Managing Director, Head, Business Architecture & Product Development

RBC; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading investment bank is seeking a highly experienced business architecture leader to shape strategy and transform operations. The role involves developing frameworks for operational efficiency and leading cross-functional teams. The successful candidate will have a strong background in financial services, experience with emerging technologies like Generative AI, and excellent leadership capabilities. This position offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact within the organization, driving client experiences and business objectives.

Benefits

Comprehensive Total Rewards Program

Opportunities for personal development

Dynamic and collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of progressive leadership experience in business architecture.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in senior roles within financial services.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a business architecture strategy aligned with strategic objectives.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to enhance operational efficiency.
• Design and implement changes that improve straight-through processing.

Skills

Leadership capabilities

Analytical and problem-solving abilities

Experience with Generative AI

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Education

Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or equivalent)

Tools

Business architecture tools (e.g., ARIS, Visio)

Job description

Job Description

What is the Opportunity?

This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of RBC Capital Markets' business architecture and drive transformational change at one of North America's premier investment banks.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic leadership team committed to innovation, excellence, and sustainable growth, with a specific mandate to optimize the critical intersection between business strategy and operational execution.

Direct report of Capital Markets Chief Operating Officer (COO), this role will develop and execute a business architecture strategy aligned with RBC Capital Markets' objectives, driving operational efficiency, client experience, and competitive advantage.

The role will identify initiatives, integrating operations, technology, and business functions while adopting innovative solutions like Generative AI.

The role will also optimize operating platforms, establish governance frameworks, and build a high‑performing team to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with enterprise priorities and regulatory requirements.

What will you do?

Strategic Leadership & Vision

Develop and execute a comprehensive business architecture strategy aligned with RBC Capital Markets' strategic objectives and growth trajectory.

Partner with senior leadership to identify transformation opportunities that enhance operational efficiency, client experience, and competitive positioning.

Define and communicate the target state business architecture vision across all business lines and supporting functions.

Business Architecture

Lead the documentation, analysis, and optimization of current state business architecture across Capital Markets operations.

Design future state business architecture frameworks that support scalable growth and operational excellence.

Establish governance frameworks and standards for business architecture practices across the organization.

Ensure alignment between business strategy, operating model, technology architecture, and data architecture.

Transforming Platforms, Processes and Performance

Shape and steer transformation initiatives from conception to adoption, ensuring business objectives, client impact and operational readiness are met.

Partner closely with the Business Transformation Team to ensure Capital Markets‑wide transformation programs are delivered comprehensively across all business functions.

Analyze and optimize the impacts of transformation initiatives on the Operating Platform, encompassing both Operations and Technology domains.

Lead cross‑functional collaboration to ensure seamless integration between front office business requirements and middle/back office operational capabilities.

Lead cross‑functional teams in re‑engineering business processes to eliminate inefficiencies and enhance client outcomes.

Champion the adoption of emerging technologies, including Generative AI, to drive innovation and operational improvements.

Establish frameworks for assessing operational readiness and technology capacity implications of business transformation initiatives.

Establish measurement frameworks to track transformation success and business value realization.

Operating Platform Architecture & Optimization

Design and implement operating model changes that enhance operational efficiency, straight‑through processing, and risk management capabilities.

Collaborate with Technology leadership to ensure business architecture aligns with technology roadmaps and infrastructure strategies.

Lead initiatives to modernize operational processes, reduce manual interventions, and improve operational resilience.

Partner with Operations teams to identify automation and GenAI opportunities and process standardization initiatives.

Ensure transformation programs consider operational scalability, regulatory compliance, and risk management requirements.

Leadership Behaviors

Build, lead, and mentor a high‑performing team of business analysts, process re‑engineering specialists, and GenAI engineers.

Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and analytical excellence within the team.

Develop team capabilities in modern business architecture methodologies, process optimization, and emerging technologies.

Build specialized expertise within the team focused on operating platform optimization and operations‑technology integration.

Collaborate with HR to attract, retain, and develop top‑tier talent in business architecture and transformation disciplines.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

Serve as the primary interface between business units, technology teams, and senior leadership on architecture and product development matters.

Maintain strong partnership with Business Transformation Team leadership to ensure coordinated delivery of enterprise‑wide initiatives.

Work closely with Operations leadership to understand operational constraints and identify improvement opportunities.

Collaborate with Technology leadership to align business architecture decisions with technology strategy and investment priorities.

Present complex business architecture concepts and transformation roadmaps to executive leadership and board project committees.

