Job Description

Job Description: VP, Platform Engineering

We are looking for an experienced technology leader to work with multiple engineering and support teams in order to drive change throughout mortgage industry!

The Financial technology space "Fintech" is booming, and Guaranteed Rate is at the center of it. We are growing like crazy and are one of the most successful Chicago startups. We are focused on automating the mortgage process for consumers. Imagine getting a mortgage with no email, no faxing, no stack of papers in 10 days or less instead of 40 or more! If you have been through the process of buying a home, you know how amazing this will be. We are the #5 lender in the country and one of only 2 that is independent (not a bank) so we are in a good spot to win this race. We have already made tremendous strides and we are looking for someone who wants to help us finish the job and disrupt the entire industry.

Who is GR?

Guaranteed Rate is not your typical company and certainly not your typical mortgage company. We are technology driven, have tons of energy and we love what we do - great people and great products alongside our impeccable customer service (83 NPS, unheard of!). We're in a River North office with exposed brick and duct work, windows we can actually open during the summer. The awesomeness doesn't end there, we also have:

• Holiday parties? We got'em! Not just major holidays, any holiday.... Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, St. Paddy's Day, Opening Day, Boxing Day (for our Canadian employee), Sweetest Day, Groundhog Day, etc..
• Game room, library and white board paint for collaboration - yeah, it's awesome.
• Access to our free GR nurse practitioner. Psshh who needs a doctor's appointment when our nurse can do it all? Did we mention the free part?
• 401k with some matching, Blue Cross health care coverage - yup, dental and vision too,
• short-term disability, life insurance - we got ya covered on this one, legal assistance - for a small monthly fee.
• Oh, and did we mention you get a big fat employee discount on the origination fees to get a
• new mortgage or refinance thru Guaranteed Rate?

So what do we want from you?

The VP, Platform Engineering owns the technology strategy, architecture, engineering, and operations for all core infrastructure platforms including Network, Database Administration and Core Systems. This responsibility includes building strong internal business stakeholder relationships across the organization as well as owning external relationships with 3rd party vendors. You and your growing teams will build and execute an integrated roadmap delivering the foundation of Guaranteed Rate’s IT portfolio. A strong candidate must have broad experience and knowledge of all aspects of both traditional and modern infrastructures and have a proven track record in delivering stability and transformation to cloud technologies. The successful candidate should have working knowledge of AWS, Azure, O365, SQL Administration, Networking, Servers and Storage technologies. In addition, a strong candidate will have the ability to work efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment, have a demonstrated ability to drive meaningful change cross-functionally, have influencing skills, executive presence, and expertise in portfolio management.

Essential Functions

• Engage business executives and vendors to lead the alignment of a shared vision, charter, and roadmap where infrastructure and platform technology can enable department business functions.
• Strategically contribute in support of defined business strategies. Leverage technology and related processes to deliver services that align with the needs of internal customers.
• Own all infrastructure platform technologies and related vendor relationships.
• Communicate corresponding technical vision, systems architecture, charter, and roadmap to teams and team members so they are clear on their goals.
• Build, mentor, support, and empower high functioning teams who can successfully execute related platform strategies and roadmaps.
• Proactively manage and optimize the Platform Engineering budget, staffing plans and vendor relationships.
• Work with leads to ensure that engineers and administrators are following a defined and healthy process identifying gaps and developing new processes where necessary.
• Working with leads to ensure that team members are always learning, growing, and have a clear roadmap on career progression through recognition, feedback, challenge and compensation.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement with consistent, efficient delivery
• Acting as a source of escalation for issues within a team or channel.
• Build and enable a culture where people are having fun as they make significant impacts on our business.

Competencies

• Creates and communicates the organization’s vision, strategy, goals, standards and guardrails.
• Ensures organizational structure, career path and roles are clear and effective.
• Servant leader who consistently demonstrates and inspires his or her team(s) to live GR’s core values, take action and deliver results.
• Helps to create organizational goals and holds self and others accountable to achieve them.
• Accountable and responsible for putting the organization in position to consistently, predictably and sustainably succeed.

Required or Preferred Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred. Time working in a consulting organization preferable.
• 10+ years working on platform services with significant focus on core infrastructure services
• 5+ years managing teams delivering infrastructure platform technologies
• Solid knowledge of AWS, Azure, O365, Servers, Storage, Networking and Database technologies
• Ability to effectively communicate technical strategies to senior executives and actively participate in business strategy development is essential.
• Ability to translate high-level business strategy and goals into roadmaps, staffing, and budget plans.
• Proven management and communications skills (written, verbal and presentation) with demonstrated ability to create high-performing teams and business relationships.
• Outstanding leadership skills including mentoring, team building, motivation (self and other), and collaboration is essential.

Other Duties

• Direct reports can be people managers, team leads, etc
• Provide guidance, instruction and oversight at the team and organizational level
• Span of control, influence, responsibility and accountability is at the multi-team and organizational level.