VP, Functional Design Engineering

Responsibilities

• Take high-level designs from architects and produce detailed, opinionated, build-ready engineering specifications aligned to the AWS Well-Architected Framework and LPL standards
• Define and curate the cross-CCOE reference pattern library: domain-tagged Terraform module bundles, reference architectures, anti-patterns, and architecture decision records (ADRs)
• Partner closely with the Principal Engineer, Cloud Strategy Lead so that tooling, IaC, and self-service platform strategy stay aligned with enterprise design direction
• Lead design reviews, architecture review boards, and engineering deep-dives across all five CCOE teams (Foundations, Platforms, Containers, Support, Delivery) and the four peer Foundations pods (Security & Governance, FinOps, Network Engineering, Monitoring)
• Champion the application of the AWS Well-Architected Framework across all six pillars (Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance Efficiency, Cost Optimization, Sustainability) and drive measurable improvements against each
• Hands-on contribute to reference patterns, Terraform modules, and proof-of-concept builds, especially in the highest-ambiguity areas where engineering is still discovering the right answer
• Embed agentic AI capabilities into the team's engineering practice (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, Bedrock, MCP servers, agentic IaC and review workflows) and into the platform's self-service experience for internal customers
• Embed agentic AI capabilities into the design function: AI-assisted pattern generation, automated Well-Architected reviews, ADR drafting, cross-pattern impact analysis, and MCP-backed agents that surface existing patterns to internal customers
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a globally distributed team of senior cloud engineers across LPL's US offices and India Global Capability Center (GCC)
• Own all people-management responsibilities for the pod including hiring, onboarding, weekly 1:1s, performance management, compensation planning, career development, and certification-path execution per the CCOE certification matrix
• Operate as a player-coach: spend meaningful time hands-on in Terraform code, design reviews, peer reviews, and incident response while leading people and delivery
• Lead and personally participate in 24x7 on-call rotations as senior incident commander and technical escalation point for the pod
• Partner with peer VPs across the Cloud Center of Excellence - the leaders of the five CCOE tea

Additional Information

Lead with Purpose, Unlock Your Team's Passion At LPL, people leaders hold the key to the employee experience - shaping culture, driving performance, and guiding individuals to new heights. Because when that happens, we all win - clients, LPL, and most importantly our, employees. If you're ready to lead with intention and discover what's possible, LPL Financial invites you to apply today. Functional Design Engineering is where enterprise architecture intent becomes shippable Terraform. At LPL, you'll partner with Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, and FinOps to translate big-picture designs into opinionated, well-architected reference patterns that engineers actually build. If you'd rather spend your time turning architects' diagrams into code, ADRs, and proof-of-concept platforms - and want a senior leadership role where you're as comfortable in a design review as you are in a pull request - this is your seat. Job Overview: As the VP, Functional Design Engineering, you lead the Functional Design Engineering & Strategy pod within the Foundations team in LPL's Cloud Center of Excellence (CCOE). You partner with Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, and engineering teams and pods across CCOE to translate enterprise architecture intent into implementable, well-architected, code-driven solutions. You take high-level designs from architects and produce detailed, opinionated, build-ready engineering specifications aligned to the AWS Well-Architected Framework and LPL's standards. You also curate the cross-CCOE reference pattern library - domain-tagged Terraform module bundles, reference architectures, anti-patterns, and architecture decision records (ADRs). LPL is an AWS-first CCOE: a multi-account landing zone with 100+ private reusable Terraform modules that enable 60+ AWS services, all delivered through Terraform Cloud and GitHub Actions. You are both a people leader for a small, senior team across the US and LPL's India GCC and a hands-on senior engineer who produces reference patterns, code, and proof-of-concept builds when ambiguity is highest.

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