Technical Solutions Architect

Technical Solutions Architect

Who We are:

Salmon Group Ltd (“Salmon”) is a leading financial technology company focused on improving financial inclusion in the Philippines. Through its Philippine subsidiaries, including the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), Inc. (“Bank”), Salmon delivers accessible financial services to underserved and underbanked Filipinos.

The Bank is renamed to Salmon Bank (Rural Bank), with BSP approval secured and SEC processing underway. It plans to apply for a Thrift Bank license by next year. In 2024, assets grew 12x to PHP1.3 billion, driven by strong consumer lending. The Bank aims to increase assets 5x in 2025 and to increase equity from PHP682 million (as of 31 May 2025) to PHP1.2 billion by 2026.

Salmon was founded by Pavel, George, and Raffy, who held senior leadership roles at Tinkoff, one of the worlds most successful and profitable digital banks. Tinkoff is widely recognized for its innovation and scale in emerging markets, offering a strong foundation of experience for Salmon’s leadership team.

In under three years, Salmon has built a global team of finance and technology professionals and raised USD 184 million in equity and debt to support its operations in the Philippines. Key shareholders include the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), ADQ/Lunate (Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund), Back in Black Capital, Northstar Group, Spice Expeditions, Antler Elevate, and other prominent investors from the US and the Philippines.

About the Role – Technical Solutions Architect

As the bank expands its digital banking ecosystem, the need for a hybrid technology leader becomes critical. Although most platforms are provided by outsourced vendors, the bank manages increasingly complex integrations, regulatory requirements, and internal middleware components that enable secure, compliant, and scalable delivery of banking services. and it will also act as a succession plan / backup in the event that the banks Head of Architecture is unavailable.

Key Responsibilities

A. Solution Design & Hands-On Development

• Develop internal components, integrations, APIs, or supporting services when needed, primarily using Java/Kotlin and cloud-native tools when needed
• Build technical proof-of-concepts to support architectural decisions (e.g., build vs buy, reuse strategies).

B. Architecture & Governance

• Work with the Head of Architecture to define and enforce architecture principles, target state designs, and technology standards.
• Review vendor technical deliverables (designs, APIs, integrations, data flows, security controls) to ensure compliance with the bank’s architecture strategy.
• Ensure all solutions adhere to regulatory and security requirements (e.g., data residency, encryption, access control, audit trails).

C. Vendor & Delivery Assurance

• Validate and monitor vendor implementation to ensure conformance with approved designs and build-or-buy decisions.
• Provide technical oversight in change management, incident analysis, and remediation planning for vendor defects or risks.
• Participate in RFPs and technical evaluations of potential platforms and third-party solutions.

D. Regulatory, Risk & Documentation Support

• Produce and maintain architecture documents, data flow diagrams, interface contracts, and security design artefacts required for IT audits and regulatory examinations.
• Support BSP, IT risk, audit, cybersecurity, and compliance assessments through architecture evidence and documentation.

E. Continuity & Technical Leadership

• Serve as technical BCP to the Head of Architecture in design reviews, governance councils, and strategic planning when required.

Competencies

Advantageous

• Experience in a banking or financial institution, ideally exposed to BSP requirements, security frameworks, and operational risk controls.
• Knowledge of regulated system standards (e.g., PCI DSS, ISO 27001, NIST Cybersecurity Framework).
• Involvement in Core Banking, digital banking, payments, or financial integrations.
• Exposure to IT governance processes (Change Management, Incident Management, Vendor Management).

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software development with strong proficiency in Java or Kotlin (Spring Boot or similar frameworks).
• Experience deploying applications in AWS and containerized environments (Docker/Kubernetes).
• Strong foundation in solution architecture, integration design, and systems thinking.
• Track record working with vendor-built systems or third-party platforms, including reviewing designs, API specs, and security controls.
• Familiarity with build vs buy, architecture governance, and domain-driven design or similar principles.
• Experience producing architecture documentation (e.g., diagrams, sequence flows, data flow maps) and participating in technical audits or risk assessments.

Why will you join us?

What we create

• Modern banking services for millions of Filipinos
• Cutting-edge solutions based on the best world practices and AI implementation
• Licensed neo bank aiming to be a unicorn and leading fintech in the fast-growing region of Southeast Asia
• A business capable of raising over $60MM from the ADQ (the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi), World Bank Group and other investors despite the challenging market
• An environment that allows you to launch new products in 3-4 months
• A basis for expanding into new markets all over the world

What we offer

• Passionate international team spanning the globe
• Rapid professional growth. Merit (and merit only) rules the day
• Reward for performance and long-term success of Salmon
• Fast track to grow internationally
• New office in Manila, Philippines
• Relocation support for eligible candidates
• Remote and hybrid options
• Medical insurance, health and wellness benefits
• Program of events and activities both online and in person