Lead Security Architect in Security Architecture in Leeds

You will be protecting systems that underpin the economy and modernising how our colleagues securely work every day. As Lead Security Architect, you’ll set the direction for secure-by-design change, shape guardrails (patterns, principles, standards), and steer major programmes so that cyber security, simplicity, and user experience move forward together. You’ll combine hands-on architectural leadership with great stakeholder influence to ensure our platforms and delivery teams build secure, usable, and cost-effective solutions from the start, blending strategy and delivery across systems hosted in our data centres, in the cloud and SaaS.

Flexible Working Options:

• This role is open to flexible working patterns, these may include:
• Job share
• Flexible start and end time to each day
• Ability to adapt calendar as needed
• A 50% in-office attendance requirement can be spread across the month
• Compressed hours (subject to approval and policy within the team)
• Working from abroad policy (subject to approval and policy within the team)

A day in the role:

Your day typically begins with a project team stand-up, where you discuss the current progress and any challenges faced by the team. As the representative for the cyber security division, you play a crucial role in resolving any issues that fall within your remit, ensuring that obstacles are swiftly addressed to keep projects on track. These meetings are usually conducted virtually, enabling effective collaboration between colleagues based in both Leeds and London.

During the afternoon, your focus shifts to the review of a design proposal for a new service. This process involves a thorough assessment of the proposal’s features, carefully comparing them against the established security standards set by your team to verify full compliance. If you identify a concern, you collaborate closely with subject matter experts to evaluate the seriousness of the risks. Together, you devise suitable mitigation strategies, which may include introducing additional authentication steps or updating encryption configurations.

Role Requirements:

• Demonstrates a solid understanding of common infrastructure design patterns.
• Possesses a good grasp of widely used encryption and networking protocols.
• Has experience working in a cyber role that involves stakeholder management.
• Displays proficiency in reviewing and assessing technical documentation.
• Able to articulate vulnerabilities as risks.
• Experienced in writing technical documentation.
• Champion a modern security posture - threat informed and focused on measurable reduction of attack surface.
• Security architecture strategy & guardrails – define and evolve the security patterns, principles, standards, and roadmaps.
• Secure-by-design delivery – partner with solution architects, SMEs and delivery teams.
• Act as senior architectural voice for high impact initiatives.
• Architecture governance – drive effective design reviews and signoffs.
• Cross-Technology influence – collaborate across Technology and business domains.
• Partner with our Assurance team to land the right controls at the right stages.
• Communicate complex security choices simply.
• Breadth and depth in IT/security architecture.
• Stakeholder leadership—comfortable influencing senior leaders.
• Knowledge of well-known Frameworks (e.g., NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, ISO 27001).
• Team leadership experience either as a virtual team or direct line management experience.
• The ability to acquire DV clearance.

Our Approach to Inclusion:

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns.

Salary and Benefits Information:

• Currently a non-contributory, career average pension.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• An 8% benefits allowance.
• 26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process:

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process.

The Application Process:

Important: Please ensure that you complete the ‘work history’ section and answer ALL the application questions fully.

About Us:

We are the UK's central bank - and we are a bank like no other; known by our peers for our world-leading thinking on policy and strategy.