Security Architect

We are seeking a Security Architect with a strong focus on application security and proven experience in fintech or financial services environments. This role will serve as the security design authority across high-impact financial platforms — ensuring compliance with industry regulations, safeguarding sensitive data, and embedding security into every stage of the software development lifecycle (SDLC).

Key Responsibilities:

As a Security Architect, you will be responsible for designing, building, testing, and implementing security systems within our organization's IT network. This role involves a detailed understanding of complex IT systems and the latest security standards, trends, and regulations. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background with an analytical mindset and a passion for mitigating cyber threats.

Functional

• Security Systems Design: Develop and implement security architectures and solutions for complex IT projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives and risk management strategies.
• Define and maintain secure architecture frameworks for fintech applications, APIs, and microservices across multi-cloud environments.
• Design security controls for real-time payment systems, open banking interfaces, and digital wallets.
• Partner with development teams to embed security-by-design principles from inception through deployment.
• Conduct architecture threat modeling, risk assessments, and mitigation planning.
• Lead application threat modeling, secure code reviews, and vulnerability management for core financial platforms.
• Drive Secure SDLC adoption, integrating automated security scans (SAST, DAST, SCA, IaC) into DevSecOps pipelines.
• Develop secure coding standards tailored to fintech risks such as transaction tampering, data leakage, and API abuse.
• Evaluate and oversee application security tools, red-teaming activities, and third-party code reviews.
• Ensure architectures comply with financial security and privacy frameworks such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, MAS TRM, NIST, and GDPR.
• Collaborate with risk, compliance, and audit teams to ensure data protection, key management, and secure transaction processing.
• Define zero-trust architecture patterns for fintech ecosystems, including identity federation, encryption at rest/in transit, and API security.
• Advise product, infrastructure, and engineering teams on secure cloud adoption, identity governance, and encryption strategy.
• Support incident response and post-incident remediation for application-related threats.
• Monitor emerging fintech threats (e.g., account takeover, fraud APIs, deepfake payments) and develop proactive countermeasures.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• 5+years of professional experience, including 3+years as a dedicated Security Architect.
• Proven experience designing and securing fintech platforms, digital banking apps, or payment gateway systems.
• Deep understanding of: OWASP Top 10 and API Security Top 10.
• Secure integration with open banking APIs, tokenization, and cryptographic key management.
• CI/CD security (GitLab, Azure DevOps, Jenkins) and cloud security (AWS / Azure / GCP).
• Authentication and authorization frameworks (OAuth2, OIDC, SAML, JWT).
• Strong background in application threat modeling, secure coding, and encryption lifecycle management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications: CISSP, CSSLP, SABSA, AWS/Azure Security Specialty, OSWE/OSCP, or CISM.
• Experience designing architectures for real-time transaction monitoring, fraud detection, or KYC/AML systems.
• Familiarity with financial regulatory frameworks and data residency requirements in the GCC region.
• Strong understanding of microservices, Kubernetes, and API Gateway security.
• Experience mentoring developers and conducting fintech-specific secure design workshops.
• Strategic and hands-on security leader with deep fintech domain expertise.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management across technology, compliance, and executive teams.
• Proactive, analytical thinker passionate about protecting digital trust in the financial ecosystem.

What we look for:

If you are a performance-driven, inquisitive mind with the agility to adapt to ambiguity, you will fit right in. You should be eager to explore opportunities to build meaningful collaborations with stakeholders and aspire to create unique customer-centric solutions. Bias for action and a passion to conquer new frontiers in the AI space is at the heart of our community.