Senior Security Architect

Senior Security Architect (Manager)
A leadership role setting security architecture direction and developing a team of architects and engineers across a rapidly scaling cyber capability — remote-first within Northern Ireland, £90,000–£100,000.
About the Company
Our client is a Northern Ireland technology business delivering systems that operate at national scale — citizen-facing government services, healthcare record platforms and global financial and workforce systems. Their security function is being rebuilt as a specialist-led capability and is on track to grow from around twenty people to roughly fifty. This is a manager-grade seat created by that growth, for someone who wants to shape how security is done across the business rather than execute against someone else's model.
The Role
You will lead the secure design of cloud services in line with the security strategy, set the architectural standards that delivery teams across the business work to, and carry the senior security voice into client conversations. A meaningful part of the role is people: managing, coaching and developing a small team, and owning their performance and progression. It is a leadership position that stays technical — you will still be expected to defend a design in detail, and the credibility of the capability depends on that being true.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the secure design of new cloud services and solutions in line with defined security strategies.
Set architectural direction and standards that delivery teams across the business work to.
Identify security issues in existing designs and recommend mitigations that balance cost, risk and usability.
Manage, coach and develop a small team, owning performance management and career development.
Act as the senior security voice with client stakeholders, translating complexity into decisions they can make.
Embed continuous security, integration and delivery practice across agile delivery teams.
Contribute to solution discussions and shape how security is positioned on new engagements.
Build the capability's technical reputation through knowledge sharing internally and externally.
What You'll Need
Essential:
Expertise leading the secure design of cloud services and solutions on AWS or Azure, evidenced by a cloud certification.
Deep specialism in at least one of AI/ML security, data security, cloud security or M365 security architecture.
Experience in application, software or infrastructure architecture at scale.
Demonstrated people management — managing performance, coaching and developing architects and engineers.
Command of security standards and regulations including NCSC, ISO, NIST, SOC, PCI and GDPR, alongside network, web application and cryptographic controls.
Architecture you have personally designed and owned, and can defend in detail under technical challenge.
Desirable:
Industry experience in defence, central government, healthcare or regulated financial services.
Current UK security clearance, or clear eligibility to obtain it.
Identity and access management experience, including authentication and authorisation patterns.
End-to-end security involvement spanning governance, operational security, supply chain and secure user management.
Experience setting security strategy rather than only executing against one.
Penetration testing or equivalent technical certifications.
Use of AI tooling within your own daily working practice.
Why Apply?
A genuine leadership seat in a capability scaling from twenty people towards fifty.
Remote-first working with minimal mandatory office attendance, from anywhere in Northern Ireland.
£90,000–£100,000, with the band open to discussion for the right person.
Strategy and direction setting rather than delivery alone — you shape how security is done across the business.
A visible internal progression path, in a business where senior leadership has largely been promoted from within.
Around ten percent client-facing work, with no sales targets or individual revenue responsibility.
Problems worth solving: national-scale citizen services, healthcare records and global financial platforms.
Interested?
For a confidential conversation about the role, contact Jordan Madden at

Work arrangement
Yes