Director - Security Architecture

Role Overview :

15+ years of cybersecurity experience, with 8+ years in Enterprise Security Architecture roles. Proven experience leading large-scale enterprise security transformation programs.

Key Technical Requirements :

Hands-On Architecture Leadership & Delivery :

- Own end-to-end target security architecture across Microsoft Entra ID, Defender for Endpoint (MDE), Defender for Office 365 (MDO), Defender for Cloud Apps (MDCA), Defender for Identity (MDI), Microsoft 365 Defender XDR, and Microsoft Purview.

- Hands-on experience configuring, validating, troubleshooting and optimizing Conditional Access Policies, Identity Protection, RBAC, Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) Rules, DLP Policies, Sensitivity Labels, Insider Risk Management, eDiscovery, and Compliance Manager.

- Define enterprise-wide standards for RBAC Architecture, Zero Trust Security Architecture, XDR Correlation Models, Security Governance Frameworks, and Data Classification and Protection Standards.

Security Platform Consolidation Experience :

- Must have experience leading migrations/consolidations from legacy security tools such as CrowdStrike, Checkpoint EDR, Symantec DLP, and Sophos into Microsoft-native security platforms.

Data Protection & Governance :

- Must have strong experience designing Enterprise Sensitivity Label Taxonomy, Data Governance Frameworks, Information Protection Strategy, DLP Control Frameworks, Regulatory Compliance Controls, Adaptive Protection Models, and Insider Risk Controls.

Escalation & Troubleshooting Expertise :

- Should be capable of personally troubleshooting critical production issues, resolving security configuration challenges, supporting stabilization and hypercare phases, and acting as technical escalation point during complex deployments.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management :

- Proven experience acting as trusted advisor to CISOs and executive leadership, leading board-level and steering committee discussions, presenting architecture decisions and risk trade-offs, managing scope, risk acceptance, escalations, and delivery challenges, conducting workshops with Business Units and Compliance teams, and translating security architecture into business risk language.

Delivery Governance Experience :

- Strong experience required in wave-based deployment methodologies, enterprise rollout governance, hypercare and stabilization models, stage-gate assessments, architecture compliance reviews, testing and validation sign-offs, and knowledge transfer governance.

Team Leadership Responsibilities :

- Lead security architects, consultants, engineers, and project managers.

- Guide Identity, Endpoint Security, Cloud Security, and Data Protection workstreams.

- Review and approve Configuration Baselines, SOPs, Runbooks, Health Check Reports, Optimization Reports, and KPI Dashboards.

- Lead architecture-focused knowledge transfer sessions and develop reusable architecture assets and best practices.

Skills

Security, Security Architect, CISO, Security Head, Cloud Security, Endpoint Detection & Response, Entra ID, Microsoft Defender, Data Security, IT Governance, Cyber Security