Cybersecurity Architect

Position Summary

Leading consumer lending company is seeking a Senior Cybersecurity Architect with deep expertise in NIST frameworks , enterprise security solution design , solution review , and governance . This strategic role is critical to shaping and guiding secure technology implementations across the organization. The ideal candidate is both a technical expert and a governance leader-someone who can design robust cybersecurity architectures and ensure alignment with regulatory and organizational standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop enterprise-wide security architectures aligned to NIST standards (e.g., NIST CSF, SP 800-53, SP 800-171, SP 800-207)
• Design scalable, secure solutions that address identified risks and business objectives across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments
• Translate business and technical requirements into secure solution blueprints
• Contribute to the development of reference architectures and security patterns

Solution Review & Risk Mitigation

• Lead architecture and security reviews for new technologies, applications, and systems
• Identify gaps and weaknesses in proposed solutions and advise on appropriate risk mitigation strategies
• Collaborate with engineering and infrastructure teams to ensure secure deployment of systems and services
• Provide technical guidance to project and product teams throughout the system development lifecycle

Governance & Standards

• Develop and maintain security architecture standards, policies, and control frameworks in alignment with NIST and industry best practices
• Participate in or lead internal security governance boards and architecture review boards
• Ensure solutions meet internal risk, compliance, and regulatory requirements (e.g., CMMC, ISO 27001, PCI DSS)
• Contribute to maturity assessments and continuous improvement efforts for cybersecurity architecture

Collaboration & Leadership

• Act as a subject matter expert on cybersecurity architecture for stakeholders across IT, engineering, compliance, and risk teams
• Mentor junior architects and security engineers
• Communicate complex technical and risk concepts clearly to business leaders and non-technical audiences
• Stay up to date on emerging threats, technologies, and changes to the NIST ecosystem

Qualifications

Required

• 7-10 years of experience in cybersecurity, with 3+ years in a security architecture or similar role
• Deep working knowledge of NIST frameworks (CSF, SP 800-53, 800-171, 800-207 Zero Trust)
• Demonstrated experience designing and reviewing secure architectures for enterprise systems and cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure)
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity domains including identity and access management (IAM), network security, data protection, and application security
• Strong understanding of LLMs, AI, and GenAI solutions including agentic AI and MCP hardening.
• Experience working in a regulated environment and aligning technical controls to compliance frameworks
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and documentation skills

Preferred

• Industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, SABSA, or AWS Certified Security
• Experience with Zero Trust Architecture and modern security models
• Familiarity with DevSecOps and infrastructure-as-code security
• Experience working in large, complex, or federal/compliance-driven organizations

Title Cybersecurity Architect
Location : Baltimore, MD
Client Industry Finance
Compensation $110-130/hr