Principal Security Architect - Azure Cloud

Principal Security Architect - Azure Cloud (Financial Services)Contract|Initial term until December 2025 (with extension)|£600/day PAYE + 12.07% holiday pay | Primarily Remote (occasional London days) Robert Half is supporting a Global Consulting Firm in the recruitment of a Principal Security Architect to partner with them and their end client - a leading global financial services organisation - on a major Azure cloud migration and transformation programme. This is a high-impact role for an experienced Enterprise/Principal-level Security Architect who can engage across architecture design boards, influence governance processes, and lead technical direction for Azure-based platforms and applications. Contract Assignment Details • Start date: ASAP • Contract length: Until December 2025 - potential extension • Location: Primarily remote, with flexibility for occasional days in London • Rate: £600/day PAYE plus 12.07% holiday pay (PAYE with employer's NI & tax deducted at source - no umbrella company admin fees) Key Responsibilities • Lead the security architecture and design for applications and workloads migrating into Azure. • Develop and embed security control designs, standards, and reusable design patterns for Azure services. • Act as the security authority across application, infrastructure, and data layers within Azure and hybrid environments. • Collaborate with enterprise architecture and engineering teams to align solutions to security best practices. • Conduct and oversee threat modelling, risk assessments, and architectural reviews for Azure and hybrid deployments. • Advise on secure DevOps, CI/CD integration, and security-by-design principles. • Support Architecture Review Boards and governance processes. • Engage with senior business and technology stakeholders to ensure alignment with regulatory and risk frameworks (ISO27001, NIST, FCA, GDPR, PCI-DSS). Required Experience • Extensive experience as a Security Architect within large-scale financial services or enterprise environments. • Proven ability to design and implement secure architectures within Microsoft Azure. • Strong understanding of Azure identity, network security, encryption, and data protection. • Experience with security frameworks (SABSA, TOGAF) and enterprise architecture governance. • Hands-on familiarity with security tooling such as SIEM, Defender for Cloud, Key Vault, Sentinel, etc. • Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills across business, risk, and technical domains. • Experience working within consulting or global programmes is highly advantageous. Full financial and criminal checks will be conducted. CCJs or undeclared issues may lead to disqualification. • Seniority Level Associate • Industry • Financial Services • IT Services and IT Consulting • Banking • Employment Type Contract • Job Functions • Information Technology • Skills • Microsoft Azure • IT Integration • Architecture Frameworks • Technology Security • Architecture Reviews • Financial Services • Architecture • Network Security • Incident Response • Security Robert Half Ltd acts as an employment business for temporary positions and an employment agency for permanent positions. Robert Half is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Suitable candidates with equivalent qualifications and more or less experience can apply. Rates of pay and salary ranges are dependent upon your experience, qualifications and training. If you wish to apply, please read our Privacy Notice describing how we may process, disclose and store your personal data: gb/en/privacy-notice.