Sr. Security Architect

Alkami Technology•Bentonville, AR

2d•Remote

About The Position

Alkami is seeking a Sr. Security Architect to join our Enterprise Information Security team. This role is crucial for enabling business initiatives through robust security practices. The architect will act as a trusted partner, translating complex security risks into clear business language and negotiating practical solutions that balance business velocity with security best practices. The position involves deep technical work, including cloud security architecture design, and strategic responsibilities such as presenting roadmaps to leadership. The architect will collaborate with SRE and development teams, manage the network penetration testing program, and address emerging security challenges like AI and agentic systems. This is a remote position with required travel twice a year for team gatherings.

Requirements

8+ years of proven experience as a security architect
Deep expertise in cloud platforms, specifically AWS and/or GCP
Proficiency with security tools and technologies including Wiz and Cloudflare
Strong command of security architecture frameworks such as NIST CSF 2.0 and NIST AI RMF
Experience building and maintaining security systems with a focus on data and application security
Hands-on background with firewalls, intrusion detection systems, authentication systems, log management, anti-virus, and content filtering
Solid knowledge of network configurations, devices, and security monitoring tools
Up-to-date understanding of the latest security principles, techniques, and protocols
Familiarity with web technologies, web services, and service-oriented architectures and their associated protocols
Proven ability to negotiate and influence — push back when needed, find creative middle ground, and bring stakeholders along without creating friction
Strong business acumen — understand how companies operate, what drives decision-making, and how to frame security in terms of business risk and opportunity
Strong leadership presence — influence and drive cultural change toward security-first thinking
Exceptional communicator, equally comfortable presenting technical concepts to engineers and translating risk for business leaders
BS in Computer Science or a related field, or an additional 3 years of equivalent experience
Must be eligible to work in the US for full-time employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in financial services, with an understanding of the sector's unique regulatory and security landscape
CISSP, CCSP, or CISM certification
Hands-on experience integrating security into CI/CD pipelines and automating continuous security validation
Advanced knowledge of data protection, encryption methods, and privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA
Proficiency in risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategy development
Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture and the application of AI/ML in cybersecurity contexts
Track record of effective collaboration across development, operations, legal, and executive leadership — including a history of finding yes when others defaulted to no

Responsibilities

Act as a genuine business partner, not a gatekeeper, engaging with teams early to understand their goals and help them achieve them securely.
Translate complex security risks into clear business language for informed decision-making.
Negotiate practical solutions that balance business velocity with security best practices.
Own security initiatives end-to-end, from gap identification and solution selection through implementation and handoff, including deliberate transition plans for security engineering and operations.
Develop and execute a forward-looking, cloud-first security architecture vision.
Identify gaps in current security posture and research emerging technologies, including AI/agentic security.
Build practical tools and agents to reduce friction for internal teams, such as clarifying permission requirements.
Lead the company's formal adoption of NIST CSF 2.0 and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, including gap analyses and cross-functional alignment.
Champion standardized security architecture frameworks to mature security discipline.
Define and maintain Terraform-based configuration standards and modern identity management practices.
Drive migration to AWS IAM Identity Center and advance a "secure-by-design" infrastructure posture through Policy-as-Code.
Ensure data and application security are foundational in all development.
Formalize and run a threat modeling program that integrates security into the design phase.
Support CI/CD security gating to ensure secure container images reach production.
Deliver focused, actionable vulnerability reporting for remediation teams.
Manage the network penetration testing program, coordinating approximately five third-party engagements annually.
Ensure penetration tests are well-scoped, on schedule, and findings are translated into clear, prioritized remediation readouts.
Design cybersecurity solutions that align with enterprise policy and are practical for implementation.
Coach and mentor technical staff in cybersecurity disciplines.
Provide hands-on consulting to development and SRE teams on critical projects.
Help rally InfoSec partners to ensure security requirements remain prioritized in cross-functional work.
Raise security awareness across the enterprise through ongoing education and communication.
Contribute meaningful input to policies and security control configurations.
Develop technical solutions and tooling that automate repeatable tasks and reduce vulnerability exposure.