IT, Management Information Systems
Director, Platform Engineering Management
Overview
At Western Union, we’re more than a trusted name in global payments. We’re moving beyond remittances, beyond cash, and beyond the expectations of our customers.
Our talented teams enable us to transform into a digital-first company, built on the strength of our retail foundation and powered by next-generation payments. All this with the goal of helping people prosper.
Our customers inspire us to push boundaries and create services that make life easier and communities stronger. Wherever you are in the world, we’re committed to shaping the next generation of financial experiences.
Join us as we go beyond and be part of a team that’s redefining what’s possible.
Are you ready to help modernize a software engineering organization that builds products connecting millions of users around the world? Are you seeking an opportunity to join a globally diverse organization where unique contributions are recognized and celebrated, and where everyone is empowered to thrive?
Join Western Union as a Director, Platform Engineering.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Western Union does not sponsor work visas for this role.
Role Responsibilities
Western Union is seeking a Director of Platform Engineering to lead architecture, requirements facilitation, and end‑to‑end engineering delivery for our Core Money Transform platform. This role will lead a U.S.-based engineering team that operates as part of a global organization of engineers and architects supporting our core platforms.
You will be responsible for coordinating and planning closely with global partners to ensure alignment, productivity, and timely delivery of business outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Collaboration
- Drive cross-functional collaboration by partnering closely with Product Management, Data Engineering, and Operations teams to co‑shape platform strategy and technical solutions.
- Influence the technology roadmap by aligning platform engineering strategy with business objectives and product priorities.
- Translate strategy into execution by converting long-term platform vision into quarterly OKRs and actionable delivery plans, balancing speed, quality, and technical debt.
Platform Architecture & Delivery
- Architect scalable, high-performance systems by guiding the design and development of low-latency, high-throughput pricing and transaction platforms that enable real-time decision-making at scale.
- Deliver technical and business outcomes by making sound architectural and product trade‑off decisions that improve pricing accuracy, latency, profitability, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
- Champion quality, performance, and reliability across the platform, ensuring strong observability, automation, and operational excellence.
Operational Excellence
- Establish robust support and execution models to effectively manage ad-hoc and operational requests without disrupting planned delivery.
- Advocate for developer experience through platform abstractions, tooling, and standards that enhance engineering productivity and consistency.
- Promote continuous improvement through modern engineering practices, CI/CD, and cloud-native design principles.
People & Culture
- Build and lead high-performing teams across regions by attracting, developing, and mentoring engineering talent.
- Foster an engineering excellence culture grounded in strong coding standards, architectural discipline, accountability, and collaboration.
- Develop future leaders by strengthening technical leadership depth and scalability across the organization.
Role Requirement
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale engineering organizations and platform teams.
- BS in Computer Science or a related field with 12+ years of professional experience, or MS with 10+ years, including 6+ years in an engineering leadership role.
- Proven ability to understand business objectives and translate them into technology strategies that drive measurable outcomes.
- Strong experience working with cross-functional partners, including Product Management and Operations.
- Excellent decision-making, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Deep understanding of computer science fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming, and design.
- Strong experience in architectural design, with the ability to clearly communicate and evangelize architectural concepts across diverse audiences.
- Hands-on experience building and scaling microservices-based platforms.
- Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java or C++, with strong knowledge of design patterns.
- Hands-on experience with Java/J2EE, Spring Boot, web technologies, APIs, and web services.
- Experience with Agile development, TDD, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience designing and delivering cloud-based architectures (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or hybrid environments).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in the Financial Services industry.
- AWS certification(s) preferred (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Developer, or equivalent).
- Hands-on experience building and operating cloud-native platforms in AWS, Azure, or hybrid environments.
- Experience with containerized microservices, Kubernetes, and modern API platforms.
- Familiarity with infrastructure as code, automated deployment pipelines, and platform observability.
- Experience driving platform reliability, scalability, and operational excellence at scale.
Work Shift
HYBRID – Western Union values in-person collaboration, problem solving, and ideation whenever possible. We believe this fosters common ways of working and supports how we execute initiatives for our customers. The expectation is to work from the office a minimum of three days a week.
BENEFITS AND OTHER DETAILS
Benefits
You will also have access to short-term incentives, multiple health insurance options, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few. Please see the benefits below specific to your country. If applicable, additional role-specific benefits will be mentioned during your interview process or in an offer of employment.
Your United States specific benefits include:
- Paid Time Off
- Medical, Dental and Life Insurance
- Tuition Assistance Program
- Student Loan Repayment (below manager level only)
- Parental Leave
- One day volunteer time off
- $0 Money Transfer Fee Discount Code – Quarterly
- Recognition Program “Game Changers”
- Employee Discount Program
- Global Adoption Assistance
- Global Scholarship Awards Program
- 401K plan
For residents of Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania: Please do not respond to any questions on this initial application that may seek age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You may also redact this information from any materials you submit during the application process. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Salary
The on-target earnings range is $190,000-$215,000 per year, which includes a base salary and short-term and long-term incentives that align with individual and company performance. Actual salaries will vary based on candidates’ qualifications, skills, and competencies.
Other Details
As part of the application process, all applicants are required to take assessments. Western Union has partnered with a 3rd party provider to administer these tests. Applicants will need to provide their name and email address in order to process the assessments. If you have any questions, you may reach out to careers@westernunion.com.
We are passionate about honoring our employee's identity and fostering a feeling of belonging. Our commitment is to provide an inclusive culture that celebrates the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our global teams while reflecting the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. The company will provide accommodation to applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, following applicable laws.
#LI-KS1 #LI-Hybrid
Estimated Job Posting End Date:
04-30-2026
This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This posting will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended or the role is filled.
Our customer is at the heart of everything we do. Learn more:
Apply Today!
About Western Union
Western Union Company is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth.
Western Union Listens
We hold employee surveys through our employee engagement tool, Western Union Listens, benchmarking our results against global peers. We use the results to continually improve our culture and workplace, and encourage managers to review, discuss, and take action on survey findings with their teams.
In 2024, the employee participation rate reached 84%.
Western Union Game Changers Global Recognition Program
Recognition is a critical link to performance, inclusion, diverse ideas, and fostering a workplace where our employees connect, show their appreciation, and feel valued. At Western Union, our recognition is about moments that matter.
Get to know Western Union
As you read some of our employee stories from around the world, we hope you see yourself reflected in the work we do and the people who make up our diverse team.
