CIAM Architect (Contract)
Contract: 6-12 Months
Location: Hybrid / Remote London
Day Rate: Competitive, Outside
Overview
We are seeking an experienced CIAM Architect to lead the design and delivery of Customer Identity & Access Management solutions, ensuring secure, scalable, and seamless customer experiences across digital platforms. The role will combine strategic architecture leadership with hands on engagement across customer journeys, security, and delivery teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and deliver the CIAM architecture vision, strategy, and roadmap.
- Provide external facing thought leadership on identity trends, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
- Design solutions for SSO, MFA, passwordless authentication, social login, federation, and customer lifecycle management.
- Lead architecture for OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML, SCIM, and API security.
- Prioritise and manage the CIAM architecture and delivery backlog in line with business priorities.
- Conduct customer journey risk assessments, identifying security, privacy, and user experience risks.
- Work closely with business, security, product, and engineering teams to translate requirements into solution designs.
- Ensure compliance with GDPR and security best practices.
- Provide technical leadership and governance throughout delivery and implementation.
Required Experience
- Extensive experience in CIAM architecture roles.
- Strong knowledge of OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML, SCIM, and modern authentication methods.
- Hands on experience with platforms such as Microsoft Entra External ID, Okta, Auth0, ForgeRock, or Ping Identity.
- Experience designing cloud-based identity solutions (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
- Experience assessing and improving digital customer journeys.
- Strong stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
Desirable
- TOGAF, CISSP, CISM, or Microsoft security certifications.
- Experience in regulated environments (Financial Services, Public Sector, Healthcare, Retail).
- Knowledge of Zero Trust, adaptive authentication, identity fraud prevention, and customer experience optimisation.
Deliverables
- CIAM vision, strategy, and target state architecture.
- Prioritised architecture backlog and roadmap.
- Customer journey risk assessments and recommendations.
- Solution designs, standards, and governance documentation.
- Support for implementation, assurance, and stakeholder engagement activities.
Ideal Candidate:
A pragmatic CIAM specialist with strong architecture and consulting skills, capable of shaping identity strategy, assessing customer journey risks, prioritising delivery roadmaps, and guiding organisations towards modern, secure customer identity platforms.