Director, Aladdin Solutions Architect

Director, Aladdin Solutions Architect Location: London, Greater London About this role About this role At BlackRock, technology sits at the core of our business, and Aladdin® is the platform that powers investment decisions, risk management, and operational workflows across the firm and for our clients globally. We are seeking a Solutions Architect within Aladdin Engineering to lead solutions architecture and engineering delivery across critical business transformation initiatives. This role is focused on partnering with BlackRock Global Markets to define and deliver end‑to‑end solutions that solve complex business problems, while ensuring alignment with Aladdin’s broader platform architecture and engineering standards. You will operate at the intersection of business, product, and engineering, transforming Investment and Trading processes into automated, scalable, and resilient solutions, and guide global cross functional teams to deliver at scale. Role responsibilities Solution Architecture Own the end‑to‑end solution architecture for key Business and Aladdin capabilities and workflows. Translate business and product requirements into scalable, secure, and implementable technical designs. Be the glue across core Aladdin Product and Platform teams. Execute and accelerate the delivery of cross‑functional initiatives. Be adept at operating with ambiguity and evolving requirements. Define: Solution boundaries, system interactions, and integration patterns Data flows, APIs, and service responsibilities Non-functional requirements (performance, resilience, scalability, security) Ensure solutions align to enterprise architecture standards, while remaining pragmatic and delivery-oriented Drive architecture decision-making and trade-offs (build vs buy, performance vs cost, speed vs robustness) Engineering Leadership & Execution Lead and scale globally distributed engineering teams to rapidly deliver solutions. Own delivery across the full Agentic SDLC, from design through production Ensure strong execution across: High-availability distributed systems Front-to-back investment and trading lifecycle workflows. Client-facing and internal platform capabilities Embed engineering excellence across: CI/CD and DevOps practices Observability, reliability, and incident management Security and regulatory compliance Cross‑Platform Integration & System Design Design and govern integration across Aladdin domains, including: Trading, portfolio management, risk, and operations Data and analytics platforms External client and partner systems Ensure solutions are modular, reusable, and interoperable. Anticipate and resolve system-level dependencies and failure points. Technology Strategy Define technology strategy at the solution / domain level, including: API-first, event-driven, and real-time data architectures Adoption of cloud-native patterns and microservices Evaluate emerging technologies and drive adoption where they create tangible business or engineering value. Drive use of AI / GenAI capabilities in both: Product features Engineering productivity and automation Stakeholder Engagement & Translation Act as the primary technical bridge between: Business and product stakeholders Engineering and platform teams Translate complex requirements into clear solution designs and delivery plans. Influence senior stakeholders by framing architecture decisions in business terms (risk, cost, time-to-market, client impact) Quality, Risk, and Governance Identify and mitigate solution-level risks early in the lifecycle. Ensure adherence to: Architecture standards Security and data governance policies Lead architecture and design reviews across teams. Drive consistency and quality across multiple concurrent solutions. Experience Extensive experience in solution architecture and software engineering leadership Proven track record delivering complex, large-scale technology solutions in enterprise environments. Experience leading cross functional programs with high business and client impact. Background in financial technology or complex domain-driven platforms preferred. Technical expertise Strong system design experience across: Distributed systems and microservices API and integration architectures Cloud-native platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP) Deep understanding of: Data flows and event-driven architectures Scalability, performance, and resilience patterns Ability to operate across platforms and multiple technology domains, rather than a deep specialization in one. Leadership attributes Ability to operate in complex market and organizational contexts, translating strategic objectives into actionable plans. Proven track record of driving innovation, navigating ambiguity, and delivering measurable outcomes at scale. Proven experience influencing cross-functional senior stakeholders. Strong communication skills to distill complex systems into clear, decision-ready narratives. AI-First, Human-in-the-Loop: Embrace AI-driven solutions as a default for efficiency and scale, while keeping expert human judgment in critical loops to ensure quality and trust. Platform Over People: Prioritizes building robust platforms and automation over relying on individual heroic efforts, enabling sustainable and scalable growth. Standardization Everywhere: Drives consistency in tools, processes, and data across the board, reducing complexity and improving interoperability and maintainability. Deep Co-Ownership with Business partners: Fosters a culture of partnership with the BlackRock Global Markets Group, aligning closely on priorities, sharing roadmaps and KPIs, and co-owning outcomes to ensure the platform truly meets business needs. Our benefits To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of employee benefits including: retirement investment and tools designed to help you in building a sound financial future; access to education reimbursement; comprehensive resources to support your physical health and emotional well-being; family support programs; and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about. Our hybrid work model BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock. About BlackRock At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being.  Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress. This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics at law.