At a Glance
- Tasks: Design innovative security solutions and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance business security.
- Company: Join the largest employee-owned business in the UK, known for its commitment to quality and service.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and a focus on work-life balance.
- Other info: Embrace diversity and thrive in a culture that values kindness and respect.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while shaping the future of security architecture.
- Qualifications: Experience in modern security architecture and agile delivery, with strong stakeholder engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 100000 £ per year.
Salary - £62,900.00 - £100,000.00
Contract type - Permanent
Working pattern - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the London head office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business.
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) continually invests in its security capabilities, recognizing the trust our customers place in our brand and the information they provide to us. The Partnership is accelerating the use of data and insight to enhance the experience and relevance our Partners and technology systems provide to our customers.
Working as an integrated team member or as an advisor to service and domain teams, this role is responsible for designing security solutions, patterns, and blueprints across our data, platforms, cloud, and network capabilities to support our strategic intent within an ever-changing threat landscape.
Key Responsibilities
- Design End-to-End Security Solutions: Create effective, efficient, repeatable, and sustainable security solutions and patterns across cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and traditional hosting environments to make a tangible difference to business security.
- Embed Best Practice & Reduce Risk: Ensure security architecture best practices are brought to bear during solution design activities undertaken by delivery teams and third parties to reduce delivery cost, operational risk, and technical debt.
- Democratize Secure Delivery: Enable architects and engineers across the enterprise through clear design principles, patterns, blueprints, and guardrails to help scale and democratize secure delivery.
- Provide Commercial & Contractual Counsel: Advise and consult on the commercial and contractual implications of existing or new obligations, specifically reviewing contractual terms of technologies and business services being procured within your domain.
- Drive Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the CISO function, architecture, and engineering teams to ensure security capabilities bring intended value, actively optimizing opportunities through solution evangelism.
- Monitor & Advise on Industry Trends: Stay up-to-date with shifts in technology, retail, and socio-economic trends, influencing internal technology and business decisions to support JLP's long-term strategic aims.
Essential skills/experience you’ll need
- Modern Security Architecture Expertise: Extensive experience taking roadmap intent and combining it with good practice with business context and strong stakeholder engagement to define clear, outcome-focused solutions.
- Agile & Technical Architecture Delivery: An adaptable, engineering-focused mindset with proven experience working across multiple service and domain teams through Agile and domain-based delivery models.
- Core Security Frameworks & Methodologies: Practical experience facilitating threat modeling workshops, working within DevSecOps/SecOps environments, applying Zero Trust philosophies, and utilizing the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
- Hybrid-Cloud & Infrastructure Knowledge: Expert knowledge of securing data and workloads across Google Cloud/Workspace, Amazon Web Services, Zscaler, and commodity SaaS applications.
- Critical Influence & Leadership: Proven ability to empower and influence others to make decisions, resolve challenges, and deliver outcomes that line up with the overarching business strategy.
- Emerging Tech & Threat Awareness: A strong understanding of attacker tools, techniques, and procedures (alongside pragmatic mitigations) and practical experience securing AI/LLM deployments.
Desirable skills/experience you may have
- Advanced Architecture Frameworks: Experience designing SOC architectures (SIEM, SOAR, vulnerability management) and defining secure development lifecycles (SDLC).
- Regulated Environments & Evaluation: Experience working within regulated environments (such as PCI-DSS) and leading product evaluation and tool selection processes.
- Professional Certifications: Industry-recognized credentials such as TOGAF, SABSA, CISSP, CCSP, ISSAP, CEH, or platform-specific certifications (GCP Professional Cloud Architect/Security Engineer, Zscaler Zero Trust Associate, CSA Trusted AI Safety Expert).
- Retail Business Domain Knowledge: An understanding of retail business capabilities and processes, with the ability to benchmark against marketplace good practice to drive competitive advantage.
Closing Date: July 20, 2026
Pay: £62,900.00 - £115,000.00 Annual
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours of Work: N/A
Job Level: Partnership Level 6
Where You'll Be Working: London Central Office, 1 Drummond Gate, London, SW1V 2QQ
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us. We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose. As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note: It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles. We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants. We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
Security Architect employer: John Lewis
As a Retail Sales Assistant at John Lewis in Horsham, you will be part of a renowned company that values its employees and fosters a supportive work culture. With competitive pay and the opportunity for uncapped commission, you can grow your skills in a dynamic retail environment while enjoying flexible working hours. John Lewis is committed to employee development, ensuring that you have access to training and growth opportunities that make your role both meaningful and rewarding.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Security Architect
✨Get Involved in the Cybersecurity Community
Diving into the cybersecurity community is key for landing that full-time gig. Join forums like Reddit's r/cybersecurity or attend local meetups to connect with industry veterans and other job seekers. Networking is everything in this field—don’t just be a passive lurker!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Capture the Flag Competitions
Participate in Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions; these are not just a fun way to boost your skills but also a chance to showcase your talent to potential employers. Many companies, including John Lewis, love seeing candidates who actively engage in these challenges.
✨Tailor Your Online Presence
Make sure your LinkedIn and any professional profiles reflect your cybersecurity expertise. Share your projects, whether they’re personal or from a previous role, to catch the eye of hiring managers. This is how they’ll find your passion and commitment to the field!
✨Apply Directly Through John Lewis
Don’t forget to head straight to our website and check out any openings for cybersecurity roles at John Lewis. Applying directly can sometimes give you an edge, especially if you can mention that you've been following our work or engaging in the community.
We think you need these skills to ace Security Architect
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your technical skills:In cybersecurity, it's crucial to highlight your technical prowess. Make sure your CV showcases specific skills like network security, penetration testing, or threat analysis. If you have relevant certifications (like CEH or CISSP), pop those on the front page to grab attention!
Tailor your portfolio for the role:Even for a full-time role, a portfolio can set you apart. If you've worked on any cybersecurity projects—be it CTF challenges, security assessments, or research papers—include these in your application. This demonstrates not just your skills, but also your hands-on experience!
Use real-world examples:When writing your cover letter, don’t just stick to your qualifications. Share real-world examples of how you’ve tackled security issues or vulnerabilities. This gives the hiring team at John Lewis insight into your practical problem-solving abilities and makes your application memorable.
Demonstrate your passion for cybersecurity:Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, so show us that you’re always learning! Mention any recent courses, webinars, or industry events you’ve attended. This not only exhibits your enthusiasm but also signals to John Lewis that you’re committed to staying ahead in the game.
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis
✨Sharpen Your Technical Skills
For a role in cybersecurity, it’s essential to be up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques. Brush up on your knowledge of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and vulnerability assessment tools. Be ready to discuss specific scenarios where you’ve applied these skills, as hands-on experience can really set us apart in interviews.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect the interviewers at John Lewis to throw in some hypothetical situations to see how you’d handle them. Think about common security breaches or incidents and be prepared to explain how you would respond. This not only shows your problem-solving skills but also your understanding of real-world cybersecurity challenges.
✨Highlight Your Certifications
Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH can give you a significant edge in a full-time role in cybersecurity. Make sure to mention these during your interview and be prepared to discuss what you learned through those certifications and how they relate to the position at John Lewis.
✨Show Your Passion for Cybersecurity
Since you’re going for a full-time gig, showing genuine enthusiasm for the field can make all the difference. Share any personal projects, blogs, or communities you’re part of that relate to cybersecurity. This not only showcases your passion but also your commitment to staying engaged in this ever-evolving field.
