Head of Application Management (Financial Services)

Head of Application Management (Investment Operations, Risk & Portfolio Platforms)

Location: London (Hybrid Working)
Type: Permanent
Salary: Competitive + Benefits

The Opportunity

A leading financial services organisation is seeking an experienced Head of Application Management to lead the strategy, governance and operational management of a significant portfolio of business-critical applications supporting investment operations, risk management, portfolio management and core back-office functions. Based on the attached specification, the role focuses on leadership of application services, operational excellence, risk governance, supplier management and technology enablement across a complex regulated environment.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone who combines strong application management expertise with experience managing technology services supporting middle and back-office investment functions, operational risk, portfolio administration and enterprise platforms.

Key Responsibilities
Application & Service Leadership

• Lead the Application Management function across a diverse portfolio of operational, risk and investment-related technology platforms.
• Own application service performance, availability, resilience and lifecycle management.
• Drive continuous improvement across support, service delivery and operational processes.
• Ensure effective service transition from project delivery into business-as-usual operations.

Portfolio, Risk & Operations Technology

• Oversee technology services supporting portfolio management, investment operations, operational risk and associated business functions.
• Act as a trusted technology partner to senior business stakeholders.
• Ensure application services align with business objectives, technology strategy and architectural standards.
• Support strategic technology initiatives and organisational transformation programmes.

Governance, Risk & Control

• Establish and maintain strong governance frameworks across the application estate.
• Ensure compliance with security, regulatory and operational risk requirements.
• Drive risk identification, mitigation and reporting activities.
• Champion a strong control environment and embed best practice operational disciplines.

Supplier & Commercial Management

• Manage strategic third-party technology partners and service providers.
• Lead contract negotiations, service reviews and performance management activities.
• Ensure suppliers deliver against agreed service levels and business outcomes.
• Manage operational budgets, forecasts and expenditure controls.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build, develop and inspire high-performing teams.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Engage effectively with senior executives, technology leaders and business stakeholders.
• Provide leadership across governance forums, change boards and strategic committees.

What We're Looking For
Essential Experience

• Senior leadership experience within Application Management, Application Support or IT Service Management.
• Experience overseeing large-scale application portfolios within financial services or similarly regulated environments.
• Strong understanding of portfolio management, investment operations, back-office processing, risk management or related business functions.
• Proven experience managing outsourced service providers and technology vendors.
• Track record of delivering operational excellence, service improvement and governance initiatives.
• Experience managing budgets, commercial relationships and operational reporting.

Technical & Professional Skills

• Strong understanding of application management, service delivery and IT operational frameworks.
• Knowledge of governance, controls, risk management and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing capabilities.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution.
• Strong leadership, coaching and team development experience.

Desirable

• Experience supporting portfolio management, investment operations, risk management or asset management platforms.
• Exposure to change delivery, service transition and agile delivery environments.
• Degree qualified or equivalent professional experience.
• ITSM or related professional certifications.

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