Azure Cloud Security Architect

Job title: Azure Cloud Security Architect

Location: Birmingham or Sheffield (hybrid)

Contract: 6 - 12 months (extendable)

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Azure Security Architect to lead the definition, governance, and assurance of security architecture across a large-scale Azure environment. This is a highly strategic, architecture-focused role centred on designing security standards, policies, controls, and governance frameworks rather than hands-on engineering or operational delivery.

The successful candidate will act as the authority for Azure security architecture, ensuring cloud services are designed and operated in line with security best practice, regulatory requirements, and organisational risk appetite. The role will focus on reviewing solutions, defining cloud security baselines, establishing reference architectures, and driving security-by-design principles across Azure-based platforms and products.

Key responsibilities

• Define and maintain Azure security architecture standards, patterns, and reference designs.
• Develop and govern cloud security controls, policies, and security baselines across Azure services.
• Review solution architectures and provide security assurance and approval throughout the design lifecycle.
• Ensure alignment with recognised frameworks such as NIST, CIS, ISO 27001, Zero Trust, and Microsoft Cloud Security best practices.
• Provide architectural guidance on Azure-native security capabilities including:
• Microsoft Defender for Cloud
• Microsoft Sentinel
• Entra ID (Azure AD)
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
• Conditional Access
• Key Vault
• Azure Firewall
• Network Security Groups
• Azure Policy
• Drive security governance, risk management, and compliance activities across cloud platforms.
• Partner with enterprise architects, product teams, risk, and security stakeholders to embed security controls into new and existing services.
• Conduct security design reviews, threat modelling exercises, and control assessments.
• Define target-state security architectures and cloud security roadmaps.
• Support audit, regulatory, and compliance initiatives through the creation of security documentation and architectural artefacts.

Required experience

• Strong experience as a Security Architect, Cloud Security Architect, or Azure Security Architect.
• Deep understanding of Azure services and cloud security architecture principles.
• Proven experience developing security standards, frameworks, controls, and governance models.
• Expertise in Zero Trust architecture and cloud security operating models.
• Strong knowledge of NIST, CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, and Microsoft security frameworks.
• Experience operating within architecture review boards, governance forums, and design authority processes.
• Ability to translate technical risk into clear business and architectural recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Strong experience as a Security Architect, Cloud Security Architect, or Azure Security Architect.
• Deep understanding of Azure services and cloud security architecture principles.
• Proven experience developing security standards, frameworks, controls, and governance models.
• Expertise in Zero Trust architecture and cloud security operating models.
• Strong knowledge of NIST, CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, and Microsoft security frameworks.
• Experience operating within architecture review boards, governance forums, and design authority processes.
• Ability to translate technical risk into clear business and architectural recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.