Lead Security Enterprise Architect Ref 197578

• about the role
  
  

About Us

Our client operates a long-established retail and distribution group across the Middle East, specialising in beauty, fashion and gift categories. The organisation manages omnichannel retail, wholesale distribution and marketing services across multiple regional markets, supporting complex product portfolios and extensive partner networks. Technology underpins customer experience, merchandising, and logistics, and the security function protects high-volume transactions, customer data and brand integrity.

Job Description

The Lead Security Enterprise Architect will define and implement an enterprise-wide security architecture that protects critical retail systems while enabling commercial growth. The role requires shaping security standards, secure design patterns and technical roadmaps across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments. The successful candidate will translate business risk into architectural solutions, advise on secure integrations for e-commerce and point-of-sale systems, and ensure security is embedded in major programmes and vendor engagements. Success will be measured by reduced operational risk, improved security maturity and secure delivery of strategic initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain an enterprise security architecture framework, principles and reference designs aligned to business objectives and regulatory obligations.
• Conduct architecture reviews and risk assessments for high-impact projects and programmes, delivering practical mitigation plans.
• Architect secure solutions for cloud, hybrid and on-premises platforms including identity, network segmentation, data protection and application security patterns.
• Define and enforce security controls for e-commerce, point-of-sale and supply chain systems and integrate them into delivery lifecycles.
• Assess third-party security posture, lead security requirements during procurement and manage secure vendor integrations.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineering and operations teams to promote security-by-design and reusable secure patterns.
• Participate in incident response and post-incident reviews to strengthen architecture and prevent recurrence.
• Produce clear architecture documentation, threat models, trade-off analyses and briefings for senior stakeholders.
  
  

Requirements

• Extensive experience in enterprise security architecture, with proven delivery of secure designs across multi-domain enterprise environments.
• Deep technical knowledge of cloud security (public and hybrid), identity and access management, network security, encryption and secure software design.
• Proven experience assessing vendor and third-party risk and defining security requirements for commercial integrations.
• Strong capability in producing architecture artefacts, threat models and executive-level briefings.
• Relevant security certifications such as CISSP, SABSA, TOGAF or cloud provider security credentials preferred.
• Experience in retail, distribution or high-volume transactional environments, including point-of-sale or e-commerce platforms preferred.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to influence senior business and technical leaders.
  
  

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience.
• Professional development support including training and certification reimbursement.
• Opportunity to lead strategic security initiatives with measurable organisational impact.
• Access to modern tools, cloud platforms and security technologies.
• Flexible working arrangements in line with role requirements.
  
  

Other

This position offers a strategic security leadership opportunity within a mature regional retail and distribution organisation. Candidates who have protected transactional platforms, led cloud migrations or managed vendor-integrated solutions will be given priority. The role is based in Dubai and will involve regular collaboration with regional stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

Harry Freeman

Associate Director, Contract, Technology

ETail Specialist

• harry.freeman@forsythbarnes.com

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