Senior AI Security Architect

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina•Columbia, SC

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior AI Security Architect, within the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer, supports the secure adoption of artificial intelligence by translating AI risk, security, privacy, and compliance requirements into practical architecture patterns, control requirements, and implementation guidance. The role works with Enterprise Architecture, I/S delivery teams, Data Governance, Privacy, IAM, Vendor Risk, CSOC, Legal, Compliance, Audit, and business owners to ensure AI solutions are appropriately designed, reviewed, monitored, and operated. The architect reviews systems for potential improvements and presents recommendations to the Architecture group and IS Senior Management. The position provides architectural direction and technical oversight for application and system initiatives, including change sheets, project efforts, R&D, and RFS efforts. It reviews and designs software and hardware builds, assesses system options and their risks, costs, benefits, and business impacts, and guides the integration and construction of applications. The architect helps establish standards, makes and escalates architectural decisions, supports resource planning, and documents integration and implementation frameworks for technical-standard changes. The role also evaluates software packages, researches architecture topics and vendor alerts, documents findings in whitepapers, and advises on proposals that may affect systems. It mentors others, builds relationships across development and business teams, communicates the impact of strategic technical decisions, and supports customer requests, security patches, audits, RFPs, RFIs, and RFS estimates for assigned applications. This is a full-time position, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. The hybrid schedule requires three office days, Tuesday through Thursday, and two work-from-home days, Monday and Friday, in Columbia, South Carolina. Business needs may sometimes require additional in-office work. The position is not eligible for sponsorship now or in the future.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a job-related field.
At least 9 years of IT experience.
A track record of successfully managing joint IS/business teams through strategic challenges to meet business objectives.
Excellent negotiation and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated ability to develop and release quality products on time.
Ability to build collaborative relationships throughout complex organizations.
Understanding and application of current application or system development methodologies.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including communicating technical approaches to technical and non-technical audiences, management, and end-users.
Ability to lead dynamic, creative, multidisciplinary teams in a matrix environment.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of the technologies, architecture, practices, and direction of application areas.
Ability to acquire knowledge of company business practices and direction.
Alternatively, an associate degree plus 11 years of job-related work experience, or 13 total years of required work experience, may satisfy the stated degree equivalency.

Nice To Haves

Executive-level presentation and communication skills.
GenAI threat modeling.
IAM, data, and cloud protection experience.
AI security reference architectures.
Security architecture experience.
Knowledge of NIST, the AI Risk Management Framework, FISMA, FedRAMP, PCI, and ISO.
Data classification and categorization experience.
CISSP, CISM, CISA, AWS or Azure Certified Security Architect, or AWS or Azure Solutions Architect certification.
10 years of related business and architecture experience.

Responsibilities

Establish application architecture direction for change sheets, project efforts, R&D efforts, and RFS efforts in coordination with Enterprise Architecture.
Ensure business objectives are met using approved architecture principles.
Review and design system software and hardware builds, analyzing options, risks, cost versus benefit, and impact on enterprise processes and goals.
Provide architectural guidance on assigned efforts and lead the integration of solutions and construction of applications.
Review and authorize application-solution integration for complex projects within a business unit.
Provide technical oversight for complex business initiatives and ensure final products are properly integrated into the technical architecture.
Research application architecture for assigned R&D efforts and vendor alerts, documenting findings in whitepapers.
Evaluate software packages and make recommendations to IT management.
Coordinate with Project Leads and provide input on proposals that could affect systems.
Serve as a decision maker and escalation point for architectural decisions within assigned applications.
Advise IT groups on resource requirements for systems under development.
Develop and document frameworks for integration and implementation of changes to technical standards.
Mentor others and help ensure technical skills meet current and future technical leadership resource needs.
Facilitate standards and guidelines for technology-solution design, including solutions integrating multiple platforms, operating systems, and applications across the enterprise.
Collaborate with development teams and design personnel to ensure solutions are architecturally sound.
Communicate the impact of strategic technical decisions and corporate architecture and technology direction to application owners and project and design team members.
Build and maintain relationships that support business and technical objectives.
Build customer relationships and help ensure solutions meet customer business requirements.
Review customer requests, security patches, and audit requirements for system changes, assessing feasibility while maintaining appropriate infrastructure.
Support RFP and marketing efforts as a subject matter expert for assigned applications; answer RFIs and certify RFS estimates.