As the Home Office’s Principal Security Architect, you will set the Networks and Infrastructure enterprise‑wide vision and standards that keep the nation’s critical services resilient.
Reporting to senior digital leadership and leading the security architecture for Networks and Infrastructure, you will define long‑term roadmaps, patterns and guardrails that enable delivery teams to embed “Secure by Design” across, on premise infrastructure, networks, cloud and emerging platforms.
You’ll approve or veto high risk designs, convert threat intelligence into actionable controls, and mentor other architects to grow capability. Your remit spans Networks and Infrastructure, zero trust networking, SIEM detections and continual post incident learning loops.
Working with CTOs, policy owners, NCSC and cross government forums, you will balance agility with proportionate risk ensuring citizens’ data and essential operations remain protected today and into the future.
What you will do
* Define & own enterprise security architecture vision, principles and multiyear roadmaps for Networks and Infrastructure.
* Approve or veto architectures for high‑risk systems; act as final escalation point on security design/Secure by Design.
* Create & maintain reusable security patterns covering identity, encryption, network segmentation, CI/CD hardening, SIEM onboarding and incident response playbooks.
* Lead research & innovation, pilot emerging tech (AI security, Post Quantum Cryptography, OT/IoT) and integrate findings into standards.
* Chair governance boards, embedding quantitative risk metrics and continuous assurance telemetry.
* Mentor & develop Security Architects; manage recruitment and succession planning.
* Influence cross‑government standards and policy, share best practice with CNI peers.
* Oversee vendor & SaaS assurance, ensuring contracts include right to audit, secure coding evidence and ongoing penetration testing.
What you will bring (Essential Skills)
* Enterprise secure design: consistent track record setting architecture strategy and approving national‑scale, safety‑critical systems.
* Expert risk facilitation including some of the following: mastery of ISO 27001, ISO 27005, ISO 31000, NIST CSF or FAIR; able to articulate and balance strategic risk for Senior Civil Servant decision‑makers.
* Technical breadth & depth in some of the following: Networks and Infrastructure cloud landing zones, zero‑trust, IAM, crypto, SIEM/Security orchestration, automation and Response (SOAR), OT/IoT, assurance.
* Research & innovation leadership: piloting emerging tech and converting outcomes into authoritative patterns.
* Influential communication at Senior Civil Servant level, negotiated trade‑offs with policy, legal, engineering and supplier stakeholders.
* Mentoring & governance: line‑managed senior architects, chaired architecture/design‑authority boards, embedded continuous‑compliance metrics.
* Crest Registered Certified Technical Security Architect (CRTSA) and to have one or more of the following: Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
Please note - 3+ years UK residency is typically required to be eligible for SC Clearance and unfortunately we cannot offer sponsorship.
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