Principal Security Architect

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At ByDesign Secure, we believe security should be the foundation of every system, not an afterthought.

We are an independent consultancy delivering security architecture, assurance, and technical leadership across some of the UK's most complex and sensitive government programmes.

We are currently supporting major cross‑government technology transformation initiatives, including the design and delivery of secure cloud platforms, sovereign infrastructure, and nationally significant services operating within highly regulated and classified environments.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Principal Security Architect to influence security strategy at the highest levels, shape the architecture of critical national systems, and provide trusted technical leadership across multiple programmes.

As a Principal Security Architect, you will operate as a senior security authority across ByDesign Secure and our client programmes.

You will provide strategic leadership, define enterprise‑level security direction, and act as the escalation point for complex architectural, assurance, and risk decisions.

Working closely with programme leadership, senior stakeholders, accrediting authorities, and client security teams, you will help shape security strategy, establish architectural standards, and ensure consistency of security outcomes across multiple projects and delivery teams.

This role requires someone who can operate comfortably at the intersection of technology, risk, governance, and executive decision‑making.

• Define and maintain enterprise security principles, standards, patterns, and reference architectures.
• Shape long‑term security strategy across multiple programmes and business domains.
• Ensure architectural decisions align with organisational objectives, risk appetite, and regulatory obligations.
• Establish secure‑by‑design approaches for cloud, hybrid, air‑gapped, and classified environments.
• Provide strategic direction for emerging technologies and evolving threat landscapes.

• Act as the senior security authority for complex and high‑risk programmes.
• Lead architectural assurance activities across multiple work streams.
• Review and approve security architectures, design decisions, and risk treatment approaches.
• Provide expert guidance on threat modelling, architectural risk assessment, and security controls.
• Ensure consistency and quality of security artefacts across programmes.

• Advise senior leaders on security strategy, risk, and governance matters.
• Translate complex technical and cyber‑security risks into clear business decisions.
• Engage with CISOs, Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Accrediting Authorities, and senior government stakeholders.
• Support accreditation and assurance activities within secure and regulated environments.
• Drive pragmatic, risk‑based decision making where policy, operational requirements, and delivery pressures may conflict.

• Provide leadership and mentoring to Security Architects and wider technical teams.
• Establish architectural standards and best practice across programmes.
• Support capability growth within ByDesign Secure's architecture community.
• Promote a culture of security excellence, continuous improvement, and professional development.

• Represent ByDesign Secure as a trusted security authority with clients and partners.
• Contribute to security communities, professional bodies, and industry forums.
• Maintain awareness of emerging threats, technologies, standards, and regulatory developments.

• Extensive experience operating as a Security Architect within complex enterprise or government environments.
• Demonstrable experience providing technical leadership across multiple programmes simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of security architecture across cloud, infrastructure, networks, identity, applications, and data.
• Experience working within highly regulated, classified, or security‑sensitive environments.
• Strong…