Head of Architecture - Client Platforms
London | Hybrid | Permanent/Full Time | UK Work Permit is Mandatory
£200K (Inc. Top End - Bonus, Benefits, Equity, Full Family Health Care, Pension +More...
This role requires a Lead Architect or above level candidate with a deep understanding of Trading platforms, portfolio management systems, and risk management architecture, transformation and modernization with an understanding of regulatory compliance processes and technical adherence to FCA/PRA regulations. Experience ensuring COCON compliance and regular audits. + a proven track record of leading globally distributed architecture or technology teams and first class stakeholder management.
KEY DELIEVERABLES:
* Architecture blueprints and guidelines.
* Governance dashboards tracking compliance and quality metrics.
* Regular audit reports for regulatory and internal reviews.
* Collaborating with Technology Delivery teams to create and maintain technology roadmaps
* Dependency matrices and risk assessments.
* Quarterly roadmap review presentations for stakeholders.
* Agile architecture + training.
* Metrics on technical debt reduction and architecture adoption.
* Build an architecture runway (e.g., reusable APIs, microservices) supporting Agile teams.
* Embed architects in Agile Release Trains (ARTs) - Jira and ArchiMate.
BROADER ROLE PROFILE:
You will Head up and take the lead for:
* Developing enterprise-wide architectural standards - Coding standards (e.g., REST API design principles), security protocols (e.g., OAuth 2.0, encryption standards), and data models (e.g., canonical data models for client data).
* Frameworks for Technology Reference Architecture outlining approved technologies, patterns (e.g., microservices, event-driven architecture), and integration approaches.
* Implement governance processes via Architecture Review Boards (ARBs), to review and approve designs for new systems or changes to existing ones. (Confluence or ServiceNow to document and track compliance).
* Ensure adherence to financial regulations (e.g., FCA/PRA rules, GDPR for client data) and internal policies for customer-facing systems like brokerage platforms.
* Establish metrics (e.g., system uptime, API response times) to monitor the quality of systems and enforce consistency.
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:
* Proven track record of leading globally distributed architecture or technology teams, ideally in a large, complex investment/wealth manager type financial organization.
* Experience in influencing senior stakeholders, demonstrating the ability to align diverse groups around a shared vision.
* Background in financial services ideally wealth management with an understanding of domain-specific challenges like regulatory compliance.
* Deep expertise in enterprise architecture principles, including creating standards and frameworks.
* Familiarity with modern architecture practices, such as microservices, domain-driven design, or event-driven architecture.
* Understanding of Agile methodologies and how to integrate architecture into Agile processes.
* Awareness of global financial regulations. (FCA and PRA)
* Experience with Trading Platforms Proprietary or third-party systems like Charles River or Bloomberg Terminal integrations for trade execution and settlement.
* Portfolio Management Tools like BlackRock Aladdin.
* Risk Management: Solutions like MSCI RiskMetrics or in-house tools for real-time risk assessment (e.g., Value-at-Risk calculations).
CLIENT PLATFORM TECH STACK:
Client-Facing Platforms:
* Web frameworks: React, Angular, or Vue.js for responsive applications.
* Mobile: Swift, Kotlin, or Flutter for iOS/Android apps.
* CMS: Adobe Experience Manager or Contentful for client content.
* Security: Okta or Ping Identity for SSO and authentication.
Backend Systems:
* Platforms: Proprietary or third-party solutions (e.g., Charles River, BlackRock Aladdin).
* Languages: Java, Python, or C# with Spring Boot or .NET Core.
* Integrations: Market data feeds (e.g., Refinitiv, Bloomberg).
Data Platforms:
* Warehouses: Snowflake, Google BigQuery, or Amazon Redshift.
* Analytics: Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for client reporting.
* Big Data: Apache Spark or Hadoop for large-scale processing.
* AI/ML: TensorFlow or Databricks for predictive analytics.
Integration Technologies:
* API Management: Apigee, AWS API Gateway, or MuleSoft.
* Middleware: Red Hat Fuse or Kafka for asynchronous communication.
Cloud Technologies:
* Providers: AWS (EC2, Lambda), Azure (AKS), or Google Cloud (BigQuery).
* Containers: Docker, Kubernetes for scalable deployments.
* Serverless: AWS Lambda or Azure Functions.
DevOps and Automation:
* CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or CircleCI.
* IaC: Terraform or AWS CloudFormation.
* Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, or Datadog.