Senior Platform Engineering Lead (Compute & Infrastructure Strategy)

Address:

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced and technically driven Senior Platform Engineering Lead to help shape the future of enterprise compute and infrastructure platforms. As a key member of the Platform Engineering organization, this role will provide technical leadership for platform strategy, architecture, modernization and engineering standards across the enterprise.

Reporting directly to the Sr. Manager, Storage Engineering / Innovation & Design, the successful candidate will partner closely with infrastructure, cloud, security, architecture and application teams to define and execute the roadmap for enterprise compute platforms. This includes evaluating emerging technologies, driving platform modernization initiatives, establishing engineering standards and ensuring the long-term scalability, resiliency and operational effectiveness of the organization's x86 and virtualization environments.

The role will work closely with a technical peer responsible for broader compute and platform engineering functions, as well as engineering leads accountable for storage and data protection platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for enterprise compute and virtualization platforms, including strategic planning, architecture, engineering standards and lifecycle management.
• Lead platform modernization initiatives, including infrastructure transformation, hypervisor strategy, hardware refresh programs, automation and cloud integration efforts.
• Develop target-state platform architectures that enable scalability, resiliency, security and operational efficiency.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, industry trends and vendor roadmaps to guide platform investment decisions and long-term technology direction.
• Define and maintain engineering standards, reference architectures, technical patterns and operational best practices across platform technologies.
• Lead technical assessments, proof-of-concepts (POCs), platform evaluations and technology validation activities.
• Collaborate with cloud, infrastructure, application and security teams to ensure platform capabilities align with enterprise requirements and business objectives.
• Drive adoption of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), automation, self-service capabilities and modern platform engineering practices.
• Provide technical oversight and governance for major platform initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture principles and technology standards.
• Prepare and deliver executive-level presentations, articulating technology strategies, risks, trade-offs, investment recommendations and modernization roadmaps.
• Present solution architectures and technology recommendations to Architecture Review Boards, Design Review Committees and senior leadership forums.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor on compute, virtualization and infrastructure technologies across the organization.
• Mentor engineering teams and contribute to the advancement of platform engineering capabilities, operational maturity and engineering excellence.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in infrastructure engineering, platform engineering, systems architecture, or enterprise technology leadership roles.
• Deep expertise in enterprise virtualization technologies, including:
  • VMware vSphere (required)
  • Nutanix AHV and ecosystem technologies (preferred)
  • Additional hypervisor platforms such as Hyper-V or KVM considered an asset
• Strong understanding of enterprise compute platforms, including:
  • Dell PowerEdge and/or HPE ProLiant infrastructure
  • Blade, rack and converged infrastructure architectures
• Proven experience leading large-scale infrastructure modernization and transformation programs.
• Strong knowledge of x86 platform architecture, virtualization, clustering, high availability and disaster recovery technologies.
• Experience designing and supporting hybrid cloud architectures and cloud-enabled operating models.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating, documenting and executing complex proof-of-concepts involving multiple stakeholders and technology vendors.
• Experience developing technology strategies, roadmaps, standards and reference architectures.
• Strong understanding of automation frameworks and Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, PowerShell, Python, GitOps methodologies).
• Knowledge of platform engineering concepts, including self-service infrastructure, developer platforms, automation and operational excellence.
• Experience working within large enterprise environments with formal architecture governance processes.
• Excellent executive communication skills with the ability to translate technical complexity into business-focused recommendations.
• Proven ability to influence strategic decisions and drive outcomes across teams without direct authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting financial services, regulated industries, or large-scale enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with container platforms and modern application infrastructure technologies such as Kubernetes and OpenShift.
• Experience integrating platform engineering practices with cloud-native and hybrid infrastructure solutions.
• Industry certifications such as VMware VCP/VCAP, Nutanix NCP, Azure, AWS, TOGAF, or equivalent.

Why This Role?

• Play a key role in defining the future-state architecture and strategy for enterprise compute and infrastructure platforms.
• Influence major technology investment decisions and modernization initiatives.
• Partner directly with senior technology leaders, architects and engineering teams across the organization.
• Drive adoption of modern platform engineering, automation and infrastructure transformation practices.
• Enjoy broad enterprise impact and visibility while remaining deeply engaged in technical leadership and engineering strategy.

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group’s total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers. We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en.

BMO is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. By learning from each other’s differences, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact your recruiter.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.