Applications Development - Director

Citi is looking for a Director, Applications Development, to lead strategic engineering across our Investor Services Technology organization building the next generation of AI-enabled, cloud-native, and client-facing platforms that underpin our global Custody, Funds Services, and Securities Finance business. This is a senior leadership role for a hands‑on technology leader who combines deep expertise in distributed systems, modern UI engineering, and enterprise‑scale platform delivery with the business acumen to drive meaningful digital transformation at scale. If you are ready to shape engineering direction, build world‑class teams, and deliver platforms that directly serve institutional clients globally, this role offers the scope and influence to do exactly that. The Investor Services business aims to provide institutional asset managers with an end‑to‑end service proposition for all their banking needs: the Custody, Fund Services and Securities Finance businesses are key enablers and differentiators for Citi. Custody: provides securities settlement and clearing, safekeeping, and asset servicing to institutional clients through a proprietary sub‑custody network of 60+ markets and third‑party custodians or International Central Securities Depositories (ICSDs) in an additional 40+ markets. Fund Services offers comprehensive solutions and cross‑product expertise, including fund accounting and administration, middle office, transfer agency, fiduciary services and ETF services. Securities Finance: supports our global clients with a suite of value‑added services, including agency securities lending and collateral management. As we continue to grow and evolve our global businesses, there is a strong mandate to ensure provision of world class IT delivery and operations, supported with innovation and partnership with the business. Responsibilities Define and execute an AI‑first engineering strategy across front‑end and back‑end platforms, aligning technology direction with Citi's broader digital transformation priorities and the evolving needs of the Investor Services business. Lead end‑to‑end delivery of mission‑critical applications spanning React‑based client‑facing UIs and complex backend systems, ensuring platforms are scalable, resilient, secure, and built to enterprise standards. Architect and oversee modernization of legacy systems into cloud‑native, API‑driven, microservices‑based platforms, accelerating the shift toward event‑driven architectures and responsive UI design using React and micro‑frontend patterns. Establish and enforce modern engineering practices across global teams, including Agile delivery, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing, to raise quality and accelerate release velocity. Build and lead a high‑performing global engineering organization spanning UI, full‑stack, and backend disciplines by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in modern web technologies and distributed systems. Partner with senior business and product stakeholders to translate client and commercial priorities into technology investments, delivering measurable value through engineering‑led innovation. Manage the technology budget and ensure delivery risks technical, operational, and program level are identified early and addressed with clear controls, supporting regulatory and audit requirements with full transparency. Required Qualifications & Skills 15 plus years of application development experience, including at least 8 years leading senior engineering teams at scale in a global organization. Demonstrated ability to deliver large‑scale, client‑facing platforms in financial services — ideally within Investor Services, Custody, or Securities Processing environments. Hands‑on expertise in modern front‑end engineering, with React.js as a mandatory skill, alongside TypeScript, JavaScript ES6+, and micro‑frontend architecture patterns. Deep knowledge of modern platform architectures including microservices, event‑driven systems, cloud‑native design, and API‑first development (REST/GraphQL), with practical experience across AWS, Azure, or GCP. Fluency across the full technology stack — back‑end languages such as Java, messaging systems such as Kafka; and CI/CD and DevOps tooling used in enterprise delivery. Proven ability to lead, inspire, and grow globally distributed engineering teams, with a track record of building cultures of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement. Beneficial Skills & Qualifications Exposure to AI and ML technologies, including AI‑assisted development tools integrated into engineering workflows. Experience leading or contributing to significant digital transformation or platform modernization programs within a large financial institution. Familiarity with financial services regulatory and compliance frameworks relevant to technology risk and controls. Education Bachelor’s degree/University degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience Benefits Salary range: $170,000.00 - $300,000.00. In addition to salary, Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi. View Citi's EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster. #J-18808-Ljbffr