Senior Security Architect

Pay up to £83,917. Benefits include 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and a generous work-life balance.

At DWP we’re building secure, reliable and user‑centred digital services that millions of people depend on every day. Our teams develop strategic platforms that enable safe, secure and seamless communication between citizens and the services they rely on.

We are looking for a Senior Security Architect to provide specialist security leadership, architectural direction and hands‑on guidance across a range of identity verification projects. Two roles are open – one in the Health & Disability team and one in Identity & Trust.

• Security architecture design and modelling techniques, tools and standards.
• Application and cloud security across complex environments.
• Experience in enterprise‑scale IT, in at least one recent Security Architect role within a large, complex national or multinational organisation.
• Network security – strong understanding of network protocols (e.g. TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF) and experience securing routers, switches, firewalls and load balancers.
• Threat analysis and mitigation using tooling such as SIEM, IDS/IPS and endpoint detection systems.
• Encryption & cryptography expertise (e.g. SSL/TLS, IPsec, Kerberos, VPNs, PKI) including securing data in transit and at rest.
• Strong knowledge of AuthN/AuthZ technologies such as OIDC, OAuth, JWT and SAML.
• Knowledge of cloud‑native technologies (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes, Istio) and CI/CD tooling (e.g. Jenkins, Git Lab).

A CISSP certification or master’s in information security would be nice to have but is not essential. You can work towards these credentials here if you don’t already have them.

In this role you will help shape the security foundations that enable millions of people to safely authenticate their identities and access DWP’s services. Your architectural leadership will influence long‑term solutions, strengthening trust and secure access across public services in the UK. You will also drive secure‑by‑default thinking, refine patterns and help colleagues make confident, informed decisions that result in more robust and reliable services.

Location: You will join us in one of our digital hubs in Blackpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield – whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working: You will spend some time working from home and some time collaborating face‑to‑face in a hub.

Pay: Up to £83,917, comprising a basic salary of £57,946 and a Government Digital and Data Allowance of up to £25,971, subject to assessment of your capability at interview.

Pension: A civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97 % (up to £16,786 per year).

Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days, rising to 31 days over time, plus all usual public holidays. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi‑time.

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex‑friendly policies.
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving.
• Bring your authentic self to work with our “I Can Be Me in DWP” initiative.
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more.
• Interest‑free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, making it easier to get to work.
• Sports and social activities.
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

Benefits you’ll enjoy: We’re proud to have been recognised as the 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year, to have received the 2024 Digital Leaders Award for Inclusive Leadership, and to be a finalist for the 2025 Women in Tech Employer Awards. We also won the 2025 Best Place to Work in Digital category.

• Apply: Submit your application on Civil Service Jobs. Detailed instructions will be provided during the application.
• Interview: Two‑stage online interview.
• Start: If successful, you will receive an offer and begin your new role.

Click APPLY for more information and to start your application.