Director - Portfolio Strategy and Architecture – Global Wealth Management - RBC - Toronto
Job description
PURPOSE
The Head Portfolio Strategy and Architecture is a pivotal role within the Wealth Management Platform. The Head of GWMT has an assigned this role to manage the diverse GWMT Projects which span the Wealth Management Platform from an architecture perspective.
The individual plays a critical role in leading key aspects of the transformational activities and ongoing operations for the GWMT Team. This role includes leading the application and technology portfolio assessment, the development and implementation of current and future-state architectures as well as the development of comprehensive roadmaps to ensure project investments are aligned to RBC strategy and objectives.
The vision for the Wealth Management function is to be viewed as an indispensable partner in maturing and growing RBC's technology capabilities in order to most efficiently and effectively enable the business growth strategy. This role is instrumental in positioning the organization to execute and deliver on its strategic objectives.
Key aspects of the role include:
Accelerating/Growing RBC’s technology base to achieve critical business capabilities.
Understand the technology trends and identify opportunities to apply those trends across WM Global.
Enabling strategic objectives by providing actionable portfolio and architecture direction for the maturation of critical business and technology capabilities and solutions on a global scale.
Achieving a rationalized application/technology portfolio of effective business and technology solutions that increase cost efficiencies and enable the business, e.g., through:
Rationalization of Application and technology portfolio globally
Leveraging of shared services Globally
Collaboration with business partners, GWMT management and other T&O groups.
Complexity reduction/Simplification of the technology landscape
Appropriately balancing the benefits of enterprise consistent shared services with the need for strategically critical flexibility at the line of business and global level.
Enabling agility and adaptability to shifts in business and technology strategy.
Manage approximately 5 Lead Architects in the Wealth Applications function globally
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Partner with T&O, Wealth Management teams, Global counterparts and clients to:
Assess the overall Application and Technology Portfolio and identify opportunities for rationalization within and across Geographies.
Develop, socialize, and maintain current and future-state
architectures, rationalizing the portfolio of IT assets deployed across the GWMT platform/T&O, while ensuring alignment with the business strategy.
Develop roadmaps and help ensure IT investments are aligned with the future-state architectures based on business needs and technology trends
Ensure that new projects / programs meet enterprise architectural and technology standards.
Work with Application Custodians to assess, document, and review Technology Health Check and architectural concerns.
Review and approve the deployment of new App Codes and their retirement.
Maintain an accurate representation of the overall portfolio in GWMT.
Work collaboratively with the Wealth Management Team and Global Partners to:
Ensure that the value delivered is aligned to maximize synergies and enterprise leverage (e.g., through integration and standardization), while optimizing the efficient use of resources (e.g., such as engineering, application development, business, and consulting resources).
Participate in the creation of reference architectures.
Identify synergies and reusable business services and components.
Facilitate and participate in reviews and share skills, knowledge, and best practices.
Provide guidance and expertise to Architects.
Participate in, and enforce, the enterprise governance frameworks.
Identify opportunities for cost savings and more efficient operations. Contribute to savings by proposing improvements to development processes, introduction of effective tooling / practices, elimination of redundant systems / procedures, etc.
MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE
Ensure that employees understand the RBC vision; support and reinforce targeted behaviours that contribute to RBC goals/global objectives.
Provide focus and clarity in establishing individual goals, driving performance management, supporting career development, and rewarding strong performance.
Leverage the value in department and enterprise-wide teams to develop better solutions and achieve a cross-enterprise mindset.
Accept and successfully execute change while supporting employees through the process, and keeping them focused on business priorities
TIME ALLOCATION
GWMT Portfolio Management - Develop and maintain architecture strategy aligned to the business (40%)
Provide architectural direction to application groups (20%)
Develop and implement strategy to increase cost effectiveness while driving revenue and profitability (20%)
Ensure adherence to audit policies/enterprise architecture guidelines (10%)
Collaborate across geographies, engage in progress reviews/updates (10%)
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to the Head of Global Wealth Management Technology,
Direct Reports – Lead Architects across the geographies
Interaction with RBC executives including the Technology and Operations (T&O) leadership team, Application Development (AD), Global Technology Infrastructure (GTI), various Line of Business, clients and Global Partners.
Partner with SMEs e.g., Business Architects, Solutions Architects, Consultants
Collaborate with various capability areas e.g., Finance, Program, and Project Portfolio Management, etc.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Required:
Undergraduate Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
15+ years of experience managing large complex teams of distributed resources.
Expert knowledge of architecture, application development, application systems design, and integration.
Proven effective leadership to drive and facilitate transformation in a large and complex global organization. Includes ability to influence decision making and facilitate teams with multiple stakeholders at all levels in the organization as well as knowledge of change management discipline and best practices.
Solid experience operating in a complex information technology and management process environment.
Capability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and relationships with key stakeholders (Global Architecture areas, Application Development, T&O management, RBC business groups, GTI)
Ability to discuss information technology in business terms.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and aggressive deliverables and take a leadership role in moving initiatives forward.
Ability to think strategically and propose solutions to high risk issues
Excellent written and verbal communication as well as strong interpersonal and executive presentation skills.
Strong collaboration, analytical, and consultative skills.
Preferred:
Masters Degree in Business, Computer Science, or Engineering preferred
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Posted by
Aaren
