Role Purpose:

The Head - IT Applications will own end-to-end responsibility for core broking and trading application development. This is a hands-on technology leadership role, requiring deep expertise in application development, coding standards, and architecture, with delivery primarily managed through technology vendors, supported by an in-house applications team.

The role demands strong technical credibility to review designs, challenge code quality, guide architecture decisions, and ensure delivery of highly scalable, secure, and regulator-compliant trading platforms.

Key Responsibilities

1. Application Strategy & Leadership

- Define and execute the IT applications roadmap aligned with business growth and digital strategy

- Lead modernization and enhancement of core broking, trading, risk, and compliance applications

- Drive adoption of best practices in application architecture, development frameworks, and SDLC

2. Core Application Development (Hands-on Expertise)

- Provide strong technical leadership with deep understanding of coding, databases, APIs, and system design

- Review application architecture, design documents, and code quality delivered by vendors and internal teams

- Act as a technical authority for performance tuning, scalability, resilience, and integration design

- Ensure applications support high-volume, low-latency trading environments

3. Vendor-Led Delivery Management

- Manage end-to-end application development primarily through external technology vendors

- Own vendor onboarding, governance, performance management, and SLA adherence

- Ensure delivery quality, timelines, cost control, and alignment with internal standards

- Drive accountability for defects, production issues, and continuous improvements

4. In-house Team Leadership

- Lead and mentor an in-house IT applications team responsible for oversight, enhancements, and critical fixes

- Build strong internal capability to manage vendors, handle escalations, and support business continuity

- Foster a culture of engineering excellence, ownership, and continuous improvement

5. Integration & Platform Management

- Oversee integrations with exchange systems, OMS, RMS, CRM, ERP, and compliance platforms

- Ensure seamless data flows across front-end, middleware, and back-end systems

- Support business launches, regulatory changes, and product enhancements

6. Regulatory, Risk & Security

- Ensure application compliance with SEBI, exchange regulations, audit requirements, and internal controls

- Partner with Information Security teams to ensure secure coding practices and data protection

- Support regulatory audits, system certifications, and risk assessments

7. Stakeholder & Financial Management

- Collaborate closely with Business, Operations, Compliance, Risk, and Product teams

- Own application budgets, vendor commercials, and long-term cost optimization

- Communicate effectively with leadership on risks, priorities, and delivery status

Critical Candidate Requirements

- Mandatory: Current or prior experience in the stock broking industry or from BFSI Industry (Other industry candidate pls ignore)

- Proven leadership in core application development for broking/trading platforms

- Strong hands-on understanding of coding, application architecture, system integration, and databases

- Experience working in vendor driven delivery models with internal oversight teams

- Exposure to high-availability, high-performance trading systems

- Strong stakeholder management and people leadership skills