Domain Architect (Retirement & Private Wealth)

RPW Domain Architect

The domain of retirement and private wealth advisory is one of the most dynamic in financial services: customer expectations, vendor ecosystems, regulatory requirements, and competitive forces are in constant motion. In this environment, business transformation is no longer an occasional event, but a continual state. The organizations that thrive are those with the architectural foundation to anticipate change, absorb disruption, and move decisively into new opportunities.

The RPW Domain Architect is the creative and strategic force behind that foundation; the individual who ensures that architecture keeps pace with business ambition (and ideally, stays one step ahead). This role is responsible for designing and maintaining the technology architecture that keeps RPW perpetually ready to enter new markets, adopt new platforms, integrate with new trading partners, respond to regulatory shifts, and capitalize on transformative technologies like AI. Architecture, in this context, is more than an occasional event: it is a strategic business capability and an ongoing competitive advantage.

Working in close partnership with the VP of Technology Strategy Planning, business leaders, and technology teams, the Domain Architect will leverage proven best practices to translate RPW's vision into a coherent, executable, and flexible enablement plan. The ideal candidate brings intellectual curiosity, a sharp strategic instinct, and bold imagination anchored in the realities of today's business landscape.

Role Responsibilities

The RPW Domain Architect synthesizes overarching patterns based on deep domain experience and knowledge, while bringing in technical expertise through orchestrating the work of app, data, security, and solution architects. Responsibilities include:

• Approach RPW's technology landscape with intellectual curiosity — developing a deep understanding of the business model, product dynamics, competitive forces, and technology ecosystem.
• Develop a comprehensive model of the RPW business through its business capabilities, information domains, applications, and supporting technologies.
• Assess where RPW's technology stands today; and bring the imagination to envision what it must become – along with the discipline to translate that vision into patterns, principles, and roadmaps.
• Develop and maintain RPW's future-state architecture – with full acknowledgment that the target is always moving – working in partnership with business leaders, product owners, and fellow architects.
• Bring and continually build knowledge of competitive landscape, trends, and emerging technologies in financial services, identifying opportunities for innovation and optimization.
• Provide business leaders with a structured, accessible understanding of the technology landscape — enabling informed discussions around the feasibility, cost, and implications of proposed changes.
• Educate technical teams by providing them with a clear picture of the business strategy, roadmap and plans, allowing them to successfully plan for and execute projects supporting the business.
• Establish and publish standard architectural artifacts such as capability heat maps that will help guide technology investment priorities and serve as input to investment theses.
• Build consensus and exercise influence across technical and business teams alike, without relying on formal authority — persuading through insight, not position.
• Orchestrate the work of application, data, security, and solution architects – establishing governing patterns, resolving cross-discipline tensions, and ensuring high quality business outcomes.
• Collaborate with VP Technology Strategy Planning and business leaders to drive the portfolio of RPW initiatives forward, maintaining momentum and ensuring accountability across workstreams.
• Proactively identify and address barriers that impede the progress of technology initiatives, and surface opportunities to improve execution effectiveness and efficiency.
• Contribute to strategy development for key enterprise technology initiatives, representing the interests and requirements of the RPW business domain.

Required Qualifications

A minimum of 8 years of technical experience, spanning delivery, team leadership, technical design, and architecture across enterprise environments. Experience working within Retirement and Private Wealth, broader Financial Services, or the technology sector; insurance industry experience is beneficial. Experience effectively supporting multiple endeavors in a fast paced and agile work environment. Strong leadership qualities that drive outstanding results for our customers. Ability to effectively wield soft influence and build consensus across technical and business teams. Ability to pivot between high level strategy and low-level tactical discussion. Understanding of strategic planning and initiative management. Demonstrate high level of core leadership competencies, including working with cross-functional teams with a resource mix of managers, employees, matrixed teams, virtual teams and third parties. Bachelor's degree required; an MBA or graduate degree in a related field is a plus. This position is based in Chicago and follows a hybrid working model.

Join our team at HUB International, where you will be part of a community of learners and doers focused on our core values: entrepreneurship, teamwork, integrity, accountability, and service.