Security Architect - Portsmouth

Salary: £? - ? per year

Requirements:

• Proven experience as a Security Architect within complex enterprise or Defence environments.
• Strong background in cloud security architecture across multi-cloud and edge platforms.
• Experience implementing Secure by Design principles and DevSecOps practices.
• Expertise in threat modelling and risk management.
• Expertise in policy-as-code.
• Expertise in CI/CD security controls.
• Expertise in software supply chain security.
• Expertise in SBOMs, artefact signing, and software provenance.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Previous experience working within UK Defence or other highly regulated environments.
• Experience leading technical security governance forums.
• Active SC or DV Clearance.
• Sole UK National.
• CISSP or equivalent security certification.
• TOGAF or equivalent architecture certification.
• Previous experience supporting Defence programmes.

Responsibilities:

• Lead security architecture across AI/ML development and trial programmes.
• Drive a Secure by Design approach throughout project delivery.
• Own the end-to-end security assurance process.
• Design secure multi-cloud and edge architectures aligned with Defence requirements.
• Define trust boundaries, classification-aware architectures, and secure cross-domain data controls.
• Develop the security roadmap covering DevSecOps, policy-as-code, and secure CI/CD pipelines.
• Lead software supply chain security, including SBOMs, artefact signing, and software provenance.
• Conduct threat modelling and security risk assessments.
• Chair security working groups and collaborate with multinational stakeholders.
• Engage with senior leadership to communicate security risks, assurance activities, and programme outcomes.
• Mentor junior security professionals and promote security best practice across delivery teams.

Technologies:

• AI
• Architect
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• DevSecOps
• Security
• TOGAF
• Embedded

More:

We are a high-profile defence programme based in Portsmouth with a hybrid working model requiring three days onsite. This is a 5-month contract inside IR35 at £645 per day. We are seeking an experienced Security Architect to help shape secure AI and cloud technologies within the UK Defence sector, working alongside senior technical leaders, architects, and engineering teams to embed security across the programme lifecycle.

last updated 30 week of 2026