Security Design Consultant

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Security Design Consultant

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Edinburgh, Leeds, Halifax, Manchester or Bristol (United Kingdom)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Security Operations / GTM Security Consulting

Date Posted: May 14, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and implement robust security solutions within the Group's change portfolio, ensuring a secure operating environment.

• Conduct in-depth threat modeling and risk assessments for proposed solutions using industry-standard methodologies like STRIDE and MITRE.

• Collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders to effectively communicate security designs and mitigate cyber threats.

• Contribute to the evolution of security strategy within the Chief Security Office, driving innovation in an agile framework.

• Ensure compliance with critical industry security standards such as ISO 27000 series, PCI DSS, NIST, and OWASP.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a "Security Consultancy and Design team" under the "Chief Security Office," indicating a focus on proactive security architecture and advisory services rather than incident response. The emphasis on "delivering change and working in an agile way" suggests close collaboration with project teams and a need for adaptable security integration. The role requires translating complex technical security concepts into understandable business risks and strategic recommendations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop, design, and document secure solutions, clearly articulating the necessary security controls and their implementation.

• Deconstruct complex solution and network architectures to identify potential security weaknesses and integration points.

• Proactively identify and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities associated with proposed technical solutions.

• Evaluate the soundness of security solutions using industry-standard practices such as STRIDE, MITRE ATT&CK frameworks, and other relevant threat intelligence.

• Interpret identified threats into actionable business risks, assessing likelihood and impact to guide business decisions.

• Effectively communicate intricate technical security concepts to diverse audiences, including technical teams, project managers, and senior leadership.

• Produce and articulate comprehensive Security Designs that align with project objectives and business requirements.

• Confidently weigh the risks and benefits of competing security design options to recommend the most optimal path forward.

• Manage and prioritize multiple challenging security design projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

• Ensure security considerations are embedded throughout the entire lifecycle of change initiatives within the Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on the "design" phase of security, requiring a proactive and consultative approach. The need to "deconstruct a solution/network architecture" and "interpret threats into Risks" points to a role that requires deep analytical skills and the ability to bridge the gap between technical security and business impact. The expectation to "weigh the risks and benefits of competing Security design options" indicates a strategic decision-making component.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field is typically expected.

• Professional certifications in Security Management such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, or equivalent are highly desirable, demonstrating a strong foundation in security principles and practices.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, with a significant focus on security architecture, design, and consulting.

• Proven track record of developing and documenting secure solutions and controls for complex IT environments.

• Demonstrated experience in threat modeling and risk assessment methodologies, including STRIDE and MITRE.

Required Skills:

• Security Design & Architecture: Ability to design secure, scalable, and resilient solutions that align with business objectives and security best practices.

• Threat Modeling & Risk Assessment: Proficiency in identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security threats and vulnerabilities using frameworks like STRIDE and MITRE ATT&CK.

• Technical Communication: Exceptional ability to articulate complex technical security concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Stakeholder Management: Proven experience in engaging with and influencing a diverse range of stakeholders, including project teams, business leaders, and IT personnel.

• Security Standards Awareness: Familiarity with key industry security standards and frameworks such as ISO 27000 series, PCI DSS, COBIT, NIST, and OWASP.

Preferred Skills:

• Cloud Security Expertise: Experience with security design principles and controls in public and/or private cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

• Security Certifications: CISSP, CISM, CCSP, CEH, OSCP, or equivalent professional certifications.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within agile development environments, integrating security throughout the development lifecycle.

• Consulting Experience: Previous experience in a security consulting role, advising on best practices and solution design.

• Scripting/Automation: Basic understanding or experience with scripting languages for security automation tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Any experience of these would be really useful" section clearly indicates preferred qualifications. The emphasis on both broad security management certifications (CISSP, CISM, CCSP) and technical domain certifications (CEH, OSCP) suggests the ideal candidate can bridge strategic security thinking with practical technical implementation. The mention of cloud environments is crucial given modern IT infrastructure.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Security Design Documentation: Showcase examples of comprehensive security design documents, detailing controls, architecture diagrams, and risk mitigation strategies. These should demonstrate your ability to translate complex requirements into actionable security blueprints.

• Threat & Risk Assessment Case Studies: Present detailed case studies of threat modeling exercises and risk assessments you have conducted. Highlight the methodologies used (e.g., STRIDE, MITRE), the identified risks, and the recommended controls, with a focus on quantifiable impact.

• Solution Evaluation Examples: Include examples where you have evaluated proposed solutions, analyzed their security posture, and provided recommendations for improvement or alternative designs, showing your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Stakeholder Communication Artifacts: If possible, provide anonymized examples of how you have communicated complex security designs or risk assessments to different audiences, demonstrating your ability to tailor your message effectively.

Process Documentation:

• Security Architecture Review Process: Document your approach to reviewing and approving security architectures, outlining the steps involved from initial submission to final sign-off, including key decision points and criteria.

• Threat Intelligence Integration: Detail how you integrate threat intelligence and industry best practices (e.g., MITRE ATT&CK, OWASP Top 10) into your security design process to ensure solutions are resilient against current threats.

• Security Control Implementation Standards: Outline your understanding of how to define and document security controls, ensuring they are measurable, auditable, and effectively implemented within project lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Security Design Consultant role, a portfolio demonstrating practical application of security design principles is critical. This includes tangible documentation of security designs, threat models, and risk assessments. The ability to show how these processes are structured and integrated into project lifecycles is also a key indicator of effectiveness.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £72,702 - £85,000 per annum

Benefits:

• Generous Pension Contribution: A substantial pension contribution of up to 15% of salary, supporting long-term financial security.

• Annual Performance-Related Bonus: Opportunity for an annual bonus based on individual and company performance, rewarding contributions.

• Share Schemes: Access to share schemes, including free shares, offering ownership and participation in the company's success.

• Discounted Shopping: A range of employee discounts on various goods and services, providing cost savings.

• Generous Holiday Allowance: A comprehensive holiday allowance, supplemented by additional bank holidays, ensuring ample time for rest and rejuvenation.

• Wellbeing Initiatives: A variety of programs and resources focused on supporting employee health and wellbeing, fostering a balanced work environment.

• Generous Parental Leave Policies: Extensive parental leave provisions, supporting employees during significant life events.

• Flexible Working Options: Hybrid working model and job share opportunities, promoting work-life balance and individual needs.

Working Hours: Full-time, with an expectation of approximately 40 hours per week. The working pattern is hybrid, requiring at least two days per week (or 40% of time) in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided (£72,702 - £85,000) is within the upper quartile for mid-level security consulting roles in the UK, reflecting the specialized skills and responsibilities. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on long-term financial well-being (pension, share schemes) and work-life balance (flexible working, generous holiday). The explicitly stated hybrid working requirement (2 days/40% in office) is important for candidates to note.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services. This industry context means security is paramount, with stringent regulatory requirements and a high threat landscape.

Company Size: Large enterprise (typically 10,000+ employees). This scale implies complex IT systems, extensive change portfolios, and a structured approach to security operations and governance.

Founded: 1765. With a long history, Lloyds Banking Group has a deep-rooted presence in the UK, combining tradition with a forward-looking approach to digital transformation and security.

Team Structure:

• Security Consultancy and Design Team: This team likely operates within or closely with the Chief Security Office (CSO). It comprises specialists who provide expert advice and design secure solutions for the bank's extensive change portfolio.

• Reporting Structure: The role reports into a Security Design Lead or Manager, who in turn likely reports into a senior leadership position within the CSO. Collaboration will be extensive with project managers, architects, developers, and infrastructure teams across various business units.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: High degree of collaboration with IT delivery teams, business stakeholders, risk management, and other security functions (e.g., threat intelligence, incident response, security operations) to ensure holistic security integration.

Methodology:

• Agile Working: The team operates in an agile way, meaning security design and risk assessment are integrated into development sprints and iterative project cycles. This requires flexibility and rapid response.

• Data-Driven Security: Decisions are informed by threat intelligence, risk assessments, and performance metrics, ensuring security strategies are evidence-based and effective.

• Proactive Design & Prevention: Emphasis is placed on embedding security early in the design phase to prevent vulnerabilities rather than solely relying on reactive measures.

Company Website: https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's status as a major financial institution underscores the critical importance of robust security. The "agile working" and "building the bank of the future" narratives suggest a dynamic environment where security professionals are expected to be innovative and adaptable, rather than static enforcers of policy. The extensive history implies a blend of legacy systems and modern infrastructure, presenting diverse security challenges.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level to senior consultant within the cybersecurity domain. It requires a strong foundation of technical expertise combined with the ability to influence strategic decisions and manage complex design projects. The scope involves contributing to the security of a large-scale change portfolio, indicating significant responsibility and impact.

Reporting Structure: The Security Design Consultant will likely report to a Security Design Lead or Manager. They will work closely with various project teams, architects, developers, and business stakeholders across different departments. This structure facilitates broad exposure to different parts of the bank's operations and technology landscape.

Operations Impact: The Security Design Consultant plays a crucial role in safeguarding Lloyds Banking Group's digital assets, customer data, and reputation. By embedding security early in the design phase, they directly contribute to preventing costly data breaches, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining customer trust. Their work has a direct impact on the bank's operational resilience and its ability to conduct business securely.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific security domains such as cloud security (AWS, Azure), application security, data security, or specific compliance frameworks.

• Leadership Development: Potential to progress into senior consulting roles, team leadership, or management positions within the Chief Security Office, overseeing larger design initiatives or teams.

• Strategic Influence: As experience grows, the opportunity to contribute more significantly to the group's overall security strategy, policy development, and technology roadmap.

• Professional Development: Continuous learning through certifications, training, industry conferences, and exposure to a wide array of security challenges within a large financial institution.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Potential to move into other areas of cybersecurity or IT governance within the group, leveraging acquired knowledge and experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a blend of technical depth and strategic advisory. Growth paths likely involve increased technical specialization, leadership in design teams, or a move towards broader security architecture or governance roles. The large organizational structure provides ample opportunities for varied projects and continuous learning.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model. While the role is not fully remote, it offers flexibility by allowing employees to work from home for a portion of the week. The primary office locations are in major UK cities, suggesting modern, well-equipped facilities.

Office Location(s): Edinburgh, Leeds, Halifax, Manchester, or Bristol. These are all significant business hubs, offering accessibility and a professional working environment. The exact office setup will vary by location but is expected to support collaborative work.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on agile working necessitate a workspace designed for collaboration, including meeting rooms, breakout areas, and potentially hot-desking facilities.

• Technology Access: Employees will have access to the necessary technology and tools to perform their duties effectively, both in the office and remotely, including secure network access and communication platforms.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with team members and cross-functional colleagues during office days, fostering team cohesion and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with an expectation of approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature allows for some flexibility in structuring the work week, balancing office presence with remote work, which can be beneficial for focused design tasks and deep work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key feature, requiring candidates to be comfortable with a mix of in-office and remote work. The office locations are in established business districts, implying professional and well-resourced environments conducive to collaborative security design work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and application to assess alignment with the core requirements and desired experience.

• Technical Interview(s): Expect in-depth discussions on your security design experience, threat modeling capabilities, risk assessment methodologies, and knowledge of security standards. You may be asked to walk through specific examples from your portfolio.

• Case Study/Scenario-Based Assessment: You might be presented with a hypothetical security design challenge or a real-world scenario to assess your problem-solving approach, decision-making process, and ability to articulate solutions. This could involve presenting your approach or detailing it in writing.

• Cultural Fit Interview: A conversation with team members or hiring managers to assess your fit with the team's agile working style, collaborative approach, and the company's values.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to confirm overall suitability and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your security design expertise, threat modeling skills, and ability to translate threats into business risks. Prioritize projects that demonstrate impact and complexity.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio with clear introductions for each project, outlining the problem, your role, the methodology used (STRIDE, MITRE, etc.), the solution designed, and the outcome or impact. Use diagrams where appropriate.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, quantify the benefits of your designs, such as risk reduction percentages, cost savings, or improved compliance scores.

• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize instances where you effectively collaborated with different teams and stakeholders to achieve successful security outcomes.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to discuss each element of your portfolio in detail, explaining your thought process, decisions, and any challenges encountered.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Landscape: Familiarize yourself with common security threats and vulnerabilities relevant to financial services and enterprise IT environments.

• Master Methodologies: Be proficient in explaining and applying STRIDE, MITRE ATT&CK, and other relevant threat modeling and risk assessment frameworks.

• Practice Articulation: Prepare to clearly and concisely explain technical security concepts and your design rationale to both technical and non-technical audiences. Practice articulating the business impact of security risks.

• Research Lloyds Banking Group: Understand their business, their focus on digital transformation, and the importance of security in their operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "Security Design" role suggests that interviewers will be keen to see practical application of skills. Therefore, a well-prepared portfolio showcasing specific design documents, threat models, and risk assessments is crucial. The interview process will likely involve scenario-based questions to evaluate problem-solving and communication skills under pressure.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Security Design & Architecture Tools: Familiarity with diagramming tools (e.g., Visio, Lucidchart) for creating architecture diagrams and security blueprints.

• Threat Modeling Frameworks: Practical experience with methodologies like STRIDE, PASTA, LINDDUN, and the MITRE ATT&CK framework for identifying and analyzing threats.

• Risk Management Tools: Experience with GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platforms or tools used for risk assessment, tracking, and reporting.

• Collaboration Platforms: Proficiency in using tools like Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence, or similar for project management, documentation, and team communication in an agile setting.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems: While not a direct operational role, understanding how SIEM data informs threat analysis and risk assessment is beneficial.

• Reporting Tools: Ability to generate reports on security designs, risks, and compliance status using standard office software or specialized GRC tools.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Software: Experience with agile project management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps) to integrate security into development workflows.

• Document Management Systems: Familiarity with systems for storing, versioning, and sharing design documents and security policies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tool names aren't listed, the role's nature implies a need for proficiency in diagramming and modeling tools, as well as familiarity with threat intelligence platforms and risk management frameworks. Experience with agile project management tools is also important for seamless integration into development lifecycles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Security First: A paramount commitment to protecting the bank's assets, data, and customers from cyber threats, fostering a culture where security is paramount in all decisions.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working together across different teams and departments to achieve common security goals, valuing diverse perspectives.

• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing change and evolving security practices to keep pace with emerging threats and technological advancements in an agile environment.

• Continuous Improvement: A dedication to learning, refining processes, and enhancing security solutions to maintain a robust and effective security posture.

• Integrity & Accountability: Upholding the highest ethical standards and taking ownership of security designs and recommendations, ensuring transparency and reliability.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively partnering with development teams, infrastructure engineers, project managers, and business stakeholders to embed security seamlessly into projects from inception.

• Open Communication: Encouraging a culture of open dialogue where security concerns can be raised and discussed constructively, fostering a proactive problem-solving approach.

• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share expertise and insights on security best practices, threats, and design patterns with colleagues to elevate the collective security knowledge within the organization.

• Constructive Feedback: Providing and receiving feedback in a constructive manner to continuously improve security designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely reflects the financial services industry's emphasis on trust, integrity, and risk management, combined with a modern approach to agile development and innovation. Collaboration is key, given the need to integrate security across a large, complex organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Evolving Threat Landscape: Staying ahead of sophisticated and rapidly changing cyber threats targeting the financial sector.

• Legacy Systems Integration: Designing secure solutions that integrate effectively with existing, potentially older, IT infrastructure.

• Balancing Security with Business Agility: Ensuring robust security measures do not unduly impede project timelines or business innovation.

• Complex Stakeholder Management: Navigating diverse stakeholder needs and priorities to gain buy-in for security designs.

• Rapid Technological Change: Keeping pace with new technologies (e.g., AI, advanced cloud services) and understanding their security implications.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Security Certifications: Support for pursuing higher-level certifications (e.g., CCSP, specialized cloud security certs) to deepen expertise.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Opportunities to attend leading cybersecurity conferences and specialized training courses to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to experienced security leaders within Lloyds Banking Group for guidance and career development.

• Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working on a wide range of projects across different business units and technologies, providing broad exposure to various security challenges.

• Internal Knowledge Sharing: Participation in internal security forums, workshops, and communities of practice to learn from peers and share knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior security role in a large financial institution, revolving around threat evolution, integration complexities, and balancing security with business needs. The growth opportunities are strong, with clear paths for specialization, leadership, and continuous professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex security design you developed for a critical system. What were the key threats identified, and how did you mitigate them using frameworks like STRIDE or MITRE?" (Focus on methodology, technical details, and business impact).

• "How do you approach balancing security requirements with the need for business agility and rapid project delivery in an agile environment?" (Demonstrate understanding of agile security integration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Lloyds Banking Group's approach to cybersecurity, and why are you interested in contributing to our Chief Security Office?" (Show research and alignment with company mission).

• "How would you foster collaboration between the security design team and development teams to ensure security is a shared responsibility?" (Address collaboration style and proactive engagement).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the 'Why': Clearly articulate the business problem or security need that drove the project.

• Detail Your Approach: Explain the methodologies (STRIDE, MITRE, etc.) and tools you used.

• Visualize the Solution: Use diagrams to illustrate the architecture and controls.

• Quantify the Impact: Present the outcomes and benefits, ideally with metrics.

• Discuss Challenges & Learnings: Be prepared to discuss any obstacles and what you learned.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating practical application of security design principles, strong analytical skills, and effective communication. Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly and provide concrete examples from your experience, especially when discussing methodologies and risk assessment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Security Design Consultant position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.

• Tailor Your CV: Highlight experience in security design, threat modeling (STRIDE, MITRE), risk assessment, and knowledge of relevant security standards (ISO 27000, NIST, etc.). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong examples of security designs, threat models, or risk assessments you have led. Ensure they clearly demonstrate your expertise and the impact of your work.

• Research Lloyds Banking Group: Understand their business, their commitment to security, and their agile working culture.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for technical questions about security design, threat analysis, and risk management, as well as behavioral questions about collaboration and problem-solving.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.