diff --git a/.github/workflows/base-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/base-deploy.yml
index a174e548..6679d669 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/base-deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/base-deploy.yml
@@ -187,7 +187,18 @@ jobs:
           name: lambda-${{ needs.metadata.outputs.tag }}
           path: ./dist
 
-      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials"
+      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials (IAM Bootstrap Role)"
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v6
+        with:
+          role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role
+          aws-region: eu-west-2
+
+      - name: "Deploy IAM roles (iams-developer-roles stack)"
+        working-directory: ./infrastructure
+        run: |
+          make terraform env=${{ needs.metadata.outputs.environment }} stack=iams-developer-roles tf-command=apply workspace=default
+
+      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials (Main Deployment Role)"
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v6
         with:
           role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/service-roles/github-actions-api-deployment-role
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cicd-2-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/cicd-2-publish.yaml
index e59eeb0b..2fe0121b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cicd-2-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cicd-2-publish.yaml
@@ -87,7 +87,18 @@ jobs:
           name: lambda-${{ needs.metadata.outputs.version }}
           path: dist/lambda.zip
 
-      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials"
+      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials (IAM Bootstrap Role)"
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v6
+        with:
+          role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role
+          aws-region: eu-west-2
+
+      - name: "Deploy IAM roles (iams-developer-roles stack)"
+        working-directory: ./infrastructure
+        run: |
+          make terraform env=dev stack=iams-developer-roles tf-command=apply workspace=default
+
+      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials (Main Deployment Role)"
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v6
         with:
           role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/service-roles/github-actions-api-deployment-role
diff --git a/.github/workflows/iam-bootstrap-deploy.yaml b/.github/workflows/iam-bootstrap-deploy.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30378258
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/iam-bootstrap-deploy.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Manual IAM deployment for emergency or ad-hoc use.
+# Normal IAM deployments happen automatically as part of cicd-2-publish and base-deploy.
+name: "IAM Bootstrap | Deploy IAM Roles"
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      environment:
+        description: "Environment to deploy"
+        required: true
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - dev
+          - test
+          - preprod
+          - prod
+
+concurrency:
+  group: iam-bootstrap-${{ inputs.environment }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  id-token: write
+
+jobs:
+  deploy:
+    name: "Deploy IAM roles → ${{ inputs.environment }}"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    environment: ${{ inputs.environment }}
+    steps:
+      - name: "Checkout code"
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
+      - name: "Resolve Terraform version"
+        id: vars
+        run: |
+          echo "terraform_version=$(grep '^terraform' .tool-versions | cut -f2 -d' ')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: "Setup Terraform"
+        uses: hashicorp/setup-terraform@v3
+        with:
+          terraform_version: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.terraform_version }}
+
+      - name: "Configure AWS Credentials (IAM Bootstrap Role)"
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v6
+        with:
+          role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role
+          aws-region: eu-west-2
+
+      - name: "Terraform Plan"
+        working-directory: ./infrastructure
+        run: |
+          make terraform env=${{ inputs.environment }} stack=iams-developer-roles tf-command=plan workspace=default
+
+      - name: "Terraform Apply"
+        working-directory: ./infrastructure
+        run: |
+          make terraform env=${{ inputs.environment }} stack=iams-developer-roles tf-command=apply workspace=default
diff --git a/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_iam_bootstrap_policies.tf b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_iam_bootstrap_policies.tf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..281ee919
--- /dev/null
+++ b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_iam_bootstrap_policies.tf
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+# IAM management policy – scoped to project resources
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "iam_bootstrap_iam_management" {
+  name        = "${upper(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-iam-management"
+  description = "Allows the IAM bootstrap role to manage project IAM resources"
+  path        = "/service-policies/"
+
+  policy = data.aws_iam_policy_document.iam_bootstrap_iam_management.json
+
+  tags = merge(local.tags, { Name = "${upper(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-iam-management" })
+}
+
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "iam_bootstrap_iam_management" {
+  # Full IAM access for project-scoped resources
+  statement {
+    sid    = "IamManageProjectResources"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:GetRole*",
+      "iam:GetPolicy*",
+      "iam:ListRole*",
+      "iam:ListPolicies",
+      "iam:ListAttachedRolePolicies",
+      "iam:ListPolicyVersions",
+      "iam:ListPolicyTags",
+      "iam:ListOpenIDConnectProviders",
+      "iam:ListOpenIDConnectProviderTags",
+      "iam:GetOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:CreateRole",
+      "iam:DeleteRole",
+      "iam:UpdateRole",
