Head of Client Identity Engineering

Role Overview

The Head of Client Identity Engineering is a senior technology executive responsible for defining and delivering Vanguards global client identity strategy architecture and engineering capabilities. This leader will oversee the design development security resilience and operation of enterprise-scale identity platforms that support millions of client interactions across digital channels.

This role combines deep technical expertise in identity and access management cybersecurity cloud platforms and software engineering with the ability to influence enterprise strategy drive innovation and lead globally distributed engineering teams. The successful candidate will play a critical role in strengthening client trust while enabling secure frictionless experiences across web mobile contact center advisor and emerging AI-enabled channels.

What Youll Do

Strategy and Industry Leadership

• Define and execute the global client identity engineering strategy target architecture multiyear roadmap and investment priorities.
• Set the technical vision for identity proofing authentication authorization federation consent profile management digital fraud controls and identity lifecycle capabilities.
• Represent the organization in industry forums and strategic partnerships; anticipate market regulatory threat and technology shifts and translate them into actionable engineering priorities.
• Advise senior executives on identity risk client experience platform modernization resilience and emerging opportunities.

Global Engineering and Delivery

• Lead and develop globally distributed engineering teams accountable for architecture software development platform engineering reliability testing implementation and production support.
• Deliver complex large-scale global identity programs through strong product architecture engineering security risk and business partnerships.
• Establish reusable platforms APIs software development kits automation observability and engineering standards that accelerate adoption across markets and channels.
• Create an operating model that enables follow-the-sun delivery clear ownership consistent quality effective capacity management and rapid resolution of critical issues.
• Build a high-performing engineering culture centered on technical excellence accountability inclusion continuous learning and measurable outcomes.

Research Innovation and Next-Generation Solutions

• Lead rapid experimentation prototyping threat modeling and evidence-based evaluation of emerging technologies and standards.
• Convert successful experiments into scalable solutions using disciplined architecture governance secure engineering reliability testing and production adoption plans.
• Develop intellectual property technical publications external partnerships and engineering communities that strengthen industry credibility and attract top talent.

Security Resilience and Client Trust

• Engineer platforms for high availability horizontal scalability regional resilience graceful degradation disaster recovery and secure failover.
• Embed security privacy regulatory accessibility and data-minimization requirements throughout the engineering lifecycle.
• Strengthen defenses against account takeover credential compromise social engineering identity fraud session abuse and AI-enabled threats.
• Define service-level objectives operational readiness criteria incident response practices and continuous control validation for critical identity services.

Leadership Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading global client identity digital identity cybersecurity platform or application engineering organizations.
• Deep technical knowledge of modern identity architecture identity proofing authentication authorization federation OAuth OpenID Connect passkeys APIs distributed systems cloud platforms and secure software engineering.
• Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure client identity and access management fraud prevention privacy regulatory obligations resilience observability and site reliability engineering.
• Experience governing machine and agentic AI identities delegated access consent dynamic authorization and auditable autonomous interactions.
• Proven ability to recruit develop and retain senior architects engineers engineering managers and technical leaders across global locations.
• Exceptional executive communication stakeholder influence financial stewardship vendor management and change leadership.

What It Takes: Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of experience in cloud security engineering or related IT infrastructure roles with demonstrated expertise in leading security architecture and operations at scale.
• Bachelors degree in computer science engineering cybersecurity or a related discipline; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Experience working in Agile environments with tools like JIRA and Confluence and driving continuous improvement in security operations.
• Deep expertise in modern identity and access management technologies including authentication authorization federation OAuth OpenID Connect APIs and distributed systems.
• Experience leading large-scale cloud-based platforms and engineering teams in highly regulated environments.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles fraud prevention privacy controls resilience observability and secure software engineering practices.
• Proven ability to lead global engineering organizations and deliver complex enterprise-wide technology initiatives.
• Demonstrated success building mentoring and retaining high-performing engineering teams.
• Exceptional executive communication stakeholder management and strategic influencing skills.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

About Vanguard

At Vanguard we dont just have a missionwere 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.