Senior Security Architect in Leeds

Pay up to £83,917. Benefits include 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours and a strong work‑life balance. At DWP we build secure, reliable and user‑centred digital services that millions of people rely on daily. Our teams develop strategic platforms that enable safe, secure and seamless communication between citizens and the services they rely on.

We’re 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 available: one on 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 multi‑national 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, GitLab).
• A CISSP certification or a Master’s in Information Security is desirable but not essential.

Your role: In this role you’ll shape the security foundations that enable millions of people to authenticate securely 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 play a key role in improving how security is understood and applied across teams – driving secure‑by‑default thinking, refining patterns and helping colleagues make confident, informed decisions that lead to more robust and reliable services.

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

We work a hybrid model – some time at home, some time collaborating face‑to‑face in a hub.

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

Standard civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, up to £16,786 per year.

Generous leave package starting at 26 days, rising to 31 days over time. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi‑time. All public holidays are included.

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex‑friendly policies.
• Time off for volunteering and charitable giving.
• Support for bringing your authentic self to work with the '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.
• Sports and social activities.
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

Recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards. Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024. Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025. Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards.

Apply: complete your application on Civil Service Jobs – full instructions will be provided when you click through. Interview: two‑stage online interview.