Chief Architect

Janney is hiring a Chief Architect to lead Enterprise Architecture for the firm and to lead something newer and just as important: our push into applied AI and automation. Youll set the technical standards and reference patterns that guide how Janney builds technology and youll personally build and lead a small high-caliber team of forward-thinking AI engineers who use AI to take on some of the firms biggest business is a hands-on leadership role and a highly visible one. Youll work directly with senior business leaders across wealth management brokerage and operations not as a gatekeeper they have to get past but as a trusted advisor they bring in early because your input makes their ideas better. Think of yourself as running an in-house consultancy: business leaders bring you their hardest problems and you and your team bring the technical judgment increasingly AI-powered judgment to help solve them looking for someone who is genuinely excited about what AI can do not just conceptually but hands-on day to day and who wants to build and lead a team that uses it responsibly to move the firm Youre Good At:Driving Change Identifying areas for enhancement and improvement and gaining organizational buy-in to implement those Oriented & Driven Thorough and rigorous attention to all details. Ability to manage multiple high-touch projects simultaneously with precision and accuracy. Takes initiative and ownership in all aspects of role from logistics to processes and is unafraid to get their hands dirty and eager to -Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively with others across the organization to achieve shared Youll Do:Set Our Architecture StandardsOwn and publish Janneys reference architectures technology standards and build-vs-buy guidance so that following the standard is simply the easiest way to get something our architecture pattern library as a living resource retiring or updating patterns that teams arent actually our technology reference model current and accurate so architecture decisions are based on what we actually run today not an outdated our move from Azure DevOps to the Atlassian suite (Jira and Confluence) as the new home for architecture decision records our pattern library and backlog management including managing the transition Technology Investment DecisionsOwn the architecture review for every request entering our technology portfolio intake process deciding whether it follows an existing pattern needs a documented exception or can be met by something we already have all within agreed service levels (5 business days for initial triage 10 for exception review).Chair our exception review process and keep a clear record of those decisions so they can shape future architecture at the quarterly Portfolio Investment Council and monthly Portfolio Checkpoint and act as the senior architecture partner to UX research our data office and security architecture during your own success by how often teams choose the governed path not by how many requests you turn down. A high volume of exceptions usually means our standards need to catch up not that teams are doing something AI & Automation as a Core CapabilityBuild and lead a small high-caliber team of forward-thinking AI engineers spanning AI Factory & Automation Workflow Automation and AI Security focused on solving real high-priority business problems with Janneys roadmap for applied AI and automation and hold it to the same standards and rigor as any other major technology our approach to AI security and responsible AI use how we handle data manage model and agent access and put the right guardrails around new AI tools in close partnership with our Data and our Information Security smart secure and productive use of AI across the firm and make sure AI & Automations roadmap gets the same visibility as any other investment at the Portfolio Investment in the Right Expertise Wherever It SitsPull Solution Architects from Advisor Platforms Client Platforms Enterprise Platforms Data Office and Information Security Office onto individual initiatives matching the right expertise to the problem instead of staffing every project the same the technical direction for each initiative and hold those architects to our enterprise standards even though they report to their own engineering leaders day to what you learn from each initiative back into the pattern library so good judgment on one project becomes the standard for the Real Relationships Across the BusinessGet involved early while a business problem is still being framed not after a solution has already been genuine depth in our business: advisor and client workflows brokerage clearing and custody portfolio construction and performance reporting and the regulatory environment that shapes what we can current on the wealth management technology and vendor landscape so build-vs-buy conversations start from real market the person business leaders call before theyve even written up a formal request because they know your early input is worth waiting AI in Your Own Work Every DayUse enterprise Claude (including Cowork and Code) enterprise ChatGPT and potentially Microsoft CoPilot as everyday tools for solution options and trade studies vendor and market research early prototypes and wireframes and first drafts of architecture decision everything these tools help produce. A vendor scan a wireframe or a draft ADR is a starting point you and your team review and stand behind never something passed along Youll Bring:Required Qualifications:10 years of experience in enterprise or solution architecture leadership including real ownership of governance standards patterns and decision records not just hands-on design knowledge of wealth management and wealth technology: advisory and brokerage workflows clearing and custody portfolio construction and performance reporting and financial planning platforms. You should be able to hold your own in a room of business stakeholders without a translator.A track record of being sought out by business and product leaders for early advice not just hands-on comfort with modern AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT able to direct them through real design and analysis work and know when to push back on what they leading a governance model thats measured by adoption not approval volume comfortable being an advisor not just a leading a small senior team and staying personally involved in architecture and design work not just directing leading an applied-AI or automation team including setting roadmap and security/control standards.A track record of leading through influence getting strong work out of people who dont report to Qualifications:Experience building or overhauling a reference architecture and pattern library from a less mature starting -on experience with the Atlassian suite (Jira Confluence) ideally including migrating a team off Azure with the regulatory and supervisory environment for broker-dealers and registered investment advisors (data retention entitlements recordkeeping exam readiness).Experience partnering with a dedicated data office or Chief Data Officer hands-on experience with enterprise deployments of Claude or ChatGPT rather than only casual personal familiarity across SaaS platforms (like Salesforce or ServiceNow) web engineering and full-stack engineering enough to know who to bring in for a given position requires the individual to work 3 days per week out of the Philadelphia PA work for usBenefits: Janney believes that its employees are the key to what makes a great company. Although work makes up a large portion of an employees life we believe that a balance between work and non-work activities is essential to maintain quality performance and a positive work atmosphere. We offer a competitive package including Paid Parental Leave generous Paid Time Off eligibility for a $2000 referral bonus and Professional Development Assistance Plan designed to help you make the most of your life at work and at hometoday and in the future. Explore is an award-winning full-service financial services firm committed to understanding our clients needs and providing advice beyond are equally committed to building a diverse workforce and inclusive culture where employees can use their talents to thrive and grow professionally with the are our strongest asset. We recognize that when our team members thrive our firm is more successful.