ICT Security Architect

Welsh Parliament

Cardiff CF99 1NA, UK

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 3 weeks

Full time

£47,254 - £56,632 per year

Job summary

This is a strategic leadership role requiring deep technical expertise in operational cyber security management, and a clear understanding of how to apply it across a complex, multi-site organisation.

It is a dynamic and high impact role where you will provide expert advice to Senedd Members and Commission Staff on technical security requirements helping shape and deliver the Senedd ICT strategy.

Your work will directly support the integrity of our democratic processes by ensuring robust compliance and governance across the organisation.

You will lead on the design and delivery of a technical architecture that controls and mitigates our cyber security risk. Through this, you will ensure that we satisfy any related legal and regulatory responsibilities and deliver a compliant environment that can continue to evolve in line with the Senedd requirements.

Working closely with Senedd Members, Independent Advisors, auditors and senior managers you will define our cyber security strategy and continually assess the effectiveness of the Senedd’s information security arrangements.

Reporting to the Head of Infrastructure and Operations, you will manage and coordinate the security controls and processes that underpin our information security framework, such as, vulnerability management and incident response.

Job description

Security Architecture Design: Develop and maintain the organisation’s ICT security architecture, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
Threat and Vulnerability Management: Define and implement architectural standards for threat detection and vulnerability management, including automated scanning, penetration testing, and threat modelling.
Secure System Assurance: Lead the technical assurance of new systems and services, embedding secure-by-design principles and conducting cyber risk assessments to ensure resilience and compliance.
Incident Response Architecture: Architect and validate incident response capabilities, integrating them with monitoring and alerting systems to enable rapid and effective response to security incidents.
Technical Advisory and Communication: Provide expert guidance to Senedd Members, Senior Officials, and technical teams on security architecture, translating complex concepts into clear, actionable advice for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Collaboration and Governance: Work closely with the Governance and Assurance Service to embed security architecture into risk management processes and drive continuous improvement in technical assurance.
Security Awareness and Training: Promote architectural security awareness across the organisation through policy development, technical training, and the integration of secure design principles into operational practices.
Standards and Compliance: Establish and maintain security architecture standards aligned with frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST, and Cyber Essentials Plus, ensuring consistent application across ICT systems.
Technical Problem Solving: Lead the resolution of complex security architecture challenges, providing expert input on secure system design, integration, and remediation strategies.
Line Management Responsibilities: The role includes direct line management of cyber security team members, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. Responsibilities involve setting clear objectives, conducting regular one-to-ones, supporting professional development, and ensuring the team operates in line with organisational values and performance standards. Additionally, the post holder will be expected to mentor staff, oversee workload allocation, and provide guidance to ensure the effective delivery of security architecture functions across the organisation.

Person specification

Job Specific criteria:

Proven experience in designing and implementing security architecture within a large, multi-site organisation, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to stakeholders at all levels—including translating architectural decisions into business-relevant language for non-technical audiences.
Deep technical understanding of cyber security principles, threat landscapes, and mitigation strategies, with the ability to apply these effectively to the organisation’s infrastructure, applications, and operational processes in alignment with strategic objectives.
Demonstrable experience in leading end-to-end improvements to ICT security architecture, including the design, delivery, and integration of secure systems and services, as well as managing project lifecycles and ensuring smooth service transition into operational environments.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,254, Welsh Parliament contributes £13,689 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

Details of the Selection Process:

Candidates are required to complete an application form through our recruitment portal addressing the job specific and desirable criteria.

Closing Date for applications:

23:59 08 February 2026.

Your application must be submitted before midnight on the closing date.

You will be updated on your progress via the email address you first register with. Please check your Junk Mail and Spam folders to make sure you don’t miss any future correspondence.

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

Security

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.

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

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.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Recruitment Team
Email : jobs@senedd.wales
Telephone : 03002007588

Salary range

£47,254 - £56,632 per year