Senior Security Architect

Role purpose

Secure by Design delivery

• Support projects through initiation, service profiling, design, build, assurance, and go-live approval; explain the process and help teams set project risk levels.
• Define project security requirements using controls matrices, requirements catalogs, policies, and regulations; review HLDs and LLDs and follow up design issues.
• Threat-model new or significantly changed solutions, verify built solutions against endorsed designs, and endorse security at project gates while recording decisions.

Security team coordination

• Coordinate inputs and deliverables from Privacy, SOC, Vulnerability Management, Penetration Testing, and Cyber Assurance teams.
• Specify privacy controls and data-sharing requirements; identify Microsoft Sentinel log sources and SOC detection and alert use cases.
• Ensure code scanning, software composition analysis, and dynamic testing findings are remediated before go-live; arrange SaaS assurance and on-premises penetration testing.

Risk assessment

• Conduct project cyber risk assessments using design reviews, threat models, scans, assurance checks, and penetration tests.
• Record findings, ratings, controls, owners, and treatment plans in the risk register; present risks and obtain formal acceptance where appropriate.
• Track treatment actions until risks are closed or formally accepted.

Practice, procurement, and mentoring

• Maintain architecture and risk templates, the security controls matrix, reusable requirements catalog, Secure by Design guide, and architecture patterns such as SaaS and SSO with Microsoft Entra ID.
• Map controls to NCA ECC, CCC, PDPL, and the security roadmap; identify framework gaps and propose improvements.
• Review CAB changes, write RFP security requirements, evaluate vendor security proposals, and review contracts and data processing agreements.
• Mentor the Security Architect, review deliverables, and escalate complex, high-risk, or disputed projects.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10–15 years of information security experience, including at least 5 years in security architecture or Secure by Design roles.
• CISSP or CISM certification.
• Working knowledge of Saudi NCA ECC, CCC, and PDPL; proven risk assessment, threat modelling, and risk-register experience.

Preferred qualifications

• SABSA or TOGAF certification and experience building or running a Secure by Design function or security architecture practice are preferred.

Technical knowledge

• Cloud and SaaS security architecture, Microsoft Azure, SaaS platforms, and landing zone design.
• Microsoft Entra ID identity and access management, including SSO, MFA, conditional access, role-based access, privileged identity management, and access reviews.
• Network segmentation, firewalls, web application firewalls, secure remote access, Microsoft Sentinel log onboarding and detection use cases.
• SAST, DAST, and SCA tools; endpoint protection, encryption, backup and recovery controls; NIST CSF and ISO/IEC 27001.

Skills and behaviors

• Explains security in business terms and positions it as a design partner.
• Manages parallel projects and prioritizes by risk; influences project teams, vendors, and senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Writes clear, audit-ready documentation, retains decision evidence, and coaches others.