Engineering Excellence NAM - SVP

Are you a seasoned technologist who still loves to code, but also has the rare gift of inspiring engineers and transforming how entire organizations build software? At Citi, we're looking for a leader who sits at the intersection of technical mastery and cultural change. This isn't a role for someone who wants to manage from a distance. This is a role for someone who can walk into a room of senior engineers, earn their respect by talking code, and then turn around and articulate a compelling vision for why engineering excellence matters — and how to get there.

As part of Citi's Engineering Excellence organization, you will be a catalyst for change across one of the world's largest and most complex financial institutions. You'll work across engineering teams globally to embed best practices, elevate engineering culture, and drive measurable improvements in how we design, build, and ship software. If you thrive on influence without authority, believe deeply in the power of great engineering culture, and want your work to have impact at a truly global scale — this role was made for you.

Responsibilities

• Champion Engineering Culture: Lead initiatives that drive a culture of engineering excellence across Citi's global technology organization, influencing teams and leaders at all levels without direct authority.

• Drive Measurable Improvement: Evangelize and operationalize DORA metrics (Deployment Frequency, Lead Time for Changes, Change Failure Rate, and Time to Restore) to help engineering teams understand, measure, and continuously improve their software delivery performance — with a particular focus on reducing cycle time as a lever for organizational agility.

• Hands‑On Technical Leadership: Remain an active contributor — reviewing code, participating in design discussions, and prototyping solutions — to maintain credibility and deep connection with the engineering teams you serve.

• Lead Change at Scale: Design and execute change management strategies that shift engineering mindsets and behaviors across a large, matrixed organization, navigating organizational complexity with empathy, persistence, and clarity of purpose.

• Manage Multiple Concurrent Initiatives: Own and drive several high‑priority engineering excellence programs simultaneously, balancing strategic thinking with disciplined execution and clear stakeholder communication.

• Integrate AI into Engineering Practice: Identify and champion opportunities to leverage AI tools and frameworks (e.g., AI‑assisted code generation, review, testing) to accelerate engineering excellence across the organization.

• Communicate with Impact: Translate complex technical concepts and engineering metrics into compelling narratives for both technical and non‑technical audiences, including senior leadership and business stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 13+ years of professional software development experience

• 6+ years of hands‑on development experience in Java and/or Python

• Proven experience leading and managing software engineering teams

• Demonstrated experience driving technical and cultural change

• Deep understanding of DORA metrics

• End‑to‑end SDLC experience, ideally across multiple companies

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills— you are as comfortable discussing code as you are presenting a strategic roadmap

Education

• Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience

• Master’s degree preferred

What Makes You Stand Out

The ideal candidate is someone who has never stopped being an engineer at heart— but has grown into a leader who understands that the most powerful thing they can build is not a system, but a culture. You bring technical depth, human warmth, strategic clarity, and the resilience to drive change in a large, complex organization. You know that great engineering is about people as much as it is about code — and you're ready to prove it at global scale.

Job Family Group

Technology

Job Family

Applications Development

Time Type

Full time

Primary Location Full Time Salary Range

$145,100.00 - $217,700.00

Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

Automated Processing and AI

We use automated processing, including artificial intelligence, for our legitimate business interests (or our reasonable and appropriate business purposes) to identify and align the candidate's skills and abilities with a specific job opening. Additionally, if you so choose, or consent, we can match your skills and abilities to other suitable roles at Citi.

Importantly, all our hiring processes and decisions, including determining your suitability for a role, are conducted, checked, and decided by individuals. Our automated processing and AI do not involve relying on automatic or autonomous decision‑making. Please refer to any Jurisdictional Considerations, with specific provisions for your country (where relevant) for further details.

This job opening is for an existing job vacancy.

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.

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