Director - Platform Engineering & Architecture Lead

Citi; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 203,000 - 271,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave (plus bank/public

Discretional annual bonus

Private Medical Care & Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Pension Plan

Paid Parental Leave

Special employee discounts

Learning and development resources

Job summary

Citi is seeking a Director for Platform Engineering & Architecture to lead enterprise-scale architecture and delivery of critical platforms serving thousands of users. The role combines hands-on design with strategic leadership across frontend, backend, APIs, and cloud services in a hybrid work environment.

You will mentor senior engineers, shape engineering standards, and drive policy-as-code while partnering with executives to translate business strategy into scalable technology roadmaps.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading enterprise-scale software engineering organizations.
• Proven expertise in distributed systems and cloud-native architectures.
• Hands-on coding capability in Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Java, or similar enterprise language.
• Strong understanding of frontend frameworks, backend services, APIs, and observability.
• Experience guiding architecture reviews and influencing multi-team decisions.
• Track record delivering large-scale programmes with measurable business impact.

Responsibilities

• Own technology outcomes and architecture strategy across large portfolios affecting enterprise workflows.
• Lead architecture and design across multiple interconnected systems and products.
• Drive strategic technology direction while remaining hands-on in solution design and code reviews.
• Define enterprise engineering standards and reference architectures.
• Lead delivery of high-profile programmes with significant visibility.
• Establish policy-as-code, governance and engineering controls in delivery pipelines.
• Mentor engineering leaders and raise technical excellence across the organisation.
• Provide technical leadership during major incidents and complex architectural reviews.

Skills

Distributed systems

Cloud-native architectures

Hands-on coding

Frontend & backend

Observability

Technical leadership

Job description

Director - Platform Engineering & Architecture Lead

Location(s):

London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type:

Hybrid

Discover your future at Citi

Working at Citi is far more than just a job. A career with us means joining a team of approximately 219,000 dedicated people from around the globe. At Citi, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your career, give back to your community and make a real impact.

Job Overview

Engineer the future of global finance. At Citi, our Tech team doesn’t just support finance – we are helping to redefine it. Every day, $5 trillion crosses through our network. We do business in 180+ countries operating at a scale few can match. From deploying advanced AI to helping shape global markets, we build systems that matter. Look to join a team where your work helps influence economies, your ideas can drive innovation and outcomes, and your growth is backed by mentorship, continuous learning and flexibility with potential hybrid work opportunities. Help solve real-world challenges that touch millions and get the opportunity to build the future of finance with Citi Tech.

Overview

Hands-on engineering leadership role focused on architecture, design and delivery of enterprise-scale platforms and applications supporting up to 200,000+ users across critical workflows. Leads complex cross-domain initiatives, establishes engineering standards, drives policy-as-code adoption and remains actively involved in software design, coding and technical decision making.

Responsibilities

• Own technology outcomes and architecture strategy across large portfolios affecting enterprise workflows and tens of thousands of employees globally.
• Lead architecture and design across multiple interconnected systems, platforms and products.
• Drive strategic technology direction while remaining hands-on in solution design, code reviews and software delivery.
• Define enterprise engineering standards, reference architectures and reusable patterns.
• Lead delivery of high-profile programmes with significant business, operational and regulatory visibility.
• Establish policy-as-code, automated governance and engineering controls embedded into delivery pipelines.
• Guide full stack engineering teams across frontend, backend, APIs, cloud platforms and data services.
• Partner with senior executives to translate business strategy into scalable technology roadmaps.
• Make critical decisions on platform modernisation, resiliency, scalability, performance and security.
• Mentor engineering leaders and senior engineers while raising technical excellence across the organisation.
• Provide technical leadership during major incidents, transformations and complex architectural reviews.

Required Experience

• Significant experience leading enterprise-scale software engineering organisations.
• Proven expertise in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures and modern engineering practices.
• Demonstrated hands-on coding capability in at least one of: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Java, or similar enterprise language.
• Strong understanding of frontend frameworks, backend services, APIs, integration patterns and observability.
• Experience leading architecture reviews and influencing technical decisions across multiple teams.
• Track record delivering large-scale strategic programmes with measurable business impact.

What we’ll provide you

By joining Citi, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as:

• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• A discretional annual performance related bonus
• Private Medical Care & Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pension Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
• Access to an array of learning and development resources

Visit our About Us | Culture, Values & Benefits page to learn more.

Alongside these benefits Citi is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self, every day. We want the best talent around the world to be energized to join us, motivated to stay and empowered to thrive.

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Job Family Group:

Technology

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Job Family:

Applications Development

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Time Type:

Full time

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Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi.

View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.