Partner with business heads to understand strategic priorities and translate them into actionable architecture and process improvements.

Coordinate with risk, compliance, and audit functions to ensure all transformation initiatives meet regulatory requirements.

Success Metrics

Establish and maintain governance frameworks for business architecture and transformation, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, operational scalability, and risk management.

Document and map all end‑to‑end business process flows, inclusive of underlying technology stack, critical data elements and key control points. Use this information to transform a legacy, manual environment to an automated, end‑to‑end scalable ecosystem.

Deliver measurable improvements in operational efficiency and straight‑through processing, reducing manual interventions and achieving a defined percentage of cost savings annually.

Drive adoption of Generative AI and other emerging technologies, with tangible impacts on data governance, process optimization, and client outcomes.

Demonstrate improvements in employee engagement, team productivity, and the development of specialized expertise in business architecture, transformation, and technology integration.

What do you need to succeed?

Experience Required

10‑15 years of progressive leadership experience in business architecture, business transformation, or management consulting roles within financial services environments.

Minimum 5 years of experience in senior roles within financial services, preferably in capital markets or investment banking.

Demonstrated success in managing complex, matrixed organizations and driving large‑scale global initiatives with measurable results.

Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders to drive strategic outcomes.

Experience working with advanced technologies and data‑driven solutions, including a focus on automation, efficiency, and innovation.

Education, certification and designation requirements

Required

Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or equivalent) in Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.

Nice to have

Professional certifications in business architecture (e.g., CBAP, TOGAF) or project management (PMP, Prince2).

Experience with cloud platforms and modern technology architectures.

Background in operations consulting or operations leadership roles within Capital Markets.

Previous experience working with C‑suite executives and board‑level stakeholders.

Experience with enterprise transformation programs spanning multiple business units and functions.

Skills and Capabilities

Technical/ functional capabilities

Deep expertise in business architecture frameworks (TOGAF, Zachman, or similar) and methodologies.

Strong background in process re‑engineering, lean methodologies, and operational excellence practices.

Demonstrated experience in operating platform optimization, including operations processes and technology integration.

Understanding of Capital Markets products, operations, and regulatory environment.

Experience with emerging technologies including Generative AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics.

Proficiency in business architecture and process modeling tools (e.g., ARIS, Visio, Blueworks).

Knowledge of operations technology platforms, workflow management systems, and automation tools.

Inter‑personal skills and capabilities

Exceptional leadership capabilities with experience managing cross‑functional teams of 15+ professionals.

Outstanding communication and presentation skills with ability to influence senior executives and board members.

Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities with data‑driven decision‑making approach.

Proven ability to work collaboratively across business, operations, and technology functions.

Proven ability to drive change management and cultural transformation in complex organizations.

Strategic thinking combined with hands‑on execution capabilities.

Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships across multiple organizational functions.

People Manager

Lead a team of approx. 45 FTE and 45 consultants with domain expertise in business architecture, emerging technologies and strategy.

Budget Accountability and/​or Financial Impact

Oversee and manage the budget for business architecture initiatives, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost control.

Drive measurable cost savings through operational efficiency improvements, process optimization, and automation initiatives.

Ensure alignment of transformation investments with business objectives, delivering a strong return on investment (ROI) and long‑term value.

Manage financial risks by ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and enhancing operational resilience.

What’s in it for you?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation, commissions, and stock where applicable
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities
• Ability to make a difference and lasting impact
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high‑performing team
• Opportunities to do challenging work
• Opportunities to building close relationships with clients

Job Skills

Adaptability, Critical Thinking, Customer Service, Detail‑Oriented, Financial Engineering, Financial Statement Analysis, Investments Analysis, Personal Development, Personal Initiative, Teamwork

Additional Job Details

• Address: RBC CENTRE, 155 WELLINGTON ST W:TORONTO
• City: Toronto
• Country: Canada
• Work hours/week: 37.5
• Employment Type: Full time
• Platform: CAPITAL MARKETS
• Job Type: Regular
• Pay Type: Salaried
• Posted Date: 2025-12-10
• Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above

Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employment

At RBC, we believe an inclusive workplace that has diverse perspectives is core to our continued growth as one of the largest and most successful banks in the world. Maintaining a workplace where our employees feel supported to perform at their best, effectively collaborate, drive innovation, and grow professionally helps to bring our Purpose to life and create value for our clients and communities. RBC strives to deliver this through policies and programs intended to foster a workplace based on respect, belonging and opportunity for all.

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