At DEFEND, our dream is to improve everyday life by creating a cyber resilient world. As a Senior Cybersecurity Architect, you will help customers navigate complex cybersecurity challenges, develop strategic roadmaps, and architect secure solutions that enable business success while strengthening cyber resilience.

This role is not only a thought leader for our customers, but also a recognised security subject matter expert for both customers and DEFEND colleagues. You will be trusted to lead complex security engagements end-to-end, influence strategic outcomes, and deliver architecture that drives meaningful business value.

What You'll Do

• Lead the architecture and design of enterprise security solutions across on-premises and multi-cloud environments, ensuring security, scalability, resilience, and business alignment.
• Lead security engagements throughout the entire lifecycle, from business requirements and strategic planning through to architecture, design, governance, and successful delivery.
• Own the delivery of high-level designs, detailed designs, concept analysis, reference architectures, security patterns, and operating models that enable successful customer outcomes.
• Act as a trusted advisor to customers and stakeholders, providing strategic cybersecurity guidance, thought leadership, and helping shape their cyber resilience journey.
• Design and optimise security capabilities across cloud, SaaS, hybrid, and enterprise environments, including security monitoring, detection, governance, and data protection solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across the DEFEND team, sharing knowledge, promoting architectural excellence, and contributing to the evolution of our practices and capabilities.

Requirements

• 10+ years' experience as a Cybersecurity Architect designing and delivering security solutions for enterprise customers, with a proven track record of leading complex security engagements and strategic initiatives.
• Strong customer-facing consulting experience, including stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and the ability to act as a trusted advisor to both technical and executive audiences.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to confidently write and review architecture designs, reports, procedures, standards, and executive-level recommendations, while translating complex technical concepts into meaningful business outcomes.
• An outcomes-focused mindset with the ability to translate business requirements into practical, secure, and scalable solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Proven experience identifying, assessing, and mitigating cyber threats while advising organisations on the secure adoption of new technologies, operating models, and business processes.
• Extensive experience securing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including the design and security of Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) solutions, and managing risks associated with IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services.
• Experience securing enterprise SaaS and business-critical platforms such as Salesforce, SAP, and other strategic business applications.
• Strong expertise in enterprise security monitoring and detection capabilities, including modern SIEM, SOAR, SOC operating models, and observability platforms.
• Deep understanding of security architecture principles, including logging, monitoring, alerting, security controls, secrets management, certificate lifecycle management, and enterprise security frameworks.
• Experience with data protection and information governance technologies and practices, including data classification, data handling, data labelling, and enterprise data security strategies.
• Hands-on experience with modern cybersecurity technologies such as Microsoft Purview, Zscaler, Proofpoint, and related enterprise security platforms.
• Strong understanding of compliance and regulatory frameworks, including PCI DSS and other security standards relevant to enterprise environments.
• Experience assessing enterprise environments and documenting business, security, and operational workflows to support architecture, governance, and transformation outcomes.
• Knowledge of emerging security domains, including AI security risks, governance considerations, and secure AI adoption practices.
• Experience with Cloudflare, Vercel, and modern edge, cloud, and distributed security architectures.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex customer engagements simultaneously while maintaining high-quality deliverables and meeting tight deadlines.
• Strong collaboration and leadership skills, with a commitment to mentoring others, sharing knowledge, and contributing positively to a high-performing consulting team.

Benefits

About DEFEND: 

Our dream at DEFEND is to improve everyday life by creating a cyber resilient world. Over the last few years, we've experienced phenomenal growth and winning several industry awards, including Microsoft's Global Partner of the Year for 2025!  

Why DEFEND? 

We believe in investing in our employees’ growth and providing them with opportunities to advance their skills and careers. We offer a collaborative workplace culture, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where innovative thinking is encouraged.     

By joining our innovative and creative team you will have the opportunity to contribute a variety of cybersecurity outcomes, from culture & awareness of cyber resilience, through to offensive & defensive security. No matter what your role, everyone at DEFEND contributes towards our dream of creating a cyber resilient world.    

The benefits of working at DEFEND  

In addition to working for a growing, dynamic NZ company, DEFEND offers the following benefits to all our DEFENDers  

• 3.5% Kiwisaver on top of your base salary  

• Southern Cross Health Insurance coverage  

• Mobile and Broadband discounts for yourself and family   

• Flexible, hybrid work environment  

• An allowance to contribute to your home office setup  

• Access to EAP services to support you across a range of wellbeing needs  

Diversity & Inclusion: 

At DEFEND, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We know from experience that people from underrepresented groups often don’t apply for roles they don’t feel they meet all the criteria for. We’re committed to creating an environment that enables all our team to thrive. If you think you have what it takes, but don’t check every single box, please consider applying. We’d love to hear how you might contribute to the team and being our next DEFENDer. 

Ready to help build a more cyber resilient future with DEFEND? Apply now or learn more at: https://defend.co.nz/careers/