Security architect
Security architects design the security of the organisation's digital health services, so that patient information stays confidential, accurate, and available when care needs it. They set security patterns and controls, assess the security risk of new designs and suppliers, and help teams make risk-based decisions that keep services both safe and usable for clinicians and patients.
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- Architecture
- UK GDaD PCF role
- Security architect (Architecture)
- ESCO occupations
- ICT system architect (ISCO-08 2511); cybersecurity risk manager (ISCO-08 2529)
- On GitHub
- Role document · Role data
Levels
| Band | Role level | UK GDaD PCF level | Civil Service grades | Job evaluation points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8a | Security architect | Security architect | HEO/SEO/G7 | 560 |
| 8b | Lead security architect | Lead security architect | G7/G6 | 613 |
| 8c | Principal security architect | Principal security architect | G6 | 662 |
In a digital health care organisation
- Health organisations are frequent targets of ransomware and data theft, and an attack can stop clinical services, so availability is as important as confidentiality.
- Security controls must not get in the way of urgent care, so designs balance strong authentication with fast access in clinical settings.
- Connected medical devices and legacy clinical systems often cannot be patched quickly, so architects design compensating controls such as segmentation.
- Many staff, partner organisations, and suppliers need access to patient records, so identity, role-based access, and audit are central.
- Security designs must support information governance duties and published security standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001.
UK GDaD PCF role description
A security architect designs and builds secure solutions.
ESCO occupations and skills
ESCO lists the skills and knowledge that employers usually need (essential) or may need (optional) for each occupation. Use them as a checklist for development conversations.
ICT system architect
ICT system architects design architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a multi-components system to meet specified requirements.
Essential skills and knowledge (23)
Skills and competences
- acquire system component
- align software with system architectures
- analyse business requirements
- apply ICT systems theory
- assess ICT knowledge
- create data models
- define technical requirements
- design enterprise architecture
- design information system
- implement ICT security policies
- integrate system components
- manage database
- manage system testing
- use an application-specific interface
- use markup languages
Knowledge
Optional skills and knowledge (69)
Skills and competences
- apply technical communication skills
- build business relationships
- design cloud architecture
- design database in the cloud
- design database scheme
- design for organisational complexity
- design process
- develop with cloud services
- manage cloud data and storage
- manage staff
- manage standards for data exchange
- perform resource planning
- plan migration to cloud
- provide cost benefit analysis reports
- solve ICT system problems
- use object-oriented programming
Knowledge
- ABAP
- AJAX
- APL
- ASP.NET
- Agile project management
- Assembly (computer programming)
- C#
- C++
- COBOL
- CoffeeScript
- Common Lisp
- Erlang
- Groovy
- Haskell
- ICT process quality models
- ICT project management methodologies
- ICT security legislation
- ICT system integration
- ICT system programming
- Java (computer programming)
- JavaScript
- Lisp
- MATLAB
- ML (computer programming)
- Microsoft Visual C++
- Objective-C
- OpenEdge Advanced Business Language
- Oracle WebLogic
- PHP
- Pascal (computer programming)
- Perl
- Process-based management
- Prolog (computer programming)
- Python (computer programming)
- R
- Ruby (computer programming)
- SAP R3
- SAS language
- Scala
- Scratch (computer programming)
- Smalltalk (computer programming)
- Swift (computer programming)
- TypeScript
- VBScript
- Visual Basic
- computer programming
- defence standard procedures
- image recognition
- information structure
- lean project management
- model based system engineering
- security engineering
- task algorithmisation
cybersecurity risk manager
Cybersecurity risk managers identify, analyse, assess, estimate and mitigate cybersecurity-related risks of ICT infrastructures such as systems or services. They manage these aspects by planning risk analysis, applying, reporting, assessing, communicating, and treating them. They establish a risk management strategy for the organisation and ensure that risks remain at an acceptable level for the organisation by selecting mitigation actions and controls.
Essential skills and knowledge (22)
Skills and competences
- advice on security risk management
- communicate with stakeholders
- engage with stakeholders
- ensure adherence to organisational ICT standards
- establish an ICT security prevention plan
- establish an Information Security Management System
- implement ICT risk management
- manage system security
Knowledge
- ICT network security risks
- ICT performance analysis methods
- ICT security standards
- assessment of risks and threats
- attack vectors
- cyber attack counter-measures
- cyber security
- ethical hacking principles
- information security strategy
- internal risk management policy
- risk management
- security engineering
- security threats
Other
Optional skills and knowledge (50)
Skills and competences
- define security policies
- define technology strategy
- design for organisational complexity
- develop information security strategy
- develop with cloud services
- execute ICT audits
- identify ICT security risks
- implement ICT security policies
- implement a firewall
- implement a virtual private network
- implement anti-virus software
- implement cloud security and compliance
- implement spam protection
- lead disaster recovery exercises
- manage disaster recovery plans
- manage keys for data protection
- remove computer virus or malware from a computer
- solve ICT system problems
- use ICT ticketing system
- use an application-specific interface
- use back-up and recovery tools
Knowledge
- ICT encryption
- ICT problem management techniques
- ICT process quality models
- ICT project management
- ICT quality policy
- ICT recovery techniques
- ICT security legislation
- ICT system user requirements
- Internet of Things
- Open source model
- Outsourcing model
- audit techniques
- cloud monitoring and reporting
- cloud security and compliance
- computer forensics
- decision support systems
- domain name service
- hybrid model
- information confidentiality
- internet governance
- investment analysis
- legal requirements of ICT products
- levels of software testing
- mobile device management
- organisational resilience
- service-oriented modelling
- systems development life-cycle
- tools for ICT test automation
- web application security threats
Contains ESCO v1.2.1 data (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). © European Union. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.