AI Architect Java-London

We are seeking an Architect of experience to shape and lead the technology direction of large-scale banking and financial services platforms.

Based in London, this is a senior leadership role combining technology vision, client advisory, and hands-on architecture authority across Java, cloud-native, and AI-first platforms.

The ideal candidate is an aspiring CTO - not yet in a CTO role, but already operating at that scale.

They can establish and drive Platform, Product, and Technology Trends & Design capabilities, earn trust with client CXOs, win large deals, and build the next generation of technical leaders., 1. Technology Vision, Architecture & Roadmap

• Define technology vision, target architecture, and multi-year roadmap for banking platforms and practice offerings.
• Act as the design authority for enterprise, solution, and application architecture - setting standards, reference architectures, and guardrails.
• Align technology investments and architecture decisions with business outcomes, regulatory needs, and time-to-market.

1. Platform, Product and Trends & Design Capability * Establish and scale a Platform capability - reusable, cloud-native, API-first and composable banking platforms. * Build Product capability - bring product thinking, IP, and accelerators that shift delivery from projects to platforms. * Set up a Technology Trends & Design function - track emerging tech, run architecture/design councils, and convert trends into offerings.

2. Trusted Client Advisor & Large Deals * Act as a trusted advisor to client CIOs, CTOs, and business leaders on digital and core banking transformation. * Lead technology solutioning for large deals and RFPs - solution strategy, architecture, estimation, and executive orals. * Represent the organization in client forums, industry events, and thought-leadership publications.

3. AI, Cloud, Automation & Emerging Technologies * Drive adoption of GenAI, Agentic AI, cloud, and automation across platforms and the delivery lifecycle. * Define responsible AI, AI governance, and LLMOps patterns suited to regulated banking environments. * Champion AI-native engineering (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, SASVA) with measurable productivity gains.

4. Engineering Excellence * Improve quality, productivity, security, and delivery practices across DevSecOps, SRE, and platform engineering. * Own non-functional excellence - scalability, resiliency, performance, observability, and operational resilience. * Govern architecture reviews, technical risk, and technical debt across programmes.

5. Technical Leadership & Talent Growth * Develop technical leadership, skills, and future-ready capabilities across architects and engineering leaders. * Build competency frameworks, architect career paths, and mentoring programmes. * Grow a strong bench of architects capable of leading client-facing technology engagements., * Java & Spring: Java 17+, Spring Boot, Spring Security, microservices, DDD, and clean architecture. * Event-driven & APIs: Kafka, IBM MQ, REST, gRPC, GraphQL, and OpenAPI; API-first and open banking patterns. * Cloud & platform: AWS / Azure / GCP, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, IaC, and platform engineering. * Data: relational and NoSQL stores, real-time data platforms, and data architecture for AI. * AI / GenAI: LLM integration, RAG, Agentic AI, vector databases, prompt engineering, and AI governance. * Security & DevSecOps: zero trust, IAM, TLS/mTLS, CI/CD, SonarQube, and Snyk.

Banking / Financial Services Domain

• Retail, SME, and corporate banking; payments; and capital markets.
• Messaging standards: ISO 20022, ISO 8583, SWIFT CBPR+, pacs and camt.
• UK & European payments: Faster Payments, CHAPS, Bacs, SEPA, and card networks.
• Regulation: awareness of FCA / PRA expectations, PSD2 / Open Banking, DORA, operational resilience, and AML / sanctions.

• enterprise/solution architecture and senior technical leadership.
• Proven delivery of large-scale banking or financial services platforms - digital banking, core banking, or payments.
• Track record of shaping and winning large, multi-year transformation deals with CXO-level stakeholders.
• Experience building a practice, platform, or CoE capability from the ground up.
• Evidence of leading multi-location, onsite offshore architecture and engineering teams.