Principal Security Architect

Holmes Murphy Insurance • West Des Moines, IA

3d

About The Position

The Principal Security Architect is a senior technical leader on the Information Security team, responsible for designing and advancing enterprise security architecture across data protection, Microsoft security technologies, identity, cloud, and Security Operations. The role combines strategic architecture with hands-on technical leadership to reduce risk and implement scalable security solutions. The position is based in West Des Moines, Iowa.

The architect establishes enterprise security standards, design patterns, roadmaps, and target-state architectures aligned with business objectives, emerging risks, and applicable frameworks and requirements. The role includes leading data security architecture with Varonis and Microsoft Purview; providing architectural leadership across Microsoft security technologies; supporting identity and Zero Trust initiatives; and designing secure Azure, AWS, and hybrid environments. The architect works with technology teams and third-party security providers, evaluates technologies and designs, and recommends practical controls to improve security and operational efficiency.

The role also includes participating in meetings and training, maintaining standardized processes and quality guidelines, providing backup assistance to team members, managing special projects, and performing other assigned duties. The position requires availability for daily work and extended hours as necessary, ongoing learning, and compliance with HMA's Client Privacy Policy, HIPAA regulations, and E&O procedures and policies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• 6–8+ years of progressive cybersecurity experience, including demonstrated experience in security architecture, security engineering, or technical design.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise security architecture principles, including security patterns, reference architectures, defense-in-depth, and Zero Trust.
• Strong understanding of security threats, vulnerabilities, attack techniques, and control frameworks, including MITRE ATT&CK, and ability to incorporate them into secure architecture and design.
• Strong understanding of Security Operations architecture, including SOC/MDR, SIEM, security telemetry, threat detection, and incident response integration.
• Strong knowledge of identity and access architecture, including RBAC, least privilege, MFA, privileged access, identity governance, and Zero Trust principles.
• Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security architecture, including identity, network, application, workload, and data protection controls.
• Strong understanding of data security architecture, including data classification, encryption, DLP, access governance, and protection of sensitive information.
• Demonstrated ability to design, evaluate, and guide implementation of enterprise security architectures across cloud, identity, data, applications, infrastructure, and Security Operations.
• Knowledge of recognized security and compliance frameworks such as NIST CSF, CIS Controls, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GLBA.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to translate complex technical risks and architectural decisions into clear business recommendations.
• Ability to evaluate solution architectures, identify security gaps, and recommend practical controls and remediation strategies.
• Ability to establish security architecture standards, guardrails, and technical direction while influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Ability to collaborate with security, infrastructure, cloud, application, data, and business teams to embed security into technology designs and strategic initiatives.
• Ability to be available for work daily and for extended hours as necessary.
• Ability and willingness to participate consistently in internal and external educational opportunities and pursue relevant designations or continuing education as appropriate.
• Ability to apply common-sense understanding to written, oral, or diagrammed instructions and address problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, or pull objects.
• Must be knowledgeable of and comply with HMA's Client Privacy Policy, HIPAA regulations, and E&O procedures and policies.
• Candidates must not require immigration sponsorship now or in the future, including employer participation in renewal, extension, or new authorization processes.

Nice To Haves

• Senior security architecture or technical leadership experience.
• CISSP, CCSP, Microsoft security certifications, or comparable security and cloud certifications.
• Strong experience with Varonis and Microsoft Purview, including data discovery, classification, access governance, information protection, and DLP.
• Strong experience with the Microsoft security ecosystem, including Entra ID, Defender XDR, Sentinel, and Microsoft 365 security capabilities.
• Experience designing identity and access security, including RBAC, least privilege, MFA, privileged access, Conditional Access, and Zero Trust principles.
• Working knowledge of Security Operations architecture, including SIEM, SOC/MDR, security telemetry, threat detection, incident response, and security tool integrations.
• Experience conducting security architecture and design reviews, identifying security gaps, and recommending practical, risk-based controls.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain enterprise security architecture, standards, and security design patterns.
• Lead data security architecture using Varonis and Microsoft Purview, including data discovery, classification, sensitivity labeling, access governance, and DLP.
• Design and improve security monitoring, SOC/MDR, SIEM, detection, and incident response capabilities.
• Provide architectural leadership across Microsoft Entra ID, Defender XDR, Sentinel, Intune, and Microsoft 365 security.
• Support identity and Zero Trust initiatives, including RBAC, least privilege, Conditional Access, MFA, and privileged access.
• Design secure Azure, AWS, and hybrid environments, establishing guardrails for identity, network, application, and data protection.
• Partner with technology teams and third-party security providers to strengthen prevention, detection, and response capabilities.
• Develop roadmaps and target-state architectures aligned with business objectives, emerging risks, and NIST CSF, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, SOC 2, HIPAA, GLBA, and NYDFS requirements.
• Assess new technologies, applications, projects, and architectures to identify risks and recommend appropriate security controls.
• Conduct security architecture and technical design reviews for new and existing technologies and vendors; recommend solutions that reduce risk, improve security capabilities, and support operational efficiency.
• Attend team and enterprise meetings and leadership training opportunities offered internally and externally.
• Support and maintain standardized processes to provide efficient, effective, quality service according to established guidelines.
• Provide backup assistance for team members as necessary.
• Manage special projects and perform other duties as assigned.
• Participate in educational opportunities and pursue relevant designations or continuing education as appropriate.
• Comply with HMA's Client Privacy Policy, HIPAA regulations, and E&O procedures and policies.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Paid parental leave and supportive new parent benefits.
• Company-paid continuing education and tuition reimbursement.
• 401(k) profit sharing, including an annual lump-sum contribution for every full-time employee.
• Generous time off practices and paid holidays.
• Paid volunteer time off and employee matching gifts to charities.
• Inclusion and belonging programs, including a paid Diversity Day time-off option, Employee Resource Groups, a committee, and development programs.
• Annual merit increase and promotion opportunities.
• Annual discretionary bonus opportunity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior