Cyber Security Architect

Since our establishment in 1990, Methods has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Our mission is to improve and safeguard public-facing services. We apply digital thinking to ensure the future of our public services is centred around our citizens. Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses – we have a customer‑centric value system whereby we focus on delivering what is right for our clients.

We passionately support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them. Methods are experts in delivering secure, resilient cyber and information services – keeping systems and data safe. We help reduce risk and vulnerabilities from cyber‑attacks by developing a security road‑map tailored to your unique needs. We help organisations improve processes such as threat management by building an identity management programme, and establishing prevention, detection and response capabilities to cyber‑attacks.

Responsibilities

• Effective business acumen and an understanding of the cyber security challenges faced by the client, with the ability to interact with senior stakeholders across departments.
• Experience of identifying and applying security risk and familiarity with common control frameworks.
• Managing, delivering and leading cyber security and cyber risk assignments, including producing documentation, reports, recommendations and quality assuring the work produced by team members.
• Working as a subject matter expert in your particular field to support a team and managing a larger team in delivering engagements at scale, with the appropriate reach and influence across the teams and communities.
• Maintaining awareness of key business and industry trends and understanding how they impact responses to cyber risk.
• Ability to research, articulate and pitch complex and innovative architecture and security advice, at both business and technical levels, for new or existing problems and be able to justify and communicate design decisions directly to key customer stakeholders including senior management.
• Develop vision, principles and strategy for security architects for one project or technology.
• Providing our clients with trusted advice, rooted in a pragmatic and agnostic understanding of their business situation and objectives, to help them navigate complex, risk‑driven Cyber decisions.
• Able to understand and comprehend the impact of decisions, balancing requirements and deciding between approaches.
• Investigating major breaches of security and recommending appropriate control improvements.
• Contributing to development of information security policy, standards, procedures and guidelines.
• Be the point of escalation for architects in lower grade roles, with the ability to lead the technical design of systems and services.

Requirements

• An experienced consultant with a background in Cyber Security.
• Minimum 3‑5 years of experience in Information Security related positions.
• Minimum 2‑3 years of experience in security architecture.
• Certification in AWS or Azure for Architecture and Security or similar IASME / Cyber Essentials Plus Certified.
• Knowledge of secure network architecture and technical design.
• Experience in creating secure architecture in either AWS or Azure.
• Experience providing expert strategy, risk and technical advice, guidance and support on cyber security, both in business‑as‑usual and for live and planned projects within our clients' business.
• Broad range of cyber and information security skills, knowledge and experience such as security threats and vulnerabilities that impact and/or emanate from system hardware, software and other infrastructure components, and relevant strategies, controls and activities to prevent, mitigate, detect and resolve security incidents affecting system hardware, software and other infrastructure components.
• Able to gap analysis for specific domains, identify gaps in existing capabilities, service maturity, identify missing cybersecurity and cyber‑resiliency capabilities in alignment with changing business needs, threat landscape and technical requirements to increase the quality of the selected solutions.
• Knowledge of identifying, developing and communicating threat modelling.
• Demonstrably experienced in working as an effective member of a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Excellent stakeholder management, presentation and communication skills.
• Pro‑active approach to personal and professional development.
• Must hold, or be able to hold, an HMG Security Check (SC) clearance.
• Ability to apply standards, practices, codes and assessment of certification programmes relevant to the IT industry and the specific organisation or business domain.
• Knowledge of the IT/IS infrastructure (e.g databases and LANs) and the IT applications and service processes used within own organisation, including those associated with sustainability and efficiency.
• Ability to use any tool or system which provides security access control (e.g Active Directory).
• Showing proficiency in the principles and application of cloud/virtualisation and be able to use tools and systems to manage virtualised environments.
• Experience in writing and creating Cyber Security documents i.e. Risk Assessments, ESRM, DPIA etc and produce particular patterns and support quality assurance.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Certification in AWS or Azure for Architecture and Security or similar Security Certification e.g ISC2 CISSP, ISC2 CCSP, ISACA CISM or similar.
• Knowledge of evolving digital technology/applications e.g. AI/Digital twins/IoT.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, tools and techniques of IT auditing.
• Experience working on central government, local government and public corporations projects and deliverables.
• Experience in the discipline associated with data sets so large and/or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate.
• Knowledge, application, implications and technical aspects of computer‑mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks.
• Methods and techniques for preparing and presenting business cases, requests for proposal (RFP) invitations to tender (ITT) and statements of requirements/work both verbally and in writing.

Am I the right fit?

• Resilience.
• Strong collaboration and team working.
• Good Communication skills.
• Genuine passion/commitment to improving public services.
• A determined and tenacious approach to work.
• A creative approach to problem solving.
• Good listening and comprehension.
• Great stakeholder management.
• Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience.
• Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society.
• Strong, inspiring, and thought‑provoking leadership.
• A supportive and collaborative environment.
• Flexibility to learn and grow.

Security Clearance

This role will require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.

Benefits

• Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience.
• Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society.
• Strong, inspiring and thought‑provoking leadership.
• A supportive and collaborative environment.
• Development – access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme, and training.
• Wellness – 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme.
• Flexible Working – including home working and part time.
• Social – office parties, breakfast Tuesdays, monthly pizza Thursdays, Thirsty Thursdays, and commitment to charitable causes.
• Time Off – 25 days of annual leave a year, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy 5 extra days each year.
• Volunteering – 2 paid days per year to volunteer in our local communities or within a charity organisation.
• Pension – Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution.
• Life Assurance – of 4 times base salary.
• Private Medical Insurance – which is non‑contributory (spouse and dependants included).
• Worldwide Travel Insurance – which is non‑contributory (spouse and dependants included).
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay.
• Travel – season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme.

For a full list of benefits please visit our website (www.methods.co.uk/careers/benefits).