How to approach your job search as a Head of Infrastructure within buy side finance

I’ve had a few conversations recently with people within our network that are either currently working as a Head of Infrastructure or have recently finished working in this capacity within a buy side firm.

Naturally, they have spent a large part of their career hiring for their teams.

As expected, the talent flow at the Junior-Senior engineering level is a lot more fluid as people generally change roles every few years within this space. It's worth emphasising that tenure at the Head of Infrastructure level tends to be significantly longer. Individuals in these leadership positions often remain in their roles for a much longer period.

This means that searching for your next Head of Infrastructure role in a buy side firm can be challenging, especially as these jobs (when they are live) are rarely advertised as firms prioritise confidentiality, discretion, and personal networks over public recruitment channels.

Here's some practical tips which you may find useful;

Leverage Your Network   

According to Tim Sanders and Porter Gale, “your network is your net worth”. Who do you personally know that could help introduce you to new opportunities? You’ll need to be proactive here. I’d suggest reaching out directly to former colleagues and industry contacts to see if they can connect you to any relevant opportunities, or introduce you to others that can.

As a Hiring Manager, you’ve likely partnered with Recruitment firms previously. It’s always advisable to build good relationships with specialist Recruitment Partners. They’ll champion you to other firms and will be able to open doors for you alongside having a much clearer idea of the current market, trends and future growth plans of other organisations within the space.

Attend Industry Events

Whilst speaking at industry events is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge as a ‘Thought Leader’, simply attending events and building relationships with other attendees will put you at an advantage and increase your visibility within the industry.   

Stay Updated on Industry Trends

Given Heads of Infrastructure often stay in a role for a long time, its easy to become too inwardly focused. Are you aware of the latest industry trends? Do you know what your competitors are doing from both a business and technology perspective? There are plenty of online sources available sharing buy side news, analysis, events and research. Many of these publications are free.

Based on the insights gathered, do you need to upskill in any technical areas? Once again, there are plenty of online courses available to help you bridge any gaps in your tech knowledge.   

Cold Outreach

If you’ve exhausted the above, what else can you do? Are there any firms that interest you? Don’t be afraid to reach out to them directly whether through their careers page or via connecting and messaging business Leaders directly on LinkedIn. Ensure your outreach is personalised, well-researched and clearly highlights your value-add to the firm.  

Conclusion

I’d always strongly advise using a strategic, multi-faceted approach that includes a mix of networking, direct outreach, and leveraging your expertise.

By following the steps above, you can be confident that you've addressed the key areas, giving you the best possible chance for success.

As a Recruiter within the buy side technology space, I always try to manage expectations here as due to a reduced job flow at the top, it can take longer to find your next role at this level.

Proactivity and patience can often be key here.

If you're an Investment Technology Leader, I'm always open to having a conversation.