Vice President, Global Chief Architect

$175,700 - $326,000/Yr

Manulife - Boston, MA

Full-time - Senior

Boston, MA

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

About the position

The VP, Chief Global Chief Architect is responsible for setting the standards and patterns of enterprise, solution, and technical architecture for our global technology teams. Reporting directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), this role requires a strategic thinker with deep technical expertise and experience in managing large-scale, complex architectural frameworks. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in solution patterns and technology mapping, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively with segment chief architects to achieve consensus and drive unified architectural initiatives and technology decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement enterprise-wide architectural governance processes and standards.
• Ensure alignment of technology strategies with business goals and objectives.
• Oversee compliance with architectural standards and regulatory requirements.
• Application Roadmap reporting, tracking KPI's and data completeness.
• Budget / financial oversight and partnership with segment CIOs, CTOs and Strategy & planning leaders to deliver towards the technology financial targets through optimizing application health, cost and risks.
• Drive global reusable solution patterns with enterprise architecture principle and technical standards.
• Map technology solutions to business needs, ensuring scalability, performance, and security.
• Lead the development of comprehensive architectural blueprints and roadmaps.
• Manage our global cloud hosting strategy that ensures scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud solutions across diverse regions.
• Lead the standardization of shared technology platforms, tools, and best practices to streamline operations and enhance interoperability.
• Develop and enforce comprehensive architectural standards and patterns for the design and deployment of global network infrastructure.
• Chair of Global Architecture Review Boards to drive the Global Architecture agenda on target technology standards.
• Manage a team of technical and architectural governance teams to ensure effective implementation of architectural strategies.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with segment chief architects to foster a collaborative and cohesive architectural approach.
• Facilitate discussions and drive consensus on architectural decisions and strategies.
• Mentor and guide architectural teams to promote best practices and continuous improvement.
• Provide architectural guidance and collaborate closely with implementation and engineering teams to integrate cloud, network and technology services seamlessly, optimize performance, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, and evaluate their potential impact on the organization.
• Champion innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to enhance business capabilities.
• Lead the evaluation and selection of technology vendors and solutions.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in enterprise governance and solution architecture.
• Proficiency in designing and implementing solution patterns and technology mapping.
• Strong understanding of architectural frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman, COBIT etc.).
• Expertise in cloud computing, networking, microservices, API management, and data architecture.
• Knowledge of security architecture and regulatory compliance in the insurance industry.
• Strong understanding of evolving technology frameworks like GenAI, citizen development.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in architecture roles, with at least 5 years in a senior or chief architect position.

Nice-to-haves

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams.
• Proven ability to drive consensus and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with a focus on fostering innovation and continuous improvement.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align technology solutions with business objectives.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Mental health benefits
• Vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Life and AD&D insurance coverage
• Adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits
• Employee/family assistance plans
• Retirement savings plans (including pension)
• Global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions
• Financial education and counseling resources
• Generous paid time off program including holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days
• Full range of statutory leaves of absence