Enterprise Security Architect (SC Cleared) - CONTRACT
3 month initial contract
REMOTE
£750 - £850 p/d (Umbrella/Inside IR35)
ACTIVE SC CLEARANCE MANDATORY

Enterprise Security Architect (ESA)Overview

We are seeking an Enterprise Security Architect to mature a CNI organisations security architecture function.

A previous Head of Enterprise Architecture role existed, but little true enterprise architecture was delivered. Security principles were drafted but never validated, and there is currently no capacity to mature this work.

This role exists to create the security architecture backbone for the organisation - defining principles, patterns, and reference architectures that align with Enterprise Architecture and can be operationalised by delivery teams.

You will operate at a strategic and systemic level, providing the north star for security across platforms, products and programmes, while remaining grounded in what is practically implementable.

This is a builder role: you are creating the foundations that others will consume.

Responsibilities:

• Define, draft and drive approval of a coherent set of Security Principles

• Ensure security principles are fully aligned with Enterprise Architecture

• Develop core Reference Security Architectures (at least one foundational model)

• Create a multi-year Security Architecture Roadmap

• Build a consistent control set for the Security Architecture team

• Establish clear, repeatable security architecture processes

• Provide authoritative challenge to architectural and security decisions

• Act as the security architecture counterpart to Enterprise Architecture

• Clearly document frameworks, artefacts, patterns and ways of working

Outcomes This Role Owns:

• A validated, organisation-wide set of security principles

• One or more reference security architectures that delivery teams can use

• A clear security roadmap aligned to enterprise direction

• A practical control framework for the security architecture function

• A repeatable engagement model between security and delivery

• A security architecture system that can scale

Required Experience:

• Senior-level background in Enterprise or Security Architecture

• Proven experience building security architecture frameworks from scratch

• Strong understanding of enterprise-scale technology estates

• Experience aligning security architecture with enterprise architecture

• Ability to operate at both strategic and practical levels

• Comfortable challenging senior architectural decisions with authority

• Track record of creating principles, patterns and reference models

• Strong documentation and communication capability

Ideal Profile:

• Someone who has built a security architecture function, not just operated within one

• Comfortable working in ambiguous environments

• Able to translate theory into usable artefacts

• Pragmatic, not dogmatic - focused on adoption, not perfection