable, high‑quality results.
• Delivers agreed business value within defined tolerances for scope, schedule, and cost.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in security architecture, with some people management experience.
• Broad expertise across information security technologies, processes, and control frameworks.
• Strong ability to research, evaluate, and recommend emerging technologies and strategies.
• Demonstrated experience aligning security capabilities with regulatory, legal, and industry frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF).
• Familiarity with common security bodies of knowledge (e.g., NIST, ISACA, SANS, ISC2).
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a complex, globally distributed organization.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and executive influencing skills.
• Experience working in agile and product‑based delivery models, with a track record of successful transformation.
• Experience evaluating vendors and supporting deployment and integration decisions.

Skills

• Automation
• Influence
• Result Orientation
• Stakeholder Management
• Technical Strategy Development
• Application Development
• Architecture
• Business Acumen
• Risk Management
• Solution Design
• Agile Practices
• Analytical Thinking
• Collaboration
• Data Management
• Solution Delivery Process

Shift

1st shift (United States of America)

Hours Per Week

40

Location

US - CO - Denver - 1144 15th St - Denver Gis (CO9926), US - DC - Washington - 1800 K St NW - 1800 K Street NW (DC1842), US - IL - Chicago - 540 W Madison St - Bank Of America Plaza (IL4540)

Pay Range

$156,500.00 - $230,000.00 annualized salary, offers to be determined based on experience, education and skill set.

Incentive

This role is eligible to participate in the annual discretionary plan. Employees are eligible for an annual discretionary award based on their overall individual performance results and behaviors, the performance and contributions of their line of business and/or group; and the overall success of the Company.

Benefits

This role is currently benefits eligible. We provide industry‑leading benefits, access to paid time off, resources and support to our employees so they can make a genuine impact and contribute to the sustainable growth of our business and the communities we serve.