Lead Architect, Identity and Access Management

Circle is a financial technology company at the epicenter of the emerging internet of money, where value can finally travel like other digital data — globally, nearly instantly and less expensively than legacy settlement systems. This ground-breaking new internet layer opens up previously unimaginable possibilities for payments, commerce and markets that can help raise global economic prosperity and enhance inclusion. Our infrastructure – including USDC, a blockchain-based dollar – helps businesses, institutions and developers harness these breakthroughs and capitalize on this major turning point in the evolution of money and technology.

What you’ll be part of:

Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values: High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible and diverse work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.

What you'll work on:

• Gather, share and coach industry best-practices regarding implementation of customer, corporate, and non-human identity and access 

• Develop and execute a continuous support and review of developer’s use of Identity and Access across Circle solutions surfacing risk, influencing roadmaps, and resolving issues prior to customer impact.

• Collaborate on an IAM architecture that defines a vision state for all aspects of IAM (toxic roles, insider abuse, privileges management, shared accounts, etc.) that is actionable today, results in measured risk reduction across Circle, and marches towards an agreed vision

• Work closely with the Security team to identify broader security controls to reduce risk for the enterprise.

What you'll bring to Circle:

• 5+ years of experience as an identity architect with 7+ years of implementing identity and access systems in various coding languages.

• Own and drive strategic IAM initiatives end-to-end, balancing execution with clear stakeholder engagement—communicating at the right level while maintaining accountability for outcomes.

• Focus on delivering measurable results by structuring work into clear, outcome-driven plans that align with broader risk reduction goals and avoid over-investment in unnecessary technical detail.

• Thrive in a fast-paced, startup environment where priorities shift quickly—move with urgency, adapt to change, and communicate proactively to maintain momentum without losing sight of ownership or impact.

• Enthusiasm for scalable, reproducible security management. 

• Self-motivated and creative problem-solver able to work independently with minimal guidance.

• Strong ability to work collaboratively across teams during high-stress situations.

• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities and use good judgment to establish order of priorities on the fly.

• Understanding of IAM protocols and concepts such as SAML, OIDC, OAuth, and PAM.

• Experience with IAM technologies from Okta, Ping, Sailpoint, Savant or Microsoft.

• Familiarity with standards such as ISO 27001/27002 or the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is desirable.

• Experience working in financial services or financial technology desired.

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity or related field; equivalent experience also accepted.

• Experience working in an AWS environment required.

• Software development skills in languages such as Python, Golang, or similar.

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages.

Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.

$145,000 - $192,500

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Circle. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.

Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to accommodations@circle.com for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.

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