Specialist, Security Architect

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Role: Specialist, Security Architect

The Security Architect is responsible for defining, governing and continuously improving BDO Global's security architecture across both Global Corporate Network (GCN) and Global Hosting Services (GHS) environments. The role ensures that security is embedded secure-by-design and secure-by-default across platforms, services, applications and initiatives, with a strong emphasis on Microsoft technologies including Azure, Microsoft 365, Sentinel, Defender, Lighthouse and Intune. The architect provides authoritative technical leadership and acts as a security advisor to development and delivery initiatives, ensuring security requirements are embedded throughout the solution lifecycle. This includes advising on application and platform design, cloud-native services, identity integration, data protection and secure development practices. The role translates security strategy, risk and regulatory requirements into pragmatic, scalable architectural patterns and standards, supporting global member firms, central platforms and shared services while ensuring alignment with BDO Global's ISMS, Zero Trust principles and industry best practice (ISO 27001, NIST CSF 2.0, Microsoft security baselines).

Key Responsibilities:

Security Architecture & Design Authority

• Act as the design authority for security architecture across GCN and GHS platforms.
• Define and maintain security reference architectures, patterns and standards, aligned to BDO Global's Cyber Security Reference Architecture and Microsoft best practices.
• Review and approve solution designs, ensuring consistent application of Zero Trust, least privilege, defence-in-depth and resilience principles.
• Provide architectural assurance for new initiatives, major changes and technology onboarding.

Microsoft Security Platform Architecture

• Design and govern security architecture across:
• Microsoft Defender (Endpoint, Identity, Cloud Apps, Office 365)
• Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM/SOAR architecture, data onboarding, detection strategy)
• Microsoft Lighthouse (multi-tenant visibility and governance)
• Intune (endpoint, mobile device and application management)
• Ensure Microsoft Secure Score and Defender/Sentinel maturity improvements are architecturally driven and measurable.

Governance, Risk & Compliance Alignment

• Ensure security architectures align with ISO 27001, NIST CSF 2.0, SOC 2, GDPR and internal ISMS controls.
• Translate regulatory and audit requirements into technical security controls and design patterns.
• Support internal and external audits by providing architectural artefacts, rationale and traceability.
• Contribute to risk assessments, threat modelling and design-time control validation.Embed threat modelling, abuse-case analysis and exposure-aware design into solution architecture.
• Ensure architectural alignment with vulnerability management, CTEM and threat intelligence outputs.
• Promote secure development and platform engineering practices across global teams.

Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory

• Act as a trusted security advisor to Global IT, platform owners, engineering teams and member firms.
• Support both GCN and GHS stakeholders with pragmatic, risk-based architectural guidance.
• Collaborate closely with Security Operations, GRC, Identity, Infrastructure, Cloud and Service Delivery teams.
• Monitor emerging security technologies, Microsoft roadmap changes and industry trends.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and automate security architecture controls.
• Contribute to maturity roadmaps, KPIs and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Cyber Security, Information Technology, Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years' experience in information security, with significant experience in security architecture roles.
• Demonstrated experience designing security architectures in cloud-first, Microsoft-centric environments.
• Strong background in enterprise identity, cloud security, endpoint security and SIEM/SOAR architectures.
• Experience operating in complex, global or multi-tenant environments.
• Security certifications