Army Security Architect – Cloud, Digital & Enterprise Architecture

Job summary

The Land Warfare Centre (LWC) is at the forefront of Army training transformation, shaping how the British Army adapts and develops for the future. This post is in the LWC Business Centre, which is responsible for ensuring that a holistic approach is taken to LWC’s business through the strategic oversight, governance, effective delivery and performance management of LWC’s portfolio of programmes, projects and business outputs. The Business Centre supports the LWC Headquarters and Army training schools in ensuring that military training is delivered as effectively as possible.

The Security Architect plays a vital role in embedding Secure by Design principles across the technology lifecycle. Working closely with the Assistant Head Digital, and the wider data, digital and Army Collective Training Service (ACTS) teams, the architect ensures that cyber security activities align with LWC’s strategic goals, risk management framework, and evolving security roadmap.

We are looking for a Security Architect to provide expert guidance across on premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, ensuring informed decisions on proportionate security controls. You will champion the use of common tools and patterns to deliver secure, effective systems and safeguard MOD data, services, and infrastructure. This role requires a strategic mindset, deep technical expertise, and the ability to influence and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. You will shape robust security solutions, drive assurance activity, and help position security as a strategic enabler across Defence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

A Security Architect creates and designs security for a system or service, maintains security documentation and develops architecture patterns and security approaches to new technologies.

The role provides strategic digital, security and enterprise architecture leadership across the LWC, supporting the Land Training System governance and Secure by Designactivity while leading risk and issue management and driving architectural vision, roadmaps and digital optimisation. It guides technology, data and business decision making to ensure coherence and value for money, and supports the delivery, integration and assurance of cloud services through sustained engagement with Army, Defence Digital and wider MOD stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

• Cloud Supporting Service
  • Liaise with stakeholders to deliver the Cloud Supporting Service.
  • Support the Design Authority through configuration and system control.
  • Drive integrated working with Army, Defence Digital and contractors.
  • Assess solution risk and define controls and mitigations.
  • Sponsor continuous integration and deployment of application solutions within a Development Security Operations environment.
  • Sponsor, assess and assure connections, firewalls, cross domain solutions and network monitoring.
  • Oversee incidents, business continuity and recovery processes.
  • Conduct AI ethics reviews.
  • Maintain engagement with Defence Digital.
• LTS Governance & Secure by Design
  • Actively participate in LTS governance boards and working groups.
  • Collaborate with Design Boards to cohere change.
  • Provide Secure by Design and cyber risk expertise.
• Governance, Assurance & Risk Management
  • Lead Risk and Issue Management across the Digital Team.
  • Coordinate with the Secure by Design Risk Lead.
• Digital Transformation & Information Exploitation
  • Own enterprise architecture vision, strategy and roadmaps.
  • Understand current architecture and support optimisation.
  • Inform the design of the future digital landscape using a cross domain view.
• Enterprise Architecture & Strategic Decision Support
  • Guide business, technology and data decisions for value and sustainability.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure decisions align with enterprise architecture strategy.
  • Conduct horizon scanning for emerging trends and their impacts and opportunities.

Person specification

Essential skills & Experience required:

• Experience of a strategic, forward‑looking approach to security architecture, supported by strong technical expertise across cyber and security domains.
• Experience of collaborative working across multidisciplinary digital teams, including application developers and industry partners, with an understanding of Agile delivery and modern software development practices.
• Understanding of security best practice and how it can be embedded effectively across programmes, stakeholders, and delivery activity.
• Experience of cyber risk, issue management and assurance, with an understanding of recognised security standards (e.g. NIST 800‑53, ISO 27001) applied to cloud‑hosted and DevSecOps environments.
• Experience of driving continuous improvement and innovation in organisational cyber security posture through informed guidance and assurance.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Understanding of current digital architectures, systems integration, and optimisation across MOD and Army operating environments.
• Experience of conducting AI ethics reviews and contributing to responsible adoption of emerging technologies.
• Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and tools, including ArchiMate 3.01 and Sparx EA with Prolaborate.
• Experience of applying user‑centred design principles and user testing to inform business priorities and support benefits realisation.
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

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

• Communication (security architect) - Practitioner Level
• Enabling and informing risk-based decisions - Working Level
• Security technology - Working Level
• Understanding the security implications of transformation - Working Level

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Communication (security architect) - Practitioner Level

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development
• This post is eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £11,400 per annum. Eligibility for this
  allowance will be assessed at interview against 4 core technical skills only and reviewed annually in line with MOD policy,

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role. A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

This role will provide opportunities to gain P3M qualifications funded by the MOD.

Further information:

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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.

Selection process details

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

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Your CV
• Personal Statement (750 words) detailing how you meet the essential skills criteria
• Behaviour - Changing and Improving
• Technical - Communication (security architect) - Practitioner Level https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/security-architect

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Technical -Communication.

The remaining elements will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
• Technical - https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/security-architect
  • Communication (security architect) - Practitioner Level
  • Enabling and informing risk-based decisions - Working Level
  • Technical - Security technology - Working Level
  • Understanding the security implications of transformation - Working Level

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

Further information:

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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.

Nationality requirements

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)

Working for the Civil Service

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Ruth Stallard
• Email : Ruth.Stallard100@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Security architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 282kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)ARMY Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)