Senior Security Architect

Do you want to design security architectures that protect services used by millions of people every day?

As a Senior Security Architect in DWP Digital, you'll join our Corporate Centre Services function, working at the heart of complex, large-scale digital systems. You'll play a key role in securing critical platforms, including identity and trust services that enable safe, secure access to government services for citizens and colleagues.

You'll operate across a complex enterprise landscape, shaping secure-by-design architectures for modern cloud-native services. Working closely with architects, engineers and senior stakeholders, you'll lead on threat mitigation, guide security decisions and ensure robust, resilient solutions are embedded from the outset. This is a high-impact role where your work will directly influence the security framework of one of the UK's most critical public service organisations.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We'd love you to join us.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Designing secure architectures for large, complex organisations, making sure security is built in from the start
• Securing modern applications and cloud platforms, including tools like Kubernetes, Docker and CI/CD pipelines
• Working across enterprise-level systems and aligning designs with wider technology strategies and roadmaps
• Understanding how networks and infrastructure work, including how to keep them secure in highly available environments
• Identifying and managing security risks, protecting systems using tools and techniques like monitoring, detection and encryption
• Designing secure identity and access solutions, confidently communicating security concepts while leading and supporting others

You and your role

As a Senior Security Architect, you'll operate at the centre of DWP's security landscape helping to define how we protect services at national scale. You'll work across multiple high-risk, high-complexity programmes, leading the design of secure architectures that support millions of users.

A key focus of this role is shaping and securing identity and trust capabilities. You'll help design platforms that enable safe and secure interactions between users and government services, from digital identity verification to secure communication channels. Your work will directly influence how citizens access and trust public services.

You'll collaborate closely with solution architects, engineers and multidisciplinary teams to embed security throughout the entire product lifecycle. From early discovery and design through to delivery and live service, you'll ensure that security principles are applied consistently and effectively. You'll also provide expert assurance, reviewing designs, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending improvements that strengthen overall resilience.

This role goes beyond individual delivery. You'll help shape architecture standards, contribute to strategic roadmaps and influence governance across the organisation. Acting as a senior voice within the architecture community, you'll support decision-making, provide escalation for complex challenges, defining reusable patterns that improve security outcomes at scale.

You'll also play a key role in building organisational capability. Whether that's mentoring architects, supporting teams in understanding security principles, or sharing best practice across the wider community. Your leadership will help elevate security maturity across DWP Digital.

This role would suit someone who thrives in complex environments, enjoys solving difficult security challenges and wants to influence how secure systems are designed and delivered at scale. If you're motivated by purpose, impact and the opportunity to shape the future of secure digital services, this is a role where your expertise will make a real difference.

Details. Wages. Perks.

Location: You'll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Blackpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield, whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working: We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Pay: We offer pay up to £83,917. That's £57,946 salary plus a Government Digital and Data Allowance of up to £25,971 subject to our assessment of your capability at interview.

Pension: You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth up to £16,786 per year.

Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.

You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.

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

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Sports and social activities
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award-winning environment and culture:

• DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
• Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
• Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
• Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards

Process:

We know your time is valuable so our application and selection process is just two stages:

Apply: complete your application on Civil Service Jobs. There'll be full instructions when you click through.

Interview: a two-stage interview online.

Click APPLY for more information and to start your application.

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About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .