Cyber Security Architect

PRINCIPAL ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT – CRYPTOGRAPHIC SERVICES / PKI TECHNICAL LEAD | DFAT | CANBERRA | NV1/NV2

Are you a senior Architect with strong experience across Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), certificate management, key management and associated trust services — holding an active NV1 or higher clearance and available to work onsite in Canberra?

Azooa is preparing a response for RFQ LH-07503 with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and is seeking suitably qualified contractors for a Principal Enterprise Architect – Cryptographic Services / PKI Technical Lead engagement.

This is a senior Principal / EL2-equivalent opportunity within DFAT’s Cyber Security, Cloud and Networks Branch, focused on assessing, enhancing and maturing the Department’s enterprise cryptographic services capability.

Location: Canberra, ACT

Working arrangement: 100% onsite – 5 days per week

Clearance: Active NV1 minimum | NV2 preferred

Estimated start: 26 October 2026

Initial term: 12 months

Extensions: 2 × 12 months

Maximum hours: 40 hours per week

Potential tenure: Up to 3 years

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

DFAT’s Cyber Security, Cloud and Networks Branch is responsible for delivering and operating critical cyber security, identity and trust services supporting departmental and business outcomes.

The successful contractor will support the assessment, enhancement and future delivery of DFAT’s enterprise cryptographic capability across areas including:

Public Key Infrastructure – PKI

Hardware Security Modules – HSMs

Certificate lifecycle management

Cryptographic key management

Identity and high-assurance trust services

Security and solution architecture

Cryptographic governance

Technical assurance

Security risk management

Operational process improvement

Transition planning

Future-state service design

The role requires a senior technical leader capable of balancing solution architecture, cyber security, governance, policy, operational resilience and practical delivery requirements within a complex Australian Government environment.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will provide architectural and technical leadership for the delivery, governance and ongoing evolution of DFAT’s cryptographic services.

• Provide technical leadership across enterprise PKI, HSM and cryptographic services

• Assess current cryptographic capabilities and undertake architecture, security, governance and operational gap analysis

• Define and maintain target-state cryptographic architectures

• Establish appropriate trust models, key-management approaches, security standards and availability requirements

• Develop practical capability improvement roadmaps and future-state plans

• Act as a senior technical authority for cryptographic and security architecture decisions

• Lead solution architecture and detailed technical design

• Ensure secure implementation, deployment and operational practices

• Identify and manage cryptographic risk, technology dependencies and operational resilience requirements

• Develop and maintain cryptographic governance artefacts, policies, standards, procedures and operating models

• Support PKI governance frameworks and certificate-management policies

• Establish security controls, assurance arrangements and risk-management processes

• Work across architecture, cyber security, infrastructure, engineering, business, project and operational teams

• Support engineering teams through design, build, testing, assurance, release and transition to operations

• Produce architectural artefacts, technical designs, implementation guidance and operational documentation

• Support upgrades, maintenance, testing, issue resolution and continual service improvement

• Provide authoritative advice to technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Mentor engineering and operational personnel and transfer specialist knowledge.

KEY DELIVERABLES

Current-state cryptographic capability assessments

Architecture, security and operational gap analysis

Target-state cryptographic architectures

PKI architecture artefacts

HSM architecture and integration designs

Trust models

Key-management architectures

Certificate lifecycle-management approaches

Cryptographic capability roadmaps

Future-state service designs

Governance frameworks

Certificate policies / Certification Practice Statements

Security-control and assurance frameworks

Operating models and decision authorities

Security-risk artefacts

Solution architecture documents

Detailed technical designs

Implementation and transition plans

Operational-readiness documentation

Sustainable support models

Knowledge-transfer and capability-uplift materials

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

Cryptographic Security Architecture

Strong experience assessing, designing or improving enterprise security and cryptographic services involving areas such as:

• Public Key Infrastructure

• Hardware Security Modules

• Certificate lifecycle management

• Cryptographic key management

• Identity and trust services

• High-assurance security environments

You should be comfortable defining current and target-state architectures, identifying technical and governance gaps, developing trust models and security controls, and translating business and security requirements into practical enterprise solutions.

Governance, Policy & Operating Models

Experience developing sustainable governance arrangements for security, cryptographic, identity or trust services, including:

• Policies and standards

• Certificate policies

• Certification Practice Statements

• Key-management requirements

• Procedures

• Control frameworks

• Assurance arrangements

• Operating models and decision authorities

Delivery & Operational Readiness

Demonstrated experience across the secure technology lifecycle, including:

• Architecture and design

• Implementation

• Testing

• Security assurance

• Transition to operations

• Continual improvement

• Technical risk and dependency management

• Operational resilience

• Knowledge transfer and capability uplift

Technical Leadership

• Providing authoritative technical advice

• Explaining complex cryptographic issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Resolving competing architecture, security and delivery priorities

• Influencing architecture, engineering, project, procurement and operational stakeholders

• Mentoring personnel and transferring specialist knowledge

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

Australian Government or Defence environments

Enterprise PKI / Certificate Authority environments

Hardware Security Modules

Cryptographic key-management technologies

Australian Government Information Security Manual – ISM

Gatekeeper PKI Framework

ICAO Doc 9303 / ICAO Public Key Directory

PKI supporting ePassports or electronic travel documents

Biometric identity systems

Country Signing Certification Authority – CSCA

Document Signing Certificates

Certificate Revocation List lifecycle management

Cryptographic key ceremonies

Multi-person control

HSM-based key protection

Cryptographic disaster recovery and assurance

Cryptographic agility

Post-quantum cryptography readiness

Active NV2 clearance

Candidates with strong adjacent experience across security architecture, cryptographic services, infrastructure architecture, PKI governance, identity and trust, or senior cyber technical leadership are also encouraged to apply where they can demonstrate the required architecture, governance and high-assurance security capability.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

Minimum: Existing active NV1

Preferred: Active NV2

Candidates who do not currently hold an active NV1 or higher clearance cannot be submitted for this opportunity.

ENGAGEMENT DETAILS

RFQ: LH-07503

Buyer: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Role: Principal Enterprise Architect – Cryptographic Services / PKI Technical Lead

Level: Principal / EL2 equivalent

Location: Canberra ACT

Arrangement: 100% onsite

Remote working: Not available

Interstate-based candidates: Not being considered

Initial contract: 12 months

Extensions: 2 × 12 months

DFAT also operates a contractor stand-down period during December and January, generally around 4–6 weeks at DFAT’s discretion .

INDICATIVE RATE GUIDANCE

Based on recent Azooa contract wins and current Federal Government value-for-money positioning , our indicative maximum recommended bidding levels are:

Pty Ltd: up to

$160/hour + GST

PAYG: up to

$158/hour

These are recommended maximum bidding levels rather than target rates .

Candidates may nominate higher rates; however, rate competitiveness forms part of the overall value-for-money position. Higher rates are more likely to be supportable where the candidate brings exceptional specialist expertise across PKI, HSMs, cryptographic architecture, high-assurance environments, NV2 clearance or closely aligned DFAT/Defence experience .

Senior PKI Architects, Security Architects, Enterprise Architects, Cryptographic Services Architects, PKI Technical Leads, Identity & Trust Architects and HSM/Cryptographic Services specialists are encouraged to apply.

Please also feel free to share this opportunity with suitably qualified professionals within your network.

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