+      "iam:UpdateAssumeRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePermissionsBoundary",
+      "iam:AttachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DetachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:CreatePolicy",
+      "iam:CreatePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:DeletePolicy",
+      "iam:DeletePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:SetDefaultPolicyVersion",
+      "iam:TagRole",
+      "iam:TagPolicy",
+      "iam:UntagRole",
+      "iam:UntagPolicy",
+      "iam:PassRole",
+      "iam:TagOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:UntagOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:CreateOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:DeleteOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:UpdateOpenIDConnectProviderThumbprint",
+      "iam:AddClientIDToOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:RemoveClientIDFromOpenIDConnectProvider",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-api-deployment-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/${var.project_name}-terraform-developer-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/terraform-developer-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${upper(var.project_name)}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${lower(var.project_name)}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/service-policies/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${local.stack_name}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:oidc-provider/token.actions.githubusercontent.com",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # Read-only IAM access for Terraform plan/discovery
+  statement {
+    sid    = "IamReadOnly"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:Get*",
+      "iam:List*",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:oidc-provider/*",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # DENY: Prevent modifying the bootstrap role itself
+  statement {
+    sid    = "DenySelfModification"
+    effect = "Deny"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:AttachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DetachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DeleteRolePolicy",
+      "iam:UpdateAssumeRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePermissionsBoundary",
+      "iam:DeleteRolePermissionsBoundary",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # DENY: Prevent modifying the bootstrap permissions boundary
+  statement {
+    sid    = "DenyBootstrapBoundaryModification"
+    effect = "Deny"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:CreatePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:DeletePolicy",
+      "iam:DeletePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:SetDefaultPolicyVersion",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${lower(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-permissions-boundary",
+    ]
+  }
+}
+
+# Terraform state management policy
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "iam_bootstrap_terraform_state" {
+  name        = "${upper(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-terraform-state"
+  description = "Allows the IAM bootstrap role to manage Terraform state for the iams-developer-roles stack"
+  path        = "/service-policies/"
+
+  policy = data.aws_iam_policy_document.iam_bootstrap_terraform_state.json
+
+  tags = merge(local.tags, { Name = "${upper(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-terraform-state" })
+}
+
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "iam_bootstrap_terraform_state" {
+  # S3 state bucket access
+  statement {
+    sid    = "TerraformStateS3Access"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "s3:ListBucket",
+      "s3:GetObject",
+      "s3:PutObject",
+      "s3:DeleteObject",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "${local.terraform_state_bucket_arn}",
+      "${local.terraform_state_bucket_arn}/*",
+    ]
+  }
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_role_policy_attachment" "iam_bootstrap_iam_management" {
+  role       = aws_iam_role.github_actions_iam_bootstrap.name
+  policy_arn = aws_iam_policy.iam_bootstrap_iam_management.arn
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_role_policy_attachment" "iam_bootstrap_terraform_state" {
+  role       = aws_iam_role.github_actions_iam_bootstrap.name
+  policy_arn = aws_iam_policy.iam_bootstrap_terraform_state.arn
+}
diff --git a/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_role.tf b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_role.tf
index a1305fde..ed3c7598 100644
--- a/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_role.tf
+++ b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/github_actions_role.tf
@@ -30,3 +30,64 @@ resource "aws_iam_role" "github_actions" {
     }
   )
 }
+
+
+# GitHub Actions IAM Bootstrap Role
+# It can update the main deployment role's policies but cannot modify itself.
+resource "aws_iam_role" "github_actions_iam_bootstrap" {
+  name                 = "github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role"
+  description          = "Role for GitHub Actions to deploy IAM infrastructure (iams-developer-roles stack only)"
+  permissions_boundary = aws_iam_policy.iam_bootstrap_permissions_boundary.arn
+  path                 = "/service-roles/"
+
+  assume_role_policy = data.aws_iam_policy_document.github_actions_iam_bootstrap_assume_role.json
+
+  tags = merge(
+    local.tags,
+    {
+      Name = "github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role"
+    }
+  )
+}
+
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "github_actions_iam_bootstrap_assume_role" {
+  statement {
+    sid     = "OidcAssumeRoleForIamBootstrap"
+    effect  = "Allow"
+    actions = ["sts:AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity"]
+
+    principals {
+      type = "Federated"
+      identifiers = [
+        aws_iam_openid_connect_provider.github.arn
+      ]
+    }
+
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "token.actions.githubusercontent.com:aud"
+      values   = ["sts.amazonaws.com"]
+    }
+
+    # Only allow from main branch (and events triggered from main)
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringLike"
+      variable = "token.actions.githubusercontent.com:sub"
