Our client, a leading global organization, is partnering with a prestigious end client based in Reading. Were excited to offer an outstanding opportunity for askilled Financial Services Security Architect to join a dynamic IT team. If you are interested and have the relevant skills and experience, please apply promptly to discuss further. Job Title: Financial Services Security Architect Location: Reading, UK (Hybrid 4 days onsite) Duration: 6 months Rate: £765 - 775 per day Inside IR35 We are seeking an exceptionally experienced Security Architect to join a high-profile programme within the financial services sector. This is a senior-level opportunity for a security leader with extensive experience designing and implementing enterprise-grade security architectures across complex, highly regulated environments. The role will focus heavily on cloud security, AI/ML security, regulatory compliance, and secure-by-design frameworks for critical systems. Why This Role? Shape and deliver the security architecture strategy for enterprise cloud and AI/ML programmes. Work on cutting-edge initiatives in the financial services domain, integrating AI and MLOps with security guardrails. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, influencing both business and technology direction. Key Responsibilities Define and evolve security architecture strategies for cloud, AI/ML, and MLOps environments. Act as a senior security advisor to leadership, engineering, and business stakeholders. Develop security architecture standards, patterns, and guidelines for enterprise solutions, with specific coverage for AI/ML workloads. Conduct security architecture reviews, threat modelling, and risk assessments for AI/ML systems and pipelines. Ensure solutions comply with European financial services regulations (GDPR, PSD2, DORA, NIS2) as well as emerging AI governance frameworks (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF). Integrate security into DevSecOps and MLOps pipelines, including CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code environments. Drive adoption of Zero Trust principles, encryption standards, IAM policies, and network/data/application security controls. Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and IT security teams to embed security throughout AI/ML system design and deployment. Your Profile 15 years in information security, with 78 years as a Security Architect. Proven cloud security expertise (AWS, Azure, GCP), ideally multi-cloud. Strong background in financial services security, including PSD2, GDPR, DORA, and EBA regulatory requirements. Experience designing and securing AI/ML and MLOps environments, including awareness of risks such as adversarial attacks, model poisoning, and data privacy issues. Deep knowledge of: Identity & Access Management (IAM) Network and Application Security Data Protection & Encryption Kubernetes, Containers, and DevSecOps/MLOps practices SIEM, logging, and monitoring Zero Trust architectures Skilled in applying frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, CSA CCM, NIST AI RMF. Hands-on with tools for vulnerability management, secrets management, CSPM, and CWPP. Relevant certifications strongly preferred (CISSP, CCSP, TOGAF, AWS/Azure/GCP security certifications). Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence at all levels. Esther Urtecho Senior Delivery Consultant London | Bristol | Amsterdam