Ameris Bank is a purpose-driven company, dedicated to bringing financial peace of mind to communities, one person at a time. Whether a customer wants to grow their business, buy a home, or feel confident in their retirement plan, they have a partner in Ameris Bank. We serve customers in our locations across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and nationwide through our extensive digital offerings and mobile app.

Delivering financial peace of mind starts with a team that values integrity and rewards ingenuity. At Ameris, you’ll find teammates who are inclusive, collaborative problem-solvers who go the extra mile to support one another and to meet every customer’s needs. When teammates are empowered and bring their diverse perspectives to the table, we create the best possible outcomes for our customers. At Ameris, we know that a growth mindset is key for high performance and fosters an environment that prioritizes continuous improvement. Teammates have access to Employee Resource Groups that serve as advocates and allies as well as professional development opportunities to drive ongoing education. Learn more about our purpose and how you can bring it to life as an Ameris Bank teammate.

The Cyber Architecture Director is responsible for the strategic design and implementation of an organization’s cybersecurity infrastructure and controls. This role will provide leadership in developing a secure and resilient IT infrastructure, drive security best practices across the enterprise, and collaborate with multiple teams to address cybersecurity risks. Additionally, this role will be responsible for ensuring that the security architecture supports scalability, flexibility, and innovation while addressing emerging threats. Performs other projects and duties as assigned.

Essential Functions, Duties, and Responsibilities:

·       Develop and implement a comprehensive cybersecurity architecture strategy aligned with business objectives.

·       Develop security frameworks and processes to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

·       Lead the design and implementation of the organization’s cybersecurity architecture, covering areas such as network security, cloud security, endpoint security, data protection, IAM and application security.

·       Collaborate with IT and Business Partners to drive the adoption of cybersecurity frameworks, policies, and security patterns across the organization.

·       Ensure security is embedded into all aspects of technology development and operations.

·       Report on security architecture and strategy progress to executive leadership, providing updates on risks, mitigations, and key security metrics.

·       Mentor others in Architecture, Engineering and Operations.

·       Define security reference architecture & security overlays to existing reference architecture.

·       Lead threat modeling and vulnerability management efforts to anticipate potential risks and threats.

·       Document current design and gaps within a security blueprint and ensure policy exceptions are filed for all gaps.

·       Lead efforts to identify and mitigate potential cyber threats through initiative-taking architecture design by collaborating with partners to integrate security early in the process.

·       Lead the development and implementation of a Zero Trust security model to ensure security across all user access points and data flow.

·       Drive cloud security strategies, ensuring secure design, configurations, and monitoring of cloud-based services (e.g., AWS, Azure, Entra ID, M365).

·       Drive Workforce and Customer IAM authentication design patterns for existing and new applications.

·       Ensure compliance with security frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls) and industry standards to protect the organization’s assets.

·       Develop policies, procedures, and guidelines to support the secure use of IT infrastructure and systems while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, FFIEC).

·       Conduct security risk assessments and gap analyses to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in security architecture.

·       Lead initiatives to improve security maturity and posture, ensuring continuous evolution of security measures and practices.

·       Evaluate and recommend security technologies, tools, and services to enhance the organization’s security posture, including SIEM, IDS/IPS, firewalls, and endpoint protection.

·       Stay up to date on the latest trends, technologies, and threats in cybersecurity, and integrating innovative approaches into the overall security architecture.

·       Maintain strong relationships with external partners, including third-party vendors and industry groups.

·      Drive research and proof-of concepts.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:

·       Ability to communicate complex security concepts to non-technical stakeholders and executives.

·       Ability to take a professional approach relating to others and treats others with consideration and respect regardless of employee level.

·       Able to think methodically with the ability to balance risk management with business needs.

·       Ability to adapt and manage frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

·       In-depth analytical and critical thinking skills.

·       Able to use good judgement while making decisions on information security.

·       Deep understanding of cybersecurity technologies, threat landscapes, and risk management.

·       Strong knowledge of cloud security (AWS, Azure, M365, SaaS) and traditional IT infrastructure.

·       Knowledge of Entra ID, SSO and Conditional Access integration capabilities as well as comparable SSO and Conditional Access solutions.

·       Expert understanding of identity governance & administration concepts and solutions, identity & access management systems and processes.

·       In-depth knowledge of customer IAM authentication controls

·       Expert knowledge of enterprise Cyber Security offensive and defensive security controls.

·       Understanding of large, complex networks, to include direct circuits, MPLS, SD-WAN and public/private cloud connectivity.

Industry and Work Experience:

·       10+ years in cybersecurity required.

·       5+ years in a leadership role focused on architecture, design, and strategy required.

·       Experience in implementing Zero Trust architecture and cloud security solutions required.

·       Experience with large commercial cyber security and information technology systems required.

·       Experience with Rest Web services, SAML 2.0, SailPoint Identity Now, OAuth, OpenID, WS-Security, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and other authentication/authorization protocols strongly preferred.

·       Financial industry experience preferred.

Academic:

·       Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Security, or a related field required.

·       Master's degree in computer science, Information Security, or a related field preferred.

·       CISSP, CISM, ISSAP or other relevant certifications preferred.

Benefits Available to Employees:

Ameris Bank provides a comprehensive employee benefit package to all eligible employees.

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Ameris Bank absorbs a major portion of the cost of healthcare. You become eligible for coverage on the first of the month following 30 days of employment Life Insurance provided at no additional cost to employees Accidental Death & Dismemberment Coverage Long-Term Disability Coverage Paid Sick and Vacation Leave 11 Holidays Volunteer/Service Day Employee Stock Purchase Plan 401(k) Retirement Plan Ameris Bank matches 50% of your first 8% of contributions to the plan Flexible Spending Accounts Health Savings Account Health Reimbursement Arrangement Supplemental Life & Other Insurance Plans Identity Theft Protection Pet Insurance Legal Insurance Employee Assistance Program Employee Advocacy Program  Tickets at Work (Entertainment discounts for Ameris Bank Employees) AT&T Employee Discount Wellness Discounts for Medical Premiums and Other Rewards  Employee Referral Incentive Education Assistance Employee Resource Groups

Banking Advantages for Employees:

In addition to a wide array of benefits, Ameris Bank employees are also eligible for special bank services.

Free Interest Checking Free Safe Deposit Box Free Money Orders, Travelers’ Checks and Cashier Checks Discount on Mortgage Origination Fee Free Online Banking and Free Unlimited Online Bill Payment Employee Banking Perks

Disclaimer:

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.