At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of business architecture for our Asset Management Platform.
- Company: Join Schroders, a global investment manager with over 200 years of heritage.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values inclusion and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of asset management through innovative technology and strategic leadership.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in business architecture and strong understanding of asset management models.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
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.
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.
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 provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought facilitated by an inclusive culture will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why 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 characteristics.
Head of Architecture - Asset Management Platform in London employer: Schroders
Schroders is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, where innovation and collaboration are at the forefront of our Asset Management team in London. We offer robust employee growth opportunities, competitive benefits, and a commitment to diversity of thought, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. Join us to lead transformative architectural initiatives that drive measurable business value in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Architecture - Asset Management Platform in London
✨Get Your Portfolio Game On Point
As an aspiring architect, your portfolio is your golden ticket. Make sure it's not just a collection of your best work, but tells a story about your design process and creative thought. Showcase a range of projects, from conceptual sketches to final renderings—think of it as a visual CV!
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Interviews for architecture roles can get quite technical, so practice answering questions about your design process and decision-making strategies. Prepare for potential design challenges they might put forward in interviews—show them you can think on your feet and come up with innovative solutions!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Architecture - Asset Management Platform in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Skills:Architecture is all about creativity and technical skills, so make sure your portfolio is front and centre! Include a range of your best projects, showcasing different styles and techniques. Don't forget to explain your design process and the challenges you overcame for each project – it gives hiring managers a glimpse into your thought process!
Tailor Your CV to Architecture:When putting together your CV, highlight relevant experience in architectural design software, like AutoCAD or Revit. Plus, if you have any internships or coursework that involved real-world projects, be sure to mention them. We want to see not just what you've done, but how it relates directly to this role at Schroders!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to Schroders. Talk about specific projects or values of theirs you admire, and how you see yourself contributing to their team. We want to feel your enthusiasm – let it shine through your words!
Use Professional Terminology:Don't shy away from using industry-specific jargon that demonstrates your expertise! Terms like 'sustainability', 'scale', and 'aesthetics' can not only show your knowledge but also help you connect with the hiring team. Just ensure it's done in a way that's relatable and not overly technical, so we can see your passion clearly!
How to prepare for a job interview at Schroders
✨Master the Technical Questions
In an architecture interview, be ready to tackle some technical questions about building codes, design principles, and software like AutoCAD or Revit. Brush up on your knowledge of materials and components, as you might even face scenarios to solve during the interview that showcase your problem-solving skills in real-time.
✨Bring Your Portfolio to Life
Your portfolio is your golden ticket! Make sure it not only showcases your best work but also highlights your design thinking process, from sketches to final outputs. During the interview, be prepared to discuss the projects in detail—what challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learnt.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Sustainability
In today's architecture landscape, sustainability is key. Be sure to highlight any projects that involved eco-friendly designs or your understanding of sustainable practices. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the trends but are genuinely passionate about creating a better future through your designs.
✨Engage with Your Interviewers
Architecture is a collaborative field, so showing that you're a team player is essential. When conversing with the interviewers, actively listen and respond to their ideas. This isn’t just about you showing off your skills, but also about connecting and demonstrating how well you’d fit into their team at Schroders.
