Sr. Director, Core Banking Strategy & Transformation (Center of Excellence)
Location: Remote
Eligibility Requirement: Candidates must reside in one of the following states: Arkansas (AR), Missouri (MO), Oklahoma (OK), Kansas (KS), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Tennessee (TN), or Texas (TX)
Compensation: $200K–$275K base + bonus + profit sharing. Up to $350K/year total compensation.
Role Overview
The Senior Director of Core Banking (Center of Excellence) will lead the fundamental re-imagining of the bank’s operational core, transforming technology from a business constraint into a primary engine for growth.
This role is central to architecting the organization for its next phase—building an Enterprise Digital Backbone that supports a $40B future. The leader will drive the modernization of a complex, multi-core banking ecosystem while aligning business strategy, technology platforms, and organizational structure.
Mission & Strategic Objective
- Mission: Transform core banking into a scalable, modern, and business-aligned ecosystem
- Objective: Build an Enterprise Digital Backbone that enables speed, agility, and innovation across all banking domains
Key Responsibilities
Core Transformation & Architecture
- Lead the deconstruction of a 30-year-old monolithic core environment into modular, scalable components
- Drive the transition of:
- Account origination → Terafina (Salesforce-based)
- Servicing → Salesforce Service Cloud
- Implement modern architectural principles including:
- Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)
- CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)
- Reduce point-to-point integrations and enable loosely coupled, domain-driven services
Platform Strategy & Oversight
- Own the strategy and optimization of core platforms (Fiserv, Signature, Thought Machine Vault, TSYS, FIS, etc.)
- Establish and maintain a capability roadmap aligned with enterprise and product strategy
- Drive platform simplification, reuse, and scalability
- Manage vendor relationships across key core providers
Operating Model Transformation
- Transition the organization from a platform-centric to a domain-based, business-aligned model
- Establish best practices across:
- CI/CD and release management
- Capacity planning and prioritization
- Workflow governance and execution frameworks
- Build a scalable structure supporting both:
- “Keep the lights on” operations
- New product and platform innovation
Strategic Alignment & Business Partnership
- Act as the bridge between business, product, and technology teams
- Ensure all initiatives align with both:
- Immediate business needs (growth, revenue)
- Long-term architecture goals
- Define and track ROI and IRR metrics for platform investments
Risk, Security & Compliance
- Partner with Information Security to enforce best practices across platforms
- Ensure compliance with:
- Regulatory requirements
- BSA/AML standards
- PCI and Non-Public Information (NPI) protections
- Own resilience strategy including:
- Business continuity
- Disaster recovery
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead a team of ~40 (4–6 direct reports)
- Redesign organizational structure for scale and efficiency
- Coach and develop talent to align with evolving technical and business needs
- Play a key role in leadership succession planning
Required Experience
- 15+ years in banking, financial services, or fintech
- 10+ years of relevant experience across technology, operations, or platform leadership
- 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams
- Deep expertise across core banking platforms and multiple lines of business
Technical & Architectural Expertise
- Strong understanding of:
- Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)
- CQRS patterns
- Distributed systems and modern integration patterns
- Experience modernizing legacy monolithic systems into modular architectures
- Knowledge of:
- Customer 360 / Operational Data Stores
- Transaction processing systems
- Payment hubs (e.g., Fiserv EPP)
- Experience building observability practices (telemetry, tracing, monitoring)
Strategic & Problem-Solving Capabilities
- Proven ability to:
- Address scalability constraints in legacy environments
- Balance modernization with ongoing delivery
- Align infrastructure investments to business outcomes
- Experience navigating complex environments with multiple stakeholders
Leadership Competencies
- Track record of improving:
- Speed to market (target: 50% reduction in lead time)
- System reliability (target: 99.99% uptime)
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to influence without direct authority in complex organizations
Preferred Background
- Experience across multiple institutions or environments
- Background with core providers (Fiserv, FIS, Thought Machine, etc.)
- Exposure to M&A or platform consolidation initiatives
- Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, PMP, or banking/finance credentials
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary: $200K–$275K
- Annual Bonus: Target 25% of base salary, with potential payout up to 150% of target based on performance
- Profit Sharing: Included as part of total rewards
- 401(k): Immediate vesting
- Comprehensive health, financial, and wellness benefits
What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)
- Stand up a domain-based operating model
- Establish structured delivery, capacity, and governance processes
- Deliver measurable progress toward a modern digital core architecture
- Improve alignment between business priorities and technology execution
- Advance adoption of next-generation core platforms
Key Interview Topics
Candidates should be prepared to discuss:
- Leading multi-year core modernization efforts
- Applying EDA and CQRS in real-world environments
- Aligning infrastructure investments with customer and business needs
- Designing secure architectures that minimize PCI and compliance scope
Why This Role
- Opportunity to lead a full-scale transformation of a core banking ecosystem
- Direct impact on enterprise growth and digital strategy
- High visibility with executive leadership
- Clear path toward expanded leadership responsibility