Security Architect in Bournemouth

We have an exciting opportunity for a proactive and technical Security Architect to join our Information Security team. You will play a crucial role in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our organisational information assets. Join our team if you have a thorough understanding of information security principles and a passion for designing and implementing robust security measures. The role will be based at our Bournemouth office on a hybrid working pattern.

Key Responsibilities

• Security Architecture:

• Lead the design and development of secure enterprise systems, networks, and solutions, ensuring alignment with organisational risk appetite, industry standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with enterprise and technical architects to maintain and evolve comprehensive security architecture documentation and design effective security controls.
• Serve as the security representative on governance boards and committees as designated by the Head of Information Security.
• Support specialist testing initiatives such as red team engagements and advanced threat simulations, including scoping, execution, and review.
• Continuously develop professional knowledge and expertise, staying abreast of emerging security trends, technologies, and best practices.

• Develop and maintain information security policies, standards, and procedures, ensuring clear communication and integration across the organisation to ensure a robust and cohesive security posture.
• Collaborate with business and technical teams to embed security requirements and best practices into enterprise processes and solution designs.

• Evaluate emerging technologies, tools and architectural approaches to strengthen security capabilities, and articulate the business value of new security controls investments.
• Partner with IT and business stakeholders to integrate security requirements into technology selection, solution design, and implementation.

About You

Demonstrable expertise and practical experience in the following areas:

• Define and document security requirements.
• Perform security architecture assurance activities, evaluate solution designs against Information Security Management System (ISMS) controls, regulatory obligations (e.g. FCA, PRA, EBA), and internal security standards.
• Design and advise on secure application and system development practices, including adherence to OWASP principles, secure coding standards, and secure configuration baselines relevant to financial services.
• Architect and integrate secure systems, with a focus on strong authentication, authorisation, encryption, and access control, especially for systems processing sensitive financial data.
• Provide security consultancy and architectural guidance to business and technology projects, ensuring alignment with financial industry threat landscapes, compliance obligations, and business objectives.
• Apply architectural frameworks, techniques, and methodologies such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST SP 800-53, ISO 27001/2, CIS Controls, and financial services regulatory guidance.
• Develop and maintain technical security policies, standards tailored for financial services operations.
• Experience in one or more architectural domains, including application architecture, middleware, infrastructure, or enterprise architecture, particularly in financial contexts.
• Strong working knowledge of securing cloud services and environments (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), including considerations for financial regulatory compliance, data residency, and third-party risk management.
• Excellent skills in communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-focused language for financial services audiences.
• Demonstrated pragmatism and business acumen, balancing security requirements with innovation, customer experience, and regulatory demands in the financial sector.

Desirable

• Professional security certifications relevant to architecture and the financial sector, such as CISSP, ISSAP, CISM, or SABSA Chartered Architect (any level).
• Industry-specific qualifications, such as Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) accreditation, Financial Risk Manager (FRM), or other relevant financial certifications.
• Experience working within regulated financial services organizations, with familiarity with key regulatory frameworks including FCA, PRA, EBA, PSD2, GDPR, DORA, and Basel III.

Rewards & Benefits

This role is a Band C in the LV= Structure. At LV= Life and Pensions, you’ll go above and beyond to do the right thing for our customers. We’ll reward your hard work with an attractive, competitive salary and benefits package, which includes:

• 30 days' holiday.
• The opportunity to buy or sell up to five days of holiday.
• An annual bonus scheme based on company and personal performance.
• Flexible benefits, including a cycle to work scheme, personal accident insurance, critical illness cover, private medical insurance, and dental insurance.
• Competitive pension scheme - LV= Life and Pensions will double-match the amount you pay, up to 14% (subject to National Minimum Wage requirements).
• Group Life Assurance of four times your basic pay to your dependents (you’ll have the option to increase this to 8 x cover).
• Group Income Protection, if you enrol into the pension scheme and reach 5 years of service.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service for support when you need it.
• Virtual GP service.
• Shared parental leave.
• Up to 20% discount on our life products for you and your immediate family.

Please note all salary sacrifice benefits are subject to National Minimum Wage requirements i.e. you are unable to select any benefits that would reduce your base pay below the minimum wage threshold.

Please note that we are unable to offer Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship for this role. Therefore, you must ensure that you are eligible to work in the UK without our sponsorship for your application to be considered.

We’re proud of our inclusive culture at LV= and, as an equal-opportunity employer, we continually work to remove unconscious bias from our recruitment process. We value our colleagues for what they bring to our team regardless of any protected status or characteristics they may have. Talk to us about flexible working as part of your application; if it’s right for you, our members and customers, and our business, then we’ll do everything we can to make it happen.