We believe in the importance of in-office collaboration and fully intend for the selected candidate for this role to work on site in the specified location(s).
At Schwab, you’re empowered to make an impact on your career. Here, innovative thought meets creative problem solving, helping us “challenge the status quo” and transform the finance industry together.
We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Director to lead Broker-Dealer Systems Transformation and the modernization of our core technology infrastructure—at the earliest stage of a multi-year program. This is a rare opportunity to join while the vision is still being shaped and the foundational architecture, operating model, and delivery approach are being set. You will help define what “modern broker-dealer” means at scale, making decisions that will influence teams, platforms, and client experiences for years to come.
As a member of the Broker Dealer Services Engineering leadership team, you will build AI-first teams and mobilize leaders across technology and business partners to turn strategy into execution. Because this work is in its nascence, you will have outsized influence—from setting modernization priorities and sequencing, to selecting enabling platforms and partners, to establishing governance that balances speed with SEC/FINRA rigor. This role requires an individual adept at navigating regulatory and organizational complexity while creating the conditions for innovation, clarity, and measurable delivery.
We’re looking for a builder-leader: a self-motivated executive who thrives when outcomes are clear but the path is still being designed. You’ll cultivate a collaborative culture, attract and develop top engineering talent, and establish repeatable ways of working that accelerate delivery without compromising reliability or control. Success in this position demands a proven track record of forming high-performing teams, delivering complex modernization programs, and bringing stakeholders along through change—especially when the work is new, high-visibility, and foundational.
Why this role / Why now
This is a chance to join at the ground floor—when the big decisions are still open and your fingerprints will be on the strategy, architecture, and ways of working. If you’re energized by building the foundation for a durable, compliant platform (and scaling the team that delivers it), this role offers uncommon scope, visibility, and impact.
Key Responsibilities
• Strategic Transformation: Develop, lead, and execute the multi-year technology transformation strategy to migrate legacy broker-dealer systems to a modern, scalable architecture.
• Stakeholder Management: Liaise with senior leadership and functional heads to align system capabilities with business goals, managing expectations and priorities across the organization.
• Vendor Strategy & Management: Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with key IT services vendors and third-party product vendors.
• Team Leadership: Lead cross-functional teams of IT professionals across multiple countries, fostering a high-performance culture aligned with the new technical operating model.
• Execution Focus: A strong track record of operationalizing strategy and delivering complex programs on time and within budget.
• Talent Management: Passionate and proven ability to identify, mentor, and develop technical and managerial talent at scale.
• Communication: Outstanding executive-level written and verbal communication skills.
What you have
Required Qualifications
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience: 10+ years in managing broker-dealer systems with a focus on system transformation.
• Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of broker-dealer capabilities and operations.
• Transformation Leadership: Proven track record of leading large-scale, complex technology projects from conception to implementation.
• Technical Acumen: Broad and deep knowledge of IT/software technologies and trends, domain knowledge and experience in infrastructure support, application development, and cloud-based application development, web services, middleware, operating systems, databases, networking, and security.
• Leadership Skills:Experience managing and developing teams as a leader of leaders in a fast-paced environment.
• Agentic AI Modernization Experience: Has led teams from legacy, mainframe-centric ways of working to modern, distributed engineering practices by using GENAI and agentic AI based approaches. Experience with reverse-engineering COBOL systems and forward engineering them into distributed platforms.
• Stakeholder Management & Executive Presence: Proven track record of managing stakeholders of all levels through influence and setting appropriate expectations and holding them accountable to ensure faster delivery to market.