The posting
The Lead Application Security Architect designs, implements, and oversees enterprise-wide application security architecture and standards. Working independently, this role directs staff and leads strategic security initiatives with broad organizational impact. It focuses on establishing security frameworks, conducting architecture reviews, developing security baselines, and embedding security throughout the software development lifecycle — including for emerging Generative AI (GenAI) applications.
The role requires a blend of deep technical expertise, architectural thinking, and people leadership. We are looking for a versatile leader who can juggle multiple priorities and bring a great attitude.
Essential Job Functions:
Security Architecture & Engineering
- Design and establish enterprise application security architecture frameworks, reference models, and roadmaps aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance.
- Develop and maintain security baselines, secure coding standards, and reusable patterns across technology stacks (web, mobile, API, microservices, GenAI) and deployment models, scaled to data classification and risk profile.
- Architect core security capabilities: authentication and authorization, encryption at rest and in transit, secure communication, and secure data handling.
- Design API security strategies, including OAuth/OIDC flows, API gateways, and rate limiting.
- Ensure that security risks are comprehensively and effectively managed by leading the application of established and ad hoc processes and techniques to identify, validate, and prioritize.
- Lead the identification of security requirement deficiencies, elicitation of security requirements, and the architecture and design of security controls.
Generative AI (GenAI) Security Architecture
- Design security architecture patterns and reference models for Generative AI and Large Language Model (LLM) applications, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic workflows, and model integration.
- Define controls for GenAI-specific risks such as prompt injection, insecure output handling, training data poisoning, sensitive information disclosure, model denial of service, and supply chain vulnerabilities — aligned with the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications.
- Architect GenAI guardrails, including input/output validation, content filtering, rate limiting, data loss prevention, and human-in-the-loop controls.
- Establish standards for secure handling of prompts, embeddings, vector databases, and model artifacts (classification, access control, and encryption).
- Leverage GenAI to enhance security architecture reviews and automate security analysis.
Security Controls & Compliance
- Develop and implement strategies to promote consistent use of security controls across the enterprise.
- Lead the operation and monitoring of security controls; establish, implement, and promote security control operation and monitoring strategies.
- Ensure that controls are operating effectively; resolve operating discrepancies and review, triage, and prioritize control output.
- Take appropriate action to resolve security discrepancies.
- Lead and champion efforts to enforce and monitor compliance with internal and external regulations, policies, and standards.
- Establish and promote strategies to ensure that compliance is effectively monitored and enforced.
Innovation & Technology Evaluation
- Lead the identification, evaluation, and recommendation of new security technologies, techniques, and tools.
- Lead the team in defining, reviewing, and promoting information security policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Direct internal process improvement initiatives; provide feedback on processes by offering suggestions.
- Mentor junior staff and contribute to team development.
- Participate in external process improvement committees as a security representative.
- Provide backup coverage for next-level management, as appropriate.
- Collaborate, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA's mission of investor protection and market integrity.
Standards & Quality
- Assist with adherence to technology policies and comply with all security controls.
- Ensure all work products meet or exceed FINRA standards.
- Demonstrate FINRA's values.
Education/Experience Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems or related discipline with at least seven (7) years of related experience, or equivalent training and/or work experience; Master’s degree and past Financial Services industry experience preferred.
- Experience must include direct experience in leading key areas such as: securing networks and systems architecture, design and implementation, secure software assurance, intrusion detection, defense and incident response, security configuration management, access controls design and implementation and security policy and standards development.
- In-depth knowledge of more than one communications protocol.
- Experience managing several Cyber Security tools, including: Configuration Assessment, Log Aggregation, Integrity Verification, Web Application Security Testing, Network Access Control System, Network Intrusion prevention systems, and Endpoint Security Solutions.
- Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships that improved the quality of work products.
- Should be well organized, thorough, and able to handle competing priorities.
- Ability to maintain focus and develop proficiency in new skills rapidly.
- Ability to work in a fast paced environment.
- Excellent planning skills.
- Willingness to accept new challenges and grasp new or changing concepts, technologies and procedures. In-depth knowledge across all areas of Information Security.
Work Conditions:
- Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.
- Occasional travel and extended hours may be required.
For work that is performed in CO, CT, IL, PA, MA, MD, VA, WA, DC, NY, NJ, WA please refer to the chart below for the salary range for the corresponding location. FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and regulations requiring the disclosure of salary ranges for the position. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations.
Boston, MA: $131,200 - $238,300
Chicago, IL: $125,900 - $228,000
Denver, CO: $114,200 - $207,200
Jericho, NY: $131,200 - $238,300
Jersey City, NJ: $137,000- $248,700
Philadelphia, PA: $125,900 - $228,000
New York, NY: $137,000 - $248,700
Rockville, MD: $131,200 - $238,300
Tysons, VA: $131,200 - $238,300
Washington, DC: $131,200 - $238,300
Woodbridge, NJ: $131,200 - $238,300
Connecticut State: $114,200 - $248,700
Washington State: $114,200 - $248,700
#LI-Hybrid
To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.
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Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law. As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.
Time Off and Paid Leave*
FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program starting at 15 days of paid time off (increasing with years of service, up to 25 days), 5 personal days, and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.
*Based on full-time schedule
Important Information
FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts. All of those accounts are subject to the Code’s investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions—including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA’s Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President—by the date they begin employment with FINRA. Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment.
You can read more about these restrictions here.
As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA’s Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company’s policy on nepotism.
Washington state applicants: click here for required notice(s).
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