Head of Advice Portfolio Construction Technology

Vanguard; Malvern (Chester County); Hybrid; USD 350,000 - 520,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working model

Mission-driven culture

Job summary

Vanguard is seeking a senior technology leader to be Head of Advice Portfolio Construction Technology in Malvern, PA. You will oversee a diverse team of engineers and shape in-house platforms that translate client needs into investment outcomes for millions of investors.

You will drive a transition from rules-based to risk-based optimization, build proprietary capabilities, and lead a multi-year transformation with a focus on scale, ownership, and measurable impact.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of portfolio construction and risk-based optimization.
• Experience leading large engineering organizations in complex, matrixed environments.
• Proven ability to translate investment concepts into scalable technology solutions.
• Experience with or alongside industry platforms (Aladdin, Charles River, MSCI, InvestCloud).

Responsibilities

• Lead ~12 engineering teams across multiple locations and build a leadership bench.
• Build and scale in-house platforms for advice and portfolio construction.
• Shape technology strategy across advice, portfolio management, and client experience.
• Partner with investment and product leaders to deliver platform transformations.

Skills

Portfolio construction

Risk profiling

Asset allocation

Leadership of leaders

Distributed systems

Education

CFA or equivalent certification (nice to have)

Tools

Aladdin

Charles River

MSCI

InvestCloud

Advisor Engine

Orion

Envestnet

Job description

We are seeking a senior technology leader to serve as Head of Advice Portfolio Construction Technology—building and scaling the platforms that translate client needs into investment outcomes for millions of investors. This role sits squarely at the intersection of investment domain expertise and modern technology leadership, spanning risk profiling, asset allocation, portfolio construction, and ongoing portfolio management. This is a rare seat for a leader who pairs deep investment acumen with proven engineering leadership. As Vanguard evolves rules-based toward next-generation, risk‑optimization‑driven portfolio construction, this leader will build in-house capability—not simply integrate vendors—and shape a multi‑year transformation at scale. The current scope includes a budget of approximately $25M.

• A high-visibility platform leadership role driving the technology behind personalized advice and wealth management.
• Direct influence over the transition from rules-based to risk-based, optimization-driven portfolio construction.
• A true leader-of-leaders mandate: management of managers, with strong organizational leadership, stakeholder influence, and program delivery at the core.
• The chance to build proprietary, in-house capability rather than depend solely on third-party vendors.

What You Will Do

Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing organization of technologists across approximately 12 full-stack engineering teams; manage a leadership bench that currently includes 4 direct reports and spans PA, NC, TX, and sourcing, with expected expansion into India next year.

• Build a strong leadership bench and cultivate a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices (AI-assisted development, CI/CD, observability, resiliency).
• Deliver and evolve platforms that assess client risk tolerance, generate asset allocation and portfolio recommendations, and construct portfolios using both rules-based and risk-based methodologies.
• Advance capabilities in risk-based optimization, tracking-error reduction, securities-selection rationale, and portfolio transition / optimization functions.
• Ensure platforms support a broad range of investment strategies, products, and client segments across equities and fixed income.
• Act as a senior partner to investment, product, and advice leaders, translating investment concepts (risk, allocation, diversification, optimization) into scalable technology solutions.
• Shape technology strategy across advice, portfolio management, and client experience, influencing decisions without direct authority.

Qualifications

Investment & Domain Expertise (Differentiator)

• Strong understanding of portfolio construction, asset allocation, and client risk profiling, including the nuances of equities vs. fixed income and risk-based optimization.
• Familiarity with tracking-error reduction, securities-selection rationale, and portfolio transition / optimization functions.
• Experience in the advice sector, portfolio construction, portfolio management, or rebalancing tooling is strongly preferred.
• A CFA or comparable industry certification is a strong plus and a valued signal of deep investment capability (not required).
• Proven experience leading large application engineering organizations, including managing managers and developing senior leaders.
• Track record of building high-performing teams in complex, matrixed environments with significant cross‑functional dependency.
• Deep experience leading large‑scale technology programs and platform transformations, with strong grounding in modern engineering practices, distributed systems, and platform architecture.
• Ability to balance operational reliability with long‑term transformation.
• Experience integrating or building alongside industry platforms (e.g., Aladdin, Charles River, MSCI, InvestCloud, Advisor Engine, Orion, Envestnet) is a plus and shortens ramp time.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in ambiguity, set clear direction, and balance innovation, cost, risk, and speed while ensuring disciplined execution.
• Exceptional stakeholder management; comfortable partnering with senior business and investment leaders and influencing without direct authority.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don’t just have a mission—we’re on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients’ lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in‑person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long‑term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.