AVP, Product Security Architect

Role Summary/

Purpose:

Synchrony is seeking an AVP, Product Security Architect to provide enterprise-level product security architecture leadership across Synchrony’s application and SaaS ecosystem. This role operates at L11 scope—
setting direction, defining standards, and driving adoption at scale
—while partnering closely with product and engineering leaders to embed security into product strategy and modern software delivery.

The AVP will lead the definition of an Application Security Blueprint (reference architectures, approved patterns, and engineering guardrails) and will influence outcomes across multiple portfolios by enabling teams to design and deliver software that is secure-by-design, resilient, and compliant.

• Set product security architecture direction for assigned portfolios, aligning security architecture decisions with Synchrony technology strategy, risk appetite, and regulatory expectations.
• Own and evolve the Application Security Blueprint
  : enterprise application security standards, reference architectures, reusable patterns, and guardrails that enable consistent secure engineering across teams.
• Serve as a strategic partner to product and engineering leadership
  , influencing roadmaps and operating models to ensure security is built-in (not bolted-on) and delivery teams can move quickly with well-defined paved roads.
• Lead architecture governance for product/application security:
  • establish review criteria and decision frameworks
  • perform design reviews and approve/drive remediation plans
  • manage exceptions with documented risk acceptance, compensating controls, and time-bound closure
• Drive threat modeling at scale by defining methodology and minimum expectations, and by facilitating modeling for high-risk initiatives—explicitly documenting trust boundaries
  , data flows, abuse cases, and security requirements.
• Define and standardize API security architectures (north-south and east-west), including authentication/authorization, token strategy, schema and input validation, anti-automation protections, and rate limiting/throttling patterns.
• Define patterns for service-to-service security controls in distributed systems, including workload identity, authorization, mTLS, secrets handling, and policy enforcement—ensuring controls are practical for engineering adoption.
• Influence and enable secure SDLC and platform controls with engineering enablement in mind (security requirements, pipeline guardrails, dependency/supply‑chain controls, secure configuration guidance), partnering with platform teams to operationalize.
• Establish and track measurable outcomes (e.g., blueprint adoption, recurring architecture risks, API posture improvements, exception burn‑down, control coverage for critical apps) and provide clear executive‑level reporting.
• Act as a coach and multiplier
  : mentor engineers and architects, elevate secure design skills across teams, and improve security decision‑making through clear documentation and reusable assets.
• Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned.

• 7+ years in security architecture/engineering, with deep focus on application/product security in modern software environments.
• Demonstrated ability to operate at an enterprise influence level
  : setting standards, driving cross-team adoption, and aligning stakeholders with differing priorities.
• Strong hands‑on knowledge of application and service security fundamentals: authentication/authorization, session/token security, cryptography concepts, secrets management, secure logging/monitoring design, and secure data handling.
• Proven experience leading threat modeling and producing strong architecture artifacts (DFDs, trust boundaries, security requirements, risk assessments).
• Strong knowledge of API security and common web/service risks (e.g., OWASP Top 10 / API Security Top 10), with the ability to translate risks into enforceable patterns.
• Excellent communication skills—able to present clearly to engineering teams and senior leaders, and to produce high‑quality architecture documentation.
• Track record of driving security with product teams
  : embedding security into product…