+      values   = [
+        "repo:${var.github_org}/${var.github_repo}:ref:refs/heads/main",
+        "repo:${var.github_org}/${var.github_repo}:environment:*",
+      ]
+    }
+
+    # Only allow from the IAM bootstrap and base deployment workflows
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringLike"
+      variable = "token.actions.githubusercontent.com:job_workflow_ref"
+      values   = [
+        "${var.github_org}/${var.github_repo}/.github/workflows/iam-bootstrap-deploy.yaml@*",
+        "${var.github_org}/${var.github_repo}/.github/workflows/base-deploy.yml@*",
+        "${var.github_org}/${var.github_repo}/.github/workflows/cicd-2-publish.yaml@*",
+      ]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/iams_permissions_boundary.tf b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/iams_permissions_boundary.tf
index 2dca544d..91c1e94d 100644
--- a/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/iams_permissions_boundary.tf
+++ b/infrastructure/stacks/iams-developer-roles/iams_permissions_boundary.tf
@@ -295,3 +295,148 @@ resource "aws_iam_policy" "permissions_boundary" {
     }
   )
 }
+
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "iam_bootstrap_permissions_boundary" {
+  # Allow IAM operations on project-scoped resources
+  statement {
+    sid    = "AllowProjectIamOperations"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:GetRole*",
+      "iam:GetPolicy*",
+      "iam:ListRole*",
+      "iam:ListPolicies",
+      "iam:ListAttachedRolePolicies",
+      "iam:ListPolicyVersions",
+      "iam:ListPolicyTags",
+      "iam:ListOpenIDConnectProviders",
+      "iam:ListOpenIDConnectProviderTags",
+      "iam:GetOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:CreateRole",
+      "iam:DeleteRole",
+      "iam:UpdateRole",
+      "iam:UpdateAssumeRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePermissionsBoundary",
+      "iam:AttachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DetachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:CreatePolicy*",
+      "iam:DeletePolicy*",
+      "iam:TagRole",
+      "iam:TagPolicy",
+      "iam:UntagRole",
+      "iam:UntagPolicy",
+      "iam:PassRole",
+      "iam:CreateServiceLinkedRole",
+      "iam:TagOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:UntagOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:CreateOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:DeleteOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:UpdateOpenIDConnectProviderThumbprint",
+      "iam:AddClientIDToOpenIDConnectProvider",
+      "iam:RemoveClientIDFromOpenIDConnectProvider",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-api-deployment-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/${var.project_name}-terraform-developer-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/terraform-developer-role",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${upper(var.project_name)}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${lower(var.project_name)}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/service-policies/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${local.stack_name}-*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:oidc-provider/token.actions.githubusercontent.com",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # Allow read-only IAM access for Terraform plan/state discovery
+  statement {
+    sid    = "AllowIamReadAccess"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:Get*",
+      "iam:List*",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/*",
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:oidc-provider/*",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # Allow Terraform state bucket access
+  statement {
+    sid    = "AllowTerraformStateAccess"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "s3:ListBucket",
+      "s3:GetObject",
+      "s3:PutObject",
+      "s3:DeleteObject",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "${local.terraform_state_bucket_arn}",
+      "${local.terraform_state_bucket_arn}/*",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # Allow Terraform state locking via DynamoDB
+  statement {
+    sid    = "AllowTerraformStateLocking"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "dynamodb:GetItem",
+      "dynamodb:PutItem",
+      "dynamodb:DeleteItem",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:dynamodb:${var.default_aws_region}:${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:table/${var.project_name}-*-terraform-lock",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # DENY: Prevent the bootstrap role from modifying its own policies
+  statement {
+    sid    = "DenyBootstrapSelfModification"
+    effect = "Deny"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:AttachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DetachRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePolicy",
+      "iam:DeleteRolePolicy",
+      "iam:UpdateAssumeRolePolicy",
+      "iam:PutRolePermissionsBoundary",
+      "iam:DeleteRolePermissionsBoundary",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:role/service-roles/github-actions-iam-bootstrap-role",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # DENY: Prevent the bootstrap role from modifying its own permissions boundary
+  statement {
+    sid    = "DenyBootstrapBoundaryModification"
+    effect = "Deny"
+    actions = [
+      "iam:CreatePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:DeletePolicy",
+      "iam:DeletePolicyVersion",
+      "iam:SetDefaultPolicyVersion",
+    ]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:iam::${data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id}:policy/${lower(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-permissions-boundary",
+    ]
+  }
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_policy" "iam_bootstrap_permissions_boundary" {
+  name        = "${lower(var.project_name)}-iam-bootstrap-permissions-boundary"
+  description = "Permissions boundary for the GitHub Actions IAM Bootstrap role - scoped to IAM and Terraform state only"
+  policy      = data.aws_iam_policy_document.iam_bootstrap_permissions_boundary.json
+
+  tags = merge(
+    local.tags,
+    {
+      Stack = "iams-developer-roles"
+    }
+  )
+}