Principal Security Architect - Data Protection and Workplace Security

Ally and Your Career Ally Financial only succeeds when its people do - and that’s more than some cliché people put on job postings. We live this stuff! We see our people as, well, people — with interests, families, friends, dreams, and causes that are all important to them. Our focus is on the health and safety of our teammates as well as work‑life balance and diversity and inclusion. From generous benefits to a variety of employee resource groups, we strive to build paths that encourage employees to stretch themselves professionally. We want to help you grow, develop, and learn new things. You’re constantly evolving, so shouldn’t your opportunities be, too? Work Schedule Ally designates roles as (1) fully on‑site, (2) hybrid, or (3) fully remote. Hybrid roles are generally expected to be in the office a certain number of days per week as indicated by your manager. Your hiring manager will discuss this role’s specific work requirements with you during the hiring process. All work requirements are subject to change at any time based on leader discretion and/or business need. The Opportunity At Ally, you get a startup feel, but experience the benefits of a company that has worked out the kinks and is fulfilling its purpose. We are always evolving and see that as a good thing. From owning our work to seeing its impact in the real world, our team is relentless in finding new ways technology can help make experiences better and help people. We are problem solvers, we value diverse thinking, we support one another, and we challenge ourselves to think bigger in the journey to deliver customer‑obsessed tech solutions. Lead the strategy, design, and governance of enterprise security architecture across data protection and workplace security domains. This role is accountable for defining the target‑state security architecture and driving execution across critical capabilities, including data security, enterprise data platforms (e.g., Snowflake), email security, and endpoint protection. Ensure security solutions are aligned with business priorities, enterprise architecture standards, regulatory requirements, and risk management objectives. This role partners across security engineering, infrastructure, workplace technology, data platform, architecture, risk, and compliance organizations to drive consistent, scalable, and resilient security outcomes protecting enterprise users, devices, communications, and sensitive data while enabling business agility. At this time, Ally will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position. The Work Itself Key Responsibilities Own and define the strategic roadmap, standards, and target‑state architecture for data protection and workplace security capabilities Provide enterprise‑wide architectural leadership across data security, enterprise data platforms, email security, and endpoint security domains Enforce architecture governance to ensure security requirements are embedded in business and technology initiatives Drive development and adoption of reference architectures, design patterns, and implementation standards across the enterprise Partner with engineering, infrastructure, workplace technology, and data platform leaders to enable secure‑by‑design delivery and lifecycle management of security capabilities Continuously assess security posture, identify systemic control gaps, and lead remediation strategies and capability maturity improvements Serve as a senior subject‑matter expert for data protection and workplace security technologies, including DLP, data classification, encryption, masking, endpoint protection, EDR/XDR, secure email controls, and device hardening Lead architectural strategy for securing modern data platforms, including Snowflake, data lakes, and data warehouse environments Define enterprise patterns for secure data access, protection, monitoring, and governance across data platforms Oversee vendor strategy, product evaluations, and architectural due diligence to ensure alignment with long‑term security strategy Partner with risk, privacy, legal, compliance, and incident response leadership to ensure control alignment and operational effectiveness Lead and influence threat modeling, architecture review processes, and security risk assessments Ensure alignment with enterprise security policies, regulatory obligations, and industry control frameworks Communicate architecture strategy, roadmaps, and risk posture to executive stakeholders and senior leadership The Skills You Bring Minimum Requirements 7+ years of relevant experience Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field or equivalent Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (or equivalent experience) Minimum 10 years of experience in information security, cybersecurity, or related technology disciplines Minimum 5 years of experience in security architecture, with demonstrated experience at an enterprise or domain level Proven experience leading architecture strategy across multiple domains, including data security, enterprise data platform security (e.g., Snowflake), data lake and data warehouse security, email security, endpoint security, and enterprise security architecture Deep expertise in data protection practices, including data classification, DLP, encryption, masking, and access protection strategies Strong knowledge of modern data platform security concepts, including role‑based access control, segmentation, secure data sharing, logging, and monitoring Strong knowledge of endpoint security controls, including endpoint protection, EDR/XDR, device hardening, vulnerability management, and endpoint lifecycle management Strong understanding of email security capabilities, including phishing protection, email authentication standards, and secure messaging controls Deep understanding of security architecture methodologies, risk‑based control design, and enterprise governance frameworks Proven ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders Strong executive communication, strategic thinking, and decision‑making skills Experience in a large enterprise or highly regulated industry Experience leading security architecture in cloud‑based data platforms, including Snowflake and modern data ecosystems Familiarity with Microsoft 365 security controls, collaboration security, and modern endpoint management platforms Knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST, CRI, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, or SABSA Experience driving zero‑trust architectures and cloud security strategies Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, GIAC, or equivalent Leadership & Core Competencies Enterprise strategy and architectural vision Risk posture management and control design leadership Organizational influence and executive stakeholder management Cross‑functional leadership and alignment Technical depth with strategic oversight Decision‑making under risk and ambiguity Highly Preferred Hands‑on experience developing or prototyping automation solutions using scripting or programming languages (e.g., Python, PowerShell) Experience with reporting and analytics platforms such as Power BI, SharePoint, Jira, and Confluence Experience building or leveraging AI/ML‑based security tools or automation capabilities Who We Are Ally Financial is a customer‑centric, leading digital financial services company with passionate customer service and innovative financial solutions. We are relentlessly focused on "Doing it Right" and being a trusted financial‑services provider to our consumer, commercial, and corporate customers. Equal Opportunity & Accommodation Ally is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy status, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic disposition or any other reason protected by law. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical or mental disabilities. For accommodation requests, email us at View email address on click.appcast.io. Ally will not discriminate against any qualified individual who is capable of performing the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ally