Assistant Vice President, Application Architect at CLS-Group

At CLS we sit at the heart of the global foreign exchange market, providing the infrastructure that settles trillions of dollars in currency trades every day. Our multilateral netting service cuts funding needs by more than 96 percent on average, lowering risk and freeing capital for thousands of market participants. Built by the industry for the industry, we combine deep domain expertise with modern technology to make FX safer, smoother and more cost-effective while championing the values of Protect, Improve and Grow.

The role

We are hiring an Assistant Vice President, Application Architect to join our Technology department on a full-time, hybrid basis. The position is based in London with an expectation of two office days each week and is suited to a senior professional who can shape the technical direction of mission-critical, in-house and third-party applications that support our FX products.

Core responsibilities

• Produce high-level design documentation that defines overall technical solutions, demonstrates compliance with functional and non-functional requirements, and aligns with our technology standards and policies.
• Support application lifecycle management by analysing dependencies and creating maintenance roadmaps that keep our systems reliable and current.
• Deliver feasibility and impact assessments for both business-led and technology-led initiatives, ensuring proposed solutions are viable and low-risk.

Skills and experience

You will bring proven experience designing and integrating highly resilient distributed systems and applying a range of software design and integration patterns. Hands-on familiarity with several of the following technologies is essential: Java, C++, Red Hat Linux, Windows Server, .NET, MS SQL Server, IBM Db2, Oracle Database, AWS Cloud Services and IBM MQ. Exposure to post-trade FX and market-infrastructure payment systems, including SWIFT messaging and Central Bank RTGS connectivity, is highly desirable, as is knowledge of regulatory frameworks such as Regulation HH and the PFMI principles that govern financial market utilities.

A bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Computer Science or a related field-or equivalent professional experience-is required. You should also hold an AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate level) or an equivalent cloud architecture qualification, together with a recognised solution architecture certification such as TOGAF. Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, clear written and verbal presentation abilities, and the capacity to manage multiple projects independently while promoting a risk-aware culture are equally important.

Compensation and benefits

We offer a comprehensive package designed to support your wellbeing and long-term growth. Benefits include 25 days of holiday plus three life days (in addition to UK bank holidays), two paid volunteer days, generous parental leave and transition coaching, private medical and dental insurance, and a generous non-contributory pension. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements are actively supported, along with monthly company-wide “Heads Down Days,” access to our comprehensive learning platform Discover, frequent professional development sessions, mental health resources, wellness programmes and a range of employee affinity groups that foster an inclusive workplace.

How to apply

If you are excited by the opportunity to help safeguard the world’s largest financial market through robust technology architecture, we would like to hear from you. Please submit your application so we can explore how your experience and ambitions align with our mission.