Cloud Platform Security Architect

Role Title:Cloud Platform Security Architect

Duration:3 month initial contract

Location:London. Hybrid, 2 days per week onsite

Rate:up to £506 p/d Umbrella inside IR35

Role purpose / summary

Job Description:

The Cloud Platform & Security Architect is responsible for defining and governing the architecture of FSCS cloud, hybrid infrastructure and security platforms. The role provides strategic and technical architectural leadership across Microsoft Azure, cloud platforms, networking, identity, security and resilience, ensuring technology solutions are secure, scalable, resilient, supportable and aligned with FSCS technology strategy and architectural principles.

The role defines target-state architectures, reference architectures, technical standards, patterns and architectural guardrails that guide the design and evolution of FSCS technology platforms.

Working closely with Enterprise Architecture, Information and Cyber Security, the IT Infrastructure & Security Manager, Product and Engineering teams, and strategic technology partners, the role provides architecture direction and design assurance across technology change and investment.

The role acts as a senior technical authority for cloud platform and security architecture, supporting strategic technology decisions while ensuring solutions remain aligned with FSCS business, security, resilience and operational requirements.

My Priorities - what I will deliver

Cloud Platform Architecture

• Define and maintain target-state architecture for Microsoft Azure, cloud and hybrid technology platforms.
• Define reference architectures and reusable patterns for Azure landing zones, Management Groups, subscriptions, networking, identity, compute, storage, monitoring and governance.
• Establish architectural principles and guardrails covering Azure Policy, RBAC, PIM, private connectivity, resource organisation, logging and platform governance.
• Define architecture patterns that enable scalable, secure and consistent technology delivery across FSCS.
• Provide architectural direction for cloud migration, modernisation and re-platforming initiatives.
• Assess new Azure services and cloud technologies and provide recommendations for their adoption.
• Ensure cloud architecture balances security, resilience, scalability, performance, operational supportability and cost efficiency.
• Define architectural direction for Infrastructure as Code and automated cloud provisioning, including Terraform and Azure DevOps.
• Maintain cloud platform architecture roadmaps aligned with FSCS technology strategy.

Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture

• Define target-state architecture for FSCS hybrid infrastructure and its integration with Microsoft Azure.
• Define target-state architectural patterns and standards for core infrastructure services, including technologies such as Active Directory, Entra ID, DNS, DHCP and PKI.
• Provide architectural direction for compute, virtualisation, storage and associated platform technologies.
• Define secure and resilient integration patterns between cloud, on-premises and third-party environments.
• Develop architecture roadmaps supporting infrastructure modernisation and reduction of legacy technology.
• Identify architectural dependencies, constraints and technical debt associated with hybrid infrastructure.
• Ensure infrastructure architecture supports agreed security, resilience, lifecycle and operational requirements.

Network & Connectivity Architecture

• Define target-state network architecture across cloud and hybrid environments.
• Define reference architectures and patterns for Azure networking, routing, segmentation, firewalls, private connectivity, VPN, load balancing and application delivery.
• Define network architecture aligned with FSCS Zero Trust principles and security requirements.
• Provide architectural direction across Azure networking, Cisco technologies, Zscaler and associated network and security platforms.
• Define secure connectivity patterns between Azure, on-premises infrastructure, SaaS services, third parties and external services.
• Establish architecture standards and principles for network resilience, segmentation, availability and secure connectivity.
• Assess emerging networking technologies and recommend appropriate strategic direction.

Security Architecture & Technical Controls

• Define cloud platform and infrastructure security architecture aligned with FSCS security policies, enterprise architecture principles and regulatory requirements.
• Define security architecture patterns and technical guardrails across cloud, identity, network and infrastructure platforms.
• Provide architectural direction for Microsoft Defender, Sentinel and associated Microsoft security technologies.
• Define identity architecture covering Entra ID, Conditional Access, PIM, RBAC, MFA, SSO, managed identities and workload identities.
• Define architectural patterns for Azure Firewall, WAF, DDoS Protection, Key Vault, encryption, certificates and secrets management.
• Define architecture patterns aligned with Zero Trust principles across identity, networks, applications and cloud platforms.
• Ensure security, vulnerability management, hardening, logging and monitoring requirements are incorporated into reference architectures and solution designs.
• Work closely with Information and Cyber Security to ensure platform architectures align with security policies, standards and risk requirements.
• Evaluate emerging security technologies and recommend appropriate architectural approaches.

Resilience, Backup & Disaster Recovery