Head of Architecture - Asset Management Platformnew

Who we’re looking for

We are seeking a high-calibre, hands-on Head of Architecture to lead the definition and evolution of business architecture across our Asset Management Business.

This role is pivotal in ensuring that enterprise strategy, operating models, and cross-domain business capabilities are clearly defined, aligned, and translated into scalable platform outcomes.

You will operate at the intersection of business strategy, operating model design, and platform enablement, ensuring coherence across Investment, Client, Group Operations, Data, and Finance business aligned domains.

As a senior leader, you will embed a strong business architecture discipline within a platform-centric operating model, driving clarity, standardisation, and measurable business value across the organisation.

About Us

Schroders is a global investment manager which provides active asset management, wealth management and investment solutions. We aim to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We serve a diverse client base that includes pension schemes, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, high net worth individuals, family offices, as well as end clients through partnerships with distributors, financial advisers, and online platforms.

Established in 1804, we have around 5,500 people across 36 global locations. Schroders' success can be attributed to its diversified business model, spanning different asset classes, client types and geographies.

The team

The Asset Management Platform (AMP) is a global technology change and delivery organisation responsible for the platforms that underpin Schroders’ investment, client and operational capabilities across public and private markets

AMP brings together a set of business-aligned technology platforms—including Client, Investment, Group Operations, Data and Finance—into a single, integrated asset management capability, enabling consistent, scalable and value-driven outcomes across the firm.

Operating within a platform-centric model, teams are aligned to business outcomes while leveraging shared enterprise capabilities across architecture, data, engineering and delivery to drive standardisation, reuse, and speed of execution.

Asset Management Platform – Analysis & Design

The Analysis & Design function is a core enterprise level capability within the Asset Management Platform, accountable for shaping the future direction of the firm's technology and business capabilities. 

Operating across all business aligned domains, the team provides leadership in business analysis, architecture, operating model design, strategic analysis and product management, ensuring investment is aligned to business priorities and enterprise outcomes. 

Through the definition of common standards, reusable design patterns and platform-wide governance, the function drives consistency, simplification and scalability, enabling the organisation to accelerate change, optimise cost, and realise the full potential of data, AI and platform-based operating models.

Architecture plays a central role in achieving this by:

• Defining enterprise-wide capability models and value streams
• Ensuring alignment across platforms and business domains
• Driving standardisation, simplification, and convergence
• Enabling data- and AI-driven transformation at scale

The Head of Architecture will provide the structural backbone linking strategy to execution, ensuring that business intent is consistently realised across the platform ecosystem.

What you’ll do

• Define and lead the business architecture vision, framework, and standards across the Asset Management Platform

• Establish and maintain enterprise-aligned capability models, value streams, and operating models

• Ensure traceability from strategy → capabilities → value streams → processes → platform enablement

• Translate business and corporate strategy into clear, structured business architecture artefacts and roadmaps

• Enable enterprise-wide coherence and alignment across platform initiatives

• Define and evolve target operating models across front-to-back functions

• Drive simplification, standardisation, and scalability of business processes globally

• Support the transition to platform-centric and product-aligned ways of working

• Own the enterprise business capability model aligned to GOP

• Identify capability gaps, overlaps, and optimisation opportunities across domains

• Define and embed value metrics, OKRs, and benefits realisation frameworks

• Ensure alignment of business architecture across multiple platforms and domains

• Partner with platform architects, domain architects, and enterprise architecture

• Act as a bridge between business strategy and platform design/delivery

• Embed data and AI considerations into business architecture design

• Ensure capabilities and processes are structured to leverage advanced analytics and AI insights

• Align with enterprise data strategy, governance, and platform capabilities

• Establish and enforce business architecture governance, standards, and best practices

• Contribute to the broader enterprise architecture and design community

• Promote consistency and quality in artefacts (capabilities, value streams, process maps, etc.)

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need

• Proven experience in a senior Business Architecture leadership role in a complex, global organisation

• Strong understanding of asset management business models across front, middle, and back office

• Experience operating within platform-led or product-based operating models

• Deep expertise in: Business capability modelling, Value stream mapping, Operating model design, End-to-end process architecture

• Experience aligning business architecture with technology and data platforms

• Strong ability to translate complex strategy into structured, actionable frameworks

• Experience supporting large-scale, cross-domain transformation programmes

• Focus on value delivery, outcomes, and measurable impact

• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders across business and technology

• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts

• Experience working across global, matrixed environments

• Technology & Platform Awareness

• Strong appreciation of modern technology concepts including Platform architectures, Data ecosystems, API and integration models

• Ability to ensure business intent is effectively realised in platform design and delivery

What you’ll be like

The successful candidate will be a strategic and outcome‑driven architect, able to connect business priorities with clear, scalable technology direction. They will combine strong vision with pragmatism—defining long‑term platform strategy while making practical decisions that enable delivery at pace. With deep technical credibility, they will engage confidently across architecture, engineering and delivery teams, shaping solutions that are robust, aligned to enterprise standards and focused on delivering tangible business value.

They will operate as a collaborative and influential leader within a complex, global environment, driving alignment across business and technology stakeholders. A strong advocate of simplification, standardisation and reuse, they will actively reduce complexity and drive convergence across the platform. Clear in their communication and accountable in their approach, they will take ownership for the platform’s evolution, contribute to the wider architecture community, and continuously apply emerging technologies—particularly data and AI—to enhance investment capabilities and outcomes.

We recognise potential, whoever you are

Our purpose is to deliver excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We believe diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture help us make better decisions and achieve better outcomes for our clients. That's why inclusion is a strategic priority for us, and we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for all roles and provide reasonable accommodations to support applicants and employees, including those with neurodiversity, disability, or physical and mental health needs. For more information, please visit our FAQs.