Head of Security Design and Engineering

About the Role As the Head of Security Design and Engineering, you will lead the design and engineering phase of the security-control lifecycle. This role involves translating control objectives and minimum-security standards into secure architectures, engineering patterns, integrated platforms, and automated controls across diverse environments, including infrastructure, applications, cloud, and identity. Principal Duties and Responsibilities 1. Core Accountabilities • Own security architecture principles, guardrails, patterns, and reference architectures. • Direct engineering and integration of platform, infrastructure, cloud, application, and identity security capabilities. • Embed security into SDLC and DevSecOps, including SAST, DAST, SCA, secrets, API, container, and Kubernetes security. • Maintain the security-technology inventory, lifecycle, ownership, licensing, use cases, and technical roadmap. • Establish security-by-design, threat-modelling, and architecture-review services for projects and material changes. • Drive policy-as-code, orchestration, and automation to improve control consistency, speed, and evidence. 2. Governance Stakeholder and Reporting Responsibilities • Maintain clear operating procedures, evidence, service metrics, and management reporting for the assigned security services. • Coordinate with IT operations, architecture, application, risk, compliance, audit, and business stakeholders to resolve control gaps and delivery dependencies. • Escalate material risks, incidents, SLA breaches, and control weaknesses through the approved governance and incident-management channels. • Support regulatory examinations, internal and external audits, risk assessments, and management committees by providing accurate evidence and subject-matter input. Personnel Specification 1. Education and Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline; a relevant master’s degree is advantageous. • 10-15 years of experience, including at least 5 years leading security architecture or engineering teams. • Demonstrated experience in a regulated, high-availability, or financial-services environment is strongly preferred. 2. Technical Knowledge and Skills • Enterprise security architecture and control engineering. • Cloud, infrastructure, application, API, container, network, and identity security. • Security technology lifecycle, integration architecture, automation, and engineering assurance. • Secure SDLC, DevSecOps, threat modelling, and architecture governance. • Working knowledge of NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, ISO/IEC 27001, and the control lifecycle from design through operation and assurance. • Ability to translate business, regulatory, and risk requirements into measurable security outcomes, procedures, and service metrics. • Strong analytical, written communication, stakeholder-management, and evidence-management skills in a regulated environment. 3. Operational and Behavioral Skills • Sound judgement, integrity, and the ability to handle sensitive information and high-pressure situations appropriately. • Ability to prioritize risk, manage competing demands, and deliver clear decisions, actions, and escalation. • Strong collaboration, influencing, and communication skills across technical, business, and executive audiences. • Commitment to measurable service quality, continuous improvement, and disciplined documentation. • Ability to work effectively with internal teams, external suppliers, auditors, and regulators. Desired Certifications • CISSP, preferably ISSAP • SABSA Chartered Security Architect or TOGAF • CCSP or recognized cloud security certification • CISM