Executive Director - Application Architecture

***Hybrid, 3 days onsite, 2 days remote******We are unable to sponsor as this is a permanent full-time role***A prestigious company is looking for a Executive Director – Application Architecture. This is a hands on Director who will focus on backend application architecture, API, integration, Java/Kafka/Kubernetes/Cloud, etc.Responsibilities:Lead, develop, and set direction for a team of application architects, each retaining individual domain focus across clearing, risk, data, APIs, and integrationsEstablish and enforce architecture standards across applications, integration patterns, API design, tech stack selection, and software design patternsOwn the Application Architecture vision: shape the technology strategy for company applications and integrations — architecting systems built to withstand stress, change, and uncertainty, where resilient design is the standard for every solution we deliverEnsure consistent application of enterprise standards across all delivery teamsDevelop and maintain Solution Design documentation standards in collaboration with the rest of the OTSI teamEnforce design patterns and architectural guardrails across teams delivering on both legacy and greenfield systemsEstablish non-functional requirements standards: performance, scalability, fault tolerance, observability as first-class architecture concernsCoordinate with Platform Architecture to ensure application designs reflect infrastructure reality and operational constraintsServe as the primary architecture partner to Engineering, Product, Financial RiskManagement, and Quantitative Risk ManagementCollaborate with Security, QA, and Governance/Risk to ensure architectural decisions satisfy regulatory requirements including Regulation SCI and CPMI-IOSCO principlesConduct architecture and design reviews with enough rigor to catch problems before they reach productionManage and develop a teamQualifications:BS degree in Computer Science, Information Systems Management, Mathematics, or a similar technical field.Demonstrated experience defining and enforcing application architecture standards at organizational scale across complex, multi-system portfoliosDeep hands-on background in application architecture — APIs, integration patterns, distributed systems, event-driven architecture, and microservicesExperience with both legacy/brownfield modernization and greenfield cloud-native developmentStrong working knowledge of CI/CD, automated testing, and quality gate enforcement as architecture concernsHands-on experience with Java, Kafka, Kubernetes, and cloud-native architectures on AWS or equivalentExperience with scaled agile frameworks (SAFe) in large enterprise delivery programsFamiliarity with AI-assisted development practices and their implications for architecture and standards