Actica Consulting

Independent ICT consultancy for public sector

Security Architect

Security Engineering & ArchitectureUpdated on Nov 14

Full-timeUnited KingdomNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A track record in security architecture for digital projects or programmes is essential.
Experience within Defence and/or the UK Public Sector is desirable.
Hold at least one security-architecture-relevant qualification, such as a relevant degree or CISSP.
Be eligible and willing to gain UK Security Clearance.
Apply a structured approach to unfamiliar subject matter and demonstrate intellectual agility, proactivity, and self-motivation.
Broad cyber-security experience is desirable, including threat modelling and risk management; security architecture principles and frameworks such as Zero Trust, SABSA, TOGAF, and NIST; public and private clouds; network security, identity, credential and access management, encryption, and endpoint security; application security for SaaS, COTS applications, and bespoke software; software development lifecycles including SecDevOps and CI/CD pipelines; operational technology; and operating at multiple classifications (Official, Secret, and Top Secret) and securing cross-domain solutions.
Strong interpersonal and influencing skills are essential for stakeholder engagement and direct client interaction.

Responsibilities

Provide consultancy to UK public-sector and defence organisations to help protect their systems and data while meeting user needs.
Analyse threats, develop security solutions, and ensure security is embedded in delivery and operation.
Research and assess new or unfamiliar technologies to identify security benefits and potential weaknesses.
Engage directly with clients to understand their cyber-security threats, risk appetite, and constraints.
Identify security risks and appropriate countermeasures.
Work with solution architects and risk advisors to define and document security architectures that meet business needs and address cyber-security threats.
Select appropriate security controls and allocate them to solution components.
Provide assurance that solutions address cyber-security threats.
Support the production of cyber-security policies and processes.
Support client procurements, including developing security requirements and evaluating options.
Resolve day-to-day issues involved in assignment delivery and develop follow-on opportunities.
Produce high-quality formal deliverables, sometimes to challenging timescales.

Desired Qualifications

Experience within Defence and/or the UK Public Sector.
Broad cyber-security experience across threat modelling and risk management; security architecture principles and frameworks such as Zero Trust, SABSA, TOGAF, and NIST; public and private clouds; network security, identity, credential and access management, encryption, and endpoint security; application security for SaaS, COTS applications, and bespoke software; software development lifecycles including SecDevOps and CI/CD pipelines; operational technology; and operating at multiple classifications (Official, Secret, and Top Secret) and securing cross-domain solutions.

As a Security Architect at Actica, you will have the opportunity to provide support to a wide range of high-profile UK public sector and defence organisations. You will help ensure the security of nationally critical projects that make a real difference to people’s everyday lives.

You will provide consultancy to UK public sector and defence organisations to help them protect their systems and data whilst ensuring they meet the needs of their users. You will analyse threats, develop security solutions and ensure that security is embedded in delivery and operation. You will also research and assess new or unfamiliar technologies to identify security benefits and potential weaknesses.

Our position as a client-side advisor means that this role requires significant stakeholder engagement, dealing directly with the client, including in resolving day-day issues involved in assignment delivery and developing follow-on opportunities, so excellent interpersonal and influencing skills are essential. You will produce high-quality formal deliverables, sometimes to challenging timescales.

Working either individually or as part of a larger Actica team, you will undertake consultancy assignments that could include:

Direct engagement with clients to understand their cyber security threats, risk appetite and constraints.
Identifying security risks and appropriate countermeasures.
Working with solution architects and risk advisors to define and document an appropriate security architecture to meet the business need and address the cyber security threats.
Selecting appropriate security controls and allocating them to solution components.
Providing assurance to ensure that solutions address the cyber security threats.
Supporting production of cyber security policy and processes.
Supporting client procurements, including developing security requirements and evaluating options.

A track record in security architecture for digital projects or programmes is essential, with experience within the Defence and / or UK Public Sector being desirable.

You must hold at least one security architecture relevant qualification (e.g. a relevant degree, CISSP etc.).

The fast-changing nature of the ICT environment together with the need to resource multiple, ad-hoc assignments also requires the individual to be intellectually agile, proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to apply a structured approach to often unfamiliar subject matter.

A broad experience of cyber security is desirable, including:

Threat modelling and risk management.
Security architecture principles and frameworks (e.g., Zero Trust, SABSA, TOGAF, NIST)
Public and private clouds.
Network security, identity, credential and access management (ICAM), encryption, and endpoint security.
Application security for Software as a Service (SaaS), COTS applications and bespoke software.
Software Development Lifecycles including SecDevOps and CI/CD pipelines
Operational Technology.
Operating at multiple classifications (Official, Secret and Top Secret) and the security of cross domain solutions.

You may not feel that your skills precisely match the requirements of this job specification; however, we encourage you to apply if this is a role that appeals to you. We require individuals with a broad skillset, so there may be other aspects of your experience which are equally important to us, but that are perhaps not listed in the role specification above.

Working Arrangements:

While Guildford is our home base, consultants typically spend their time working remotely. For most clients, consultants spend 2-3 days working remotely and 2-3 days co-located with colleagues at a client’s site or our office in Guildford. For some projects, there will a requirement to work up to 5 days a week co-located with colleagues. All work is team based, with a high level of engagement with other Actica and client team members.

Additional Requirements:

Candidates must be eligible and willing to gain UK Security Clearance to apply for this position.
Find out more information about the Security Clearance (SC) process and requirements here.

About the Company

Actica Consulting

Independent ICT consultancy for public sector

Actica Consulting provides technical and management consulting to help public-sector organizations use ICT to meet their business goals. They combine deep technical expertise with process transformation to deliver measurable business benefits. They differentiate themselves through independence from software and hardware vendors, a strong public-sector focus, and a collaborative, value-driven approach that tailors solutions to client needs. Their goal is to help clients achieve better outcomes by leveraging ICT within budget and organizational constraints.

Company size: 201-500
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Guildford, United Kingdom
Founded: 1998

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