Principal Security Architect & Engineering Lead

Overview

Job Role: Principal Security Architect and Engineering Lead

Salary: £81,000 - £86,000 + 15% performance bonus

Working Location: Milton Keynes / London, Hybrid working

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Job summary:

At NHBC, we're committed to protecting the systems, services and data that support the UK house-building industry. As our Principal Security Architecture & Engineering Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in defining how security is embedded across our technology landscape, ensuring resilience, trust and confidence in everything we deliver.

This is a strategic leadership role with significant technical influence. Working closely with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), you'll define and evolve our enterprise security architecture, establish secure-by-design principles and lead the engineering of security capabilities that protect our critical business services. You'll collaborate across architecture, engineering, infrastructure and delivery teams to ensure security is integrated into every stage of technology change.

If you're passionate about modern security architecture, cloud technologies, engineering excellence and influencing change at enterprise scale, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll be doing

As Principal Security Architecture & Engineering Lead, you will:

• Partner with the CISO to define and deliver NHBC's enterprise security architecture, supporting critical business services and regulatory expectations.
• Establish and maintain security architecture principles, standards, patterns and control frameworks across on-premises, cloud and third-party environments.
• Provide security architecture leadership and governance through Architecture Design Authority and other technical governance forums.
• Develop and contribute to solution architectures, ensuring security requirements are built into designs from the outset.
• Define functional and non-functional security requirements that support secure, resilient and scalable technology solutions.
• Champion secure-by-design practices across technology delivery, embedding consistent, proportionate and auditable security controls.
• Drive the adoption of DevSecOps practices, working through matrix leadership with engineering and delivery teams to integrate security throughout development pipelines.
• Partner with engineering, infrastructure and operational teams to design, implement and integrate security capabilities across the enterprise technology estate.
• Lead technical security risk assessments, design assurance and remediation activities to strengthen controls and reduce enterprise risk.
• Oversee the secure integration of third-party services and remote access solutions, ensuring controls align with business criticality and risk appetite.
• Support cyber incident response and recovery by ensuring architectures enable effective detection, containment and rapid restoration of services.

What we're looking for

We're looking for an experienced security leader who combines strategic thinking with deep technical expertise and a collaborative leadership style.

You'll bring:

• Proven experience defining and governing enterprise security architecture across complex technology environments, establishing principles, standards and security patterns that enable secure, resilient and scalable solutions.
• A strong track record of embedding secure-by-design principles and influencing architects, engineers, delivery teams and business stakeholders to deliver security as an integral part of technology change.
• Hands-on experience designing, implementing and integrating enterprise security technologies across hybrid environments, including Microsoft platforms, Azure, AWS, SaaS and IaaS.
• Significant expertise across key security domains, including security governance, security operations and SIEM, network security, cloud security, identity and access management (IAM), vulnerability management and security assurance.
• Strong knowledge of modern security engineering practices, including DevSecOps, CI/CD security, infrastructure as code, automated testing and continuous assurance within development pipelines.
• Experience working across large-scale transformation programmes and product or delivery teams, providing technical leadership and security design assurance throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across technology, operations, risk, assurance and business functions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance business objectives, risk and technical considerations to make informed decisions.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex technical concepts into clear, practical advice for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrable leadership experience, with the ability to inspire, coach and influence teams and drive a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence.

What we offer

Our benefits package includes:

• 27 days annual leave + bank holidays
• holiday purchase scheme
• enhanced pension scheme (up to 10.5%)
• life assurance
• subsidised private medical insurance
• employee discounts platform
• two days volunteer leave
• enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption leave and pay for all new parents

+ many more!

Who we are

At NHBC, we pride ourselves on being truly unique. No other organisation in our sector matches the range of services and scale we provide. As the market leader, we are recognised as the go-to for new home warranties and insurance. Our team is united by a core purpose: to raise the standards of house building and protect homeowners.

Why you should join us

As a modern, family-friendly employer, we’re in a phase of rapid growth, embracing technology, data and new ways of working. We’re seeking passionate, skilled and driven individuals to join us on this exciting journey.

Once onboard, you’ll have access to fantastic opportunities for personal and career growth. You’ll receive thorough training, continuous development and the chance to earn recognised qualifications and professional memberships to support your journey.

We support flexible working and encourage our colleagues to find a balance that suits them. While we may not be able to accommodate every request, we’re always happy to have a conversation about flexible working arrangements.

Our inclusive culture

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We firmly believe in the right of all our employees and customers to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and free from discrimination. Our active employee networks support colleagues and their allies, providing safe spaces for open conversations and idea-sharing.

We are a Disability Confident organisation committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. Our first step is to review applications to ensure candidates meet the essential criteria for the role. We assess skills, experience, and potential objectively, and provide support or reasonable adjustments where needed. Candidates who meet the criteria will progress to the next stage.

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