Description

Job Title: Security Architect (FS Industry)
Location: London or Southampton (3 days on-site per week)
Salary/Rate: £489 per day inside IR35
Start Date: Immediately
Job Type: Initial contract until 30/09/2026

Company Introduction
We have an exciting opportunity now available with one of our sector-leading consultancy clients! They are currently looking for a skilled Security Architect who has previously worked within the financial services industry.

Job Responsibilities/Objectives

• Architecture & Design: Develop secure architectures and reference patterns across cloud, infrastructure, applications, and data platforms. Ensure alignment with business goals, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements.
• Solution Delivery: Provide architectural guidance during project lifecycle (HLD/LLD), review designs, and ensure solutions meet security requirements.
• Risk & Threat Management: Conduct threat modelling, assess vulnerabilities, and ensure appropriate mitigating controls are designed and implemented.
• Governance & Standards: Define and maintain security policies, standards, and guardrails. Ensure adherence to architectural principles and regulatory obligations (e.g., GDPR, FCA).
• Collaboration: Partner with engineering, cloud, network, IAM, and operational teams to embed secure-by-design principles and resolve architecture-level issues.
• Security Tooling & Controls: Evaluate and guide the adoption of security technologies including IAM, encryption, network security, detection/response, and cloud-native controls.
• Incident Support: Provide architectural expertise during incidents, investigations, and post-incident reviews.
• Continuous Improvement: Monitor emerging threats, technologies, and patterns to enhance the organisation?s security posture.

Required Skills/Experience
The ideal candidate will have the following:

• 5+ years in security architecture or security engineering roles.
• Strong understanding of security protocols, authentication/authorization models, encryption, identity management, and cloud security patterns.
• Experience producing high-quality architecture documentation (HLD/LLD, patterns, data flows).
• Hands-on understanding of cloud environments (Azure/AWS/GCP), networks, applications, and data protection.
• Familiarity with threat modelling, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent communication skills, able to explain complex security topics to technical and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Skills/Experience
Although not essential, the following skills are desired by the client:

• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, SABSA, AWS/Azure Security, or Cybersecurity Architect Expert.
• Experience in financial services or other regulated industries.
• Knowledge of DevSecOps, API security, and secure software delivery.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply now with your updated CV in Microsoft Word/PDF format.

Disclaimer
Notwithstanding any guidelines given to level of experience sought, we will consider candidates from outside this range if they can demonstrate the necessary competencies.
Square One is acting as both an employment agency and an employment business, and is an equal opportunities recruitment business. Square One embraces diversity and will treat everyone equally. Please see our website for our full diversity statement.