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Senior Security Architect

Hybrid in Manchester·Added 2 days ago (last checked 7 Nov)

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

27 open roles

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Our summary

Salary
£58,961 - £86,567 a year

About £3,730 - £5,060 a month after tax.

Work mode
Hybrid, Manchester
Experience
Senior level
Closing date
Apply by Sunday 22 November
Pension
28.97% employer pension
Commute
Cycle to work and season ticket loan

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

  • Enterprise-Scale Architecture Experience: Demonstrable experience operating as a Security Architect within a complex, large-scale, national or multinational organisation. You are confident working across enterprise architectures, aligning solutions with strategic roadmaps and Digital Blueprint standards.
  • Threat Analysis, Risk Management & Cryptography Expertise: Ability to identify, assess and mitigate sophisticated cyber threats using tools such as SIEM, IDS/IPS, and endpoint detection platforms. Strong understanding of risk assessment practices, encryption and cryptographic standards (e.g. TLS, IPsec, PKI, VPNs) to protect data in transit and at rest.
  • Identity, Access Management & Security Leadership: Deep knowledge of authentication and authorisation protocols (e.g. OAuth2, OIDC, SAML, JWT) and their application in identity and trust platforms. Proven ability to communicate security solutions, influence stakeholders, and build capability through collaboration, mentoring and leadership within architecture communities.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk.

Nice to have

We also welcome applications from candidates from a range of backgrounds including those with academic, consultancy and military experience, who hold a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification or a Master's degree in Information Security or willing to work towards obtaining either qualification as this will support your career development.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

£58,961 - £86,567

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Alongside your salary of £58,961, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £17,081 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

  • Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
  • Generous annual leave - at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro-rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
  • Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
  • Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
  • Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
  • Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
  • An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Salary Information

The role is part of the Government Digital and Data profession and utilises an enhanced Government Digital and Data Pay Framework linked to capability which provides access to a Government Digital and Data allowance.

Pay for this role is £58,961 to £69,399, subject to candidate type. In addition to this, the role can attract a Government Digital and Data allowance of up to £27,606. Please see additional info below regarding candidate type. The value of allowance awarded will be based on an assessment of your skills as demonstrated in the selection process. Government Digital and Data Allowance is a discretionary non-consolidated, non-pensionable allowance.

Pay for this role is £58,961 plus a Government Digital and Data Allowance of up to £27,606, subject to our assessment of capability at interview.

Pay for the role is from £58,961 to £69,399, you may also be eligible for a Government Digital and Data Allowance of up to £27,606, subject to our assessment of capability at interview.

In addition to your base salary a Government Digital and Data Allowance may be payable based on our assessment of your capability. Our offer to successful candidates will be based on the evidence you provide at interview against the listed Technical Skills for the role. There is no negotiation at offer stage.

Visa & relocation

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

The role

Do you want to solve large-scale security challenges, designing resilient architectures, leading threat mitigation and embedding security across modern cloud-native services?

We are looking for a Senior Security Architect who:

  • Has proven experience as a Security Architect within complex, large-scale digital or government environments.
  • Has a strong understanding of secure-by-design principles, enterprise architecture and cloud-native security.
  • Has experience working in agile, multidisciplinary teams delivering user-centric services.
  • Has the ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate complex security concepts clearly.
  • Can demonstrate experience of shaping architecture standards, roadmaps and governance frameworks.
  • Has a passion for mentoring others and developing organisational capability.

As our Security Architect, you will use your technical knowledge, architecture design knowledge and development skills to help secure services used by millions of people against cyber threats.

DWP is a huge and complex organisation. We have unique architectural and security challenges that you won't find in other roles. The reason for this vacancy is for a security architect to provide advice and guidance to this team. This role will involve our Corporate Centre Services function.

The Security Architect will provide guidance and advice ranging from scoping IT Health Checks, providing guidance in risk assessment, providing security guidance, checking the cloud posture management platform for vulnerabilities.

Each team is made up of a number of architects, so relationships will need to be built with other teams, the security community and the design authority. Key responsibilities include:

What you'll do

  • Leading the design and delivery of secure architectures, ensuring security controls are embedded from the outset of product development.
  • Developing and recommending secure solution options during discovery and inception to inform design decisions.
  • Collaborating with Solution Architects and agile teams to produce secure, value-for-money designs aligned to user needs.
  • Creating clear security architecture artefacts and documentation to support governance and enable secure engineering practices.
  • Ensuring all designs comply with the Digital Blueprint, Enterprise Architecture standards, and agreed product roadmaps.
  • Providing expert security guidance across the full product lifecycle, including assurance activities such as control self-assessments.
  • Owning and evolving security product roadmaps, contributing to Digital Blueprint improvements and reusable security patterns.
  • Build organisational security capability through mentoring, sharing best practice, and supporting the growth of the Architecture community.

How you'll work

Permanent

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

This role may be located in one of the following locations; Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Sheffield.

Please find further information on the Corporate hub locations here.

Please note: for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, the role will initially be based at Benton Park View. It will then move to 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.

For candidates requesting to work in Sheffield King's Court, please note these roles will initially be based at King's Court and then move to 1 West Bar by early 2028.

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Reference number

484989

Job grade

Grade 7

Number of jobs available

4

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Leadership
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Leadership
  • Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Communication (Security Architect) (Practitioner)
  • Analysis (Practitioner)
  • Designing secure systems (Practitioner)
  • Enabling and informing risk-based decisions (Practitioner)
  • Security technology (Expert)
  • Understanding security implications of transformation (Practitioner)
  • Analysis (Practitioner)

Internal and OGD applicants

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current base salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion should either move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase to their base salary; whichever would be the greater.

Security Clearance Requirement

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

You must have resided continuously in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of applying for this job.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Important

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Job contact

  • Name : Aisha Gultasab
  • Email : Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk

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Hiring process

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed based on the essential criteria.

3. Personal statement - up to 1250 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person specification.

Ensure that all examples provided in your statement are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statement, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria.

You will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your CV and Personal Statement.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Stage 2: Interview 1

If you're successful at sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams.

You will be asked to do a 10-minute presentation to further assess your experience and to assess the technical skill of skill "Communication (security architect) (Practitioner)". The presentation should focus on the following:

  • Present an example of a security architecture design that you have defined and delivered, explaining how you translated business requirements into secure technical solutions including your key decisions, applied architectural standards, patterns and modelling techniques and worked with delivery teams through the full lifecycle.

Interviews will take place from early to mid December 2026 onwards. Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.

Stage 3: Interview 2

If you are successful at stage 2, you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and Technical Skills:

Interviews will take place from early January 2027. Interview dates to be confirmed.

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the interview questions in advance of the interview, at least 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience and abilities. Candidates may be asked further probing questions if their response is deemed to require further information to determine suitability for the role.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to secure their interview slot promptly to ensure fairness in preparation time with the questions provided in advance.

About Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Industry
Government Administration

In their own words

About the company & team

DWP - Digital

Architecture and Data
Digital
Information Technology

  • Email : digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Additional information

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 22nd November 2026

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on our assessment of your capability based on the evidence you provide at interview against the listed Technical Skills for the role. There is no negotiation at offer stage.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

  • You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
  • Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
  • If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.

Please note that for these vacancies we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role. We can never guarantee sponsorship, requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

  • If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
  • If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

  • Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
  • Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP's Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service commission.

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