IAM and Governance Lead

Synechron is looking for an experienced IAM Specialist to coordinate and direct a global bank's Identity & Access Management and IAM Governance function on an interim basis (x1 year), ensuring resilient control of digital identities, privileged access, and access governance across enterprise platforms.

Accountable for stabilising operations, strengthening controls (Joiner/Mover/Leaver, recertification, SoD), and driving delivery of the IAM roadmap, including enhancements and optimisation of enterprise IAM platforms such as One Identity and SailPoint.

Role:

• Own IAM strategy execution and day-to-day leadership for IAM Operations and Governance (policies, standards, processes, KPIs/KRIs).
• Ensure effective access lifecycle controls: onboarding, role change, leaver processing, access requests/approvals, and exception management.
• Lead access governance activities: periodic access reviews/recertifications, role mining, RBAC/ABAC approaches, and Segregation of Duties (SoD) control design.
• Provide senior technical and delivery leadership for enterprise IAM platforms, including One Identity (e.g., Manager/IGA) and SailPoint (e.g., IdentityIQ/IdentityNow), covering configuration, integrations, and operating model.
• Oversee Privileged Access Management (PAM) governance and integration with IGA, including approval workflows, break-glass access, and monitoring requirements.
• Drive delivery of IAM change initiatives (platform uplift, onboarding applications, control remediation), managing priorities, RAID, and vendor/system integrator performance.
• Partner with Security, Technology, Risk, Compliance, Audit, and Business stakeholders to evidence controls, address findings, and meet regulatory expectations.
• Define and maintain IAM governance artefacts: policies/standards, control narratives, process maps, RACI, and audit-ready reporting.
• Manage budget (where applicable), third parties, and a small team of IAM engineers/analysts (direct/indirect).

Experience:

• Significant experience leading an IAM / IGA function within Financial Services, with demonstrable ownership of governance, controls, and audit/regulatory outcomes.
• Hands-on leadership experience with enterprise IGA platforms, specifically One Identity and/or SailPoint, including operating model design, integrations, and optimisation.
• Strong understanding of identity lifecycle, access request/fulfilment, certification, role modelling (RBAC), SoD, and control automation.
• Experience integrating IAM with core enterprise systems (e.g., Active Directory / Entra ID, HR systems, key business applications, ITSM tools), APIs/connectors, and workflow design.
• Ability to translate risk and regulatory requirements into pragmatic, measurable controls and reporting (e.g., evidence packs, dashboards, exception metrics).
• Proven stakeholder management at senior level (CISO/CTO, Risk, Audit, Compliance) with clear written and verbal communication.
• Delivery leadership: managing roadmaps, prioritisation, third parties, and incident/problem management to stabilise service.

x1 year contract – X3 days in London office – Strong marker rates.

Diversity Statement:

Synechron are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative ‘Same Difference’ is committed to fostering an inclusive culture – promoting equality, diversity and an environment that is respectful to all. We encourage applicants from across diverse backgrounds, race, ethnicities, religion, age, marital status, gender, sexual orientations, or disabilities to apply. We offer flexible workplace arrangements, mentoring, internal mobility, learning and development programmes to support our global workforce. Empowerment and collaboration are at the core of how we operate. All employment decisions at Synechron are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to the applicant’s gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.