Security Architect-Data Protection & Cross-Border Compliance

Overview: TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients world-wide. Our client is a global operator, franchisor, and licensor of hotel, residential, and timeshare properties. The company is primarily focused on management, franchising, and licensing of its lodging properties. It also occasionally develops, acquires or renovates hotel and residential properties, directly and through partnerships, joint ventures, and other business structures with third parties. Position: Security Architect - Data Protection & Cross-Border Compliance Location: Bethesda, MD, 20814 Duration: 10 Months Job Type: Contract Work Type: Remote Job Description: Summary: We are seeking an experienced Security Architect with expertise in cross-border data protection, privacy regulations, and advanced security measures, including post-quantum cryptography. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of international data protection laws, particularly those restricting data exportation. Additionally, experience with privacy vaults and encryption strategies is highly desirable. This role involves working closely with legal, compliance, security, and engineering teams to ensure data is securely managed across multiple jurisdictions while adhering to country-specific regulations. Key Responsibilities: Cross-Border Data Security & Compliance Develop and implement security architectures that comply with country-specific data residency laws (e.g., GDPR, China's CSL, Russia's Federal Law No. 152-FZ, India's DPDP Act). Ensure data that cannot be exported remains secure, compliant, and operational within its respective region. Work with legal and compliance teams to translate regulations into enforceable security controls. Assess and implement data localization strategies to ensure sovereign data protection. Privacy Vaults & Data Protection Design and integrate privacy vaults to store sensitive data while maintaining minimal exposure. Implement and maintain privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to reduce risk exposure of personal and sensitive data. Define tokenization, pseudonymization, and encryption frameworks to protect restricted data while maintaining usability. Advanced Cryptography & Post-Quantum Security Research and implement post-quantum cryptographic algorithms to future-proof data protection. Develop zero-trust architectures that can withstand advanced threats, including quantum computing risks. Work with cryptography teams to implement quantum-resistant encryption protocols for highly sensitive data. Security Architecture & Risk Management Design secure data transfer mechanisms that comply with international data transfer frameworks (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses, BCRs, TIA). Develop and implement risk assessment frameworks for handling cross-border data. Collaborate with cloud security teams to ensure that multi-cloud, hybrid, and on-premises architectures meet security and compliance requirements. Lead security reviews for data residency solutions, privacy vaults, and secure enclaves. Qualifications & Experience: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or related field. 5 years of experience in security architecture, data security, or compliance-focused roles. Deep knowledge of cross-border data laws and regulations (GDPR, China's PIPL, Russia's Data Localization Laws, etc.). Experience implementing privacy vaults, tokenization, pseudonymization, and encryption solutions. Familiarity with sovereign cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premise data protection. Strong understanding of cryptographic techniques, with a focus on post-quantum security as an added advantage. Proficiency with security technologies such as HSMs, key management, confidential computing, and secure enclaves. Experience working with legal, compliance, and privacy teams to design security frameworks. Strong technical expertise in cloud security, data security, and secure API architectures. Certifications such as CISSP, CIPP/E, CISM, or CCSP are a plus. Preferred Skills & Bonus Experience: Experience in Privacy Vaults (e.g., Open Privacy Vault, Skyflow, Anonos, DataFleets) Experience with Post-Quantum Cryptography (e.g., NIST PQC Algorithms, Lattice-Based Cryptography) Hands-on experience in securing multi-party computation (MPC) and homomorphic encryption Experience implementing Zero Trust Architectures for multi-national enterprises CORE WORK ACTIVITIES Standards & Business Partnership Contributes to, evaluates, and supports the documentation, and validation processes necessary to assure that associates, information technology systems and business processes meet the organization's information assurance, security, and privacy requirements. Ensures appropriate treatment of risk, compliance, and assurance of internal policies and external regulations. Defines strategy and roadmap, provides guidance, creates standards and guidelines, and reviews architectural designs. Ensures standards and guidelines incorporate legal and regulatory requirements. Conducts security and privacy technology research, assessments, and integration processes; provides and supports a prototype capability and/or evaluates its utility. Consults with customers to gather and evaluate functional requirements and provides security and privacy requirements, guidelines, and standards. Provides sound advice and recommendations to leadership and staff on relevant topics within the pertinent subject domain. Applies knowledge of priorities to define an entity's direction and identify programs or infrastructure that are required to achieve desired goals within domain of interest. Develops policy or advocates for changes in policy that will support new initiatives or required changes/enhancements. Works with the Security Architect Analysts to monitor ongoing project activities, intake of new projects and monitoring of the Security Engagement Process including but not limited to: Data Classification, Security Controls, Threat Models, Architecture Review Boards, Authority to Operate. MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES Leadership Communication: Conveys information and ideas to others convincingly and engagingly through various methods. Leading Through Vision and Values - Keeps the organization's vision and values at the forefront of employee decision making and action. Managing Change - Initiates and/or manages the change process and energizes it on an ongoing basis, taking steps to remove barriers or accelerate its pace; serves as role model for how to handle change by maintaining composure and performance level under pressure or when experiencing challenges. Problem Solving and Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; obtains and compares information from different sources to draw conclusions, develops and evaluates alternatives and solutions, solves problems, and chooses a course of action. Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values. Strategy Development - Develops business plans by exploring and systematically evaluating opportunities with the greatest potential for producing positive results; ensures successful preparation and execution of business plans through effective planning, organizing, and on-going evaluation processes. Managing Execution Building a Successful Team - Uses an effective interpersonal style to build a cohesive team; inspires and sustains team cohesion and engagement by focusing the team on its mission and importance to the organization. Strategy Execution - Ensures successful execution of business plans designed to maximize customer satisfaction, profitability, and market share through effective planning, organizing, and on-going evaluation processes. Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self-and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self-and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required. Building Relationships Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer/stakeholder needs and actions consistent with the company's service standards. Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential. Strategic Partnerships - Develops collaborative relationships with fellow employees and business partners by making them feel valued, appreciated, and included; explores partnership opportunities with other people in and outside the organization; influences and leverages corporate and continental shared services and/or discipline leaders (e.g., HR, Sales & Marketing, Finance, Revenue Management) to achieve objectives; maintains effective external relations with government, business and industry in respective countries; performs effectively as a liaison between locations, disciplines, and corporate to ensure needed resources are received and corporate strategies are understood and executed. Generating Talent and Organizational Capability Developing Others - Plans and supports the development of others' skills and capabilities so that they can fulfill current or future job/role responsibilities more effectively; provides high visibility to individuals with potential; offers challenging assignments that build confidence and credibility and provides such individuals with a personal vision for their future. Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit. Learning and Applying Professional Expertise Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach business and administrative challenges. Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges. Technical Intelligence: Knowledge and ability to identify technological opportunity threats that could affect the future growth and survival of the business. Technology Life Cycle: knowledge of the Life Cycle of technologies and how applications, infrastructure, and processes relate to these timelines. IT Systems: Knowledge of IT systems supporting the business including benefits, requirements, costs, justification, and operations. IT Resources: The ability to secure and manage IT resources to achieve business objectives (e.g., contracts, vendor relationships, financial accountability, portfolio management, information, and resource planning) and measure project impact. Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach business and administrative challenges. Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges. Technical Intelligence: knowledge and ability to identify technological opportunities and threats that could affect the future growth and survival of the business. Technology Life Cycle: knowledge of the Life Cycle of technologies and how applications, infrastructure, and processes relate to these timelines. IT Systems: Knowledge of IT systems supporting the business including benefits, requirements, costs, justification, and operations. IT Resources: The ability to secure and manage IT resources to achieve business objectives (e.g., contracts, vendor relationships, financial accountability, portfolio management, information, and resource planning) and measure project impact. Continuous Learning - Actively identifies new areas for learning; regularly creates and takes advantage of learning opportunities; uses newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learns through their application. Strategy Knowledge - Understanding and utilizing professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific strategic work challenges. Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities. bUses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.). Mathematical Reasoning - Adds, subtracts, multiplies, or divides quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues. Oral Comprehension - Listens to and understands information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Reading Comprehension - Understands written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the audience's needs. Benefits: Competitive salary and benefits package. Opportunities for professional growth and development. Collaborative and inclusive work environment. Flexible working hours and remote work options. TekWissen® Group is an equal opportunity Employer supporting workforce diversity.

Location: West Bethesda, MD, US

Posted Date: 6/1/2025