Business Architect - Individual Solutions and Institutional Retirement Solutions

Securian Financial • Saint Paul, MN

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

At Securian Financial the internal position title is Architecture Sr Con Overview: Securian’s Enterprise Architecture team is seeking an innovative, intellectually curious, and outcome-oriented Business Architect to support our Individual Solutions (IS) and Institutional Retirement Solutions (IRS) business lines. In this role, you will operate at the intersection of business strategy, enterprise architecture, and industry evolution. You will translate strategic objectives into capability-driven roadmaps and actionable architecture direction, while continuously assessing market trends, regulatory shifts, competitive positioning, and vendor ecosystems to identify opportunities for modernization and differentiation. This role is ideal for an architect who combines strategic thinking with proactive industry engagement — someone who not only aligns technology to business goals but also helps shape how capabilities evolve in a dynamic marketplace.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience applying business architecture techniques (capability modeling, road mapping, portfolio analysis) to drive modernization and investment decisions.
• Proven ability to translate business strategy into actionable architecture direction.
• Strong intellectual curiosity and interest in understanding industry trends, competitive positioning, and regulatory dynamics.
• Experience leveraging analyst research, industry benchmarking, or vendor engagement to inform strategic decisions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influence skills across executive, product, engineering, and architecture communities.
• Experience facilitating strategic alignment workshops and complex decision forums.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity and bring clarity to complex environments.
• Working knowledge across architecture domains (business, application, data, technology, security).
• Understanding of enterprise architecture governance and operating models.
• Ability to evaluate technology options through the lens of business capability enablement and competitive differentiation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in insurance, retirement, or broader financial services domains.
• Experience with portfolio modernization and legacy transformation initiatives in regulated environments.
• Financial acumen including TCO, ROI, and investment tradeoff analysis.
• Familiarity with enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF) and business architecture practices.
• Knowledge of cloud-native architecture, particularly AWS.
• Experience working within agile product and platform delivery models.
• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, Business, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Business Capability & Portfolio Architecture Develop and mature business capability models, heatmaps, and maturity views to inform strategic planning and modernization sequencing.
• Translate business strategy into actionable, capability-driven roadmaps aligned to measurable outcomes.
• Define and evolve target-state architecture direction across application portfolios aligned to enterprise standards.
• Lead portfolio assessments to identify modernization, rationalization, resiliency, and risk mitigation opportunities.
• Shape investment decisions by connecting capabilities, business outcomes, and architecture direction.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops to align business and technology leaders on priorities, tradeoffs, and transformation sequencing.
• Industry Insight & Capability Advancement Maintain deep understanding of the Individual Solutions and Institutional Retirement markets, including products, distribution models, regulatory considerations, and competitive dynamics.
• Continuously evaluate industry trends, analyst research (e.g., Gartner and other advisory firms), peer institutions, vendor ecosystems, competitors, and emerging technologies.
• Engages with vendors, partners, and industry forums to assess innovative solutions and architectural patterns.
• Benchmark organizational capabilities against industry leaders and recommend areas for advancement or differentiation.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, compliance posture, and digital enablement through capability evolution.
• Strategy-to-Execution Alignment Translate strategic capabilities into clear architectural guidance that informs solution design and delivery teams.
• Provide architectural leadership on strategic initiatives to ensure alignment with enterprise guardrails and long-term portfolio direction.
• Partner with business leaders, technology market leaders, enterprise architects, solution architects, engineering teams, and product leaders to ensure solutions realize intended business capabilities.
• Influence solution direction without assuming embedded delivery ownership.
• Balance business value, technical feasibility, financial impact, and risk in architectural recommendations.
• Architecture Governance & Enterprise Alignment Guide initiatives through architecture governance using clear, outcome-focused decision frameworks.
• Assess planned and in-flight initiatives to identify impacts to current and future-state architecture, highlighting risks and dependencies.
• Identify opportunities to leverage enterprise platforms and shared capabilities to reduce redundancy and improve architectural consistency.
• Communicate and champion enterprise architecture principles and target-state direction within assigned market organizations.
• Collaborate with Enterprise Architects to evolve principles, reference architectures, and standards.
• Serve as a trusted advisor across business and technology leadership.

Benefits

• Paid time off: We want you to take time off for what matters most to you. Our PTO program provides flexibility for associates to take meaningful time away from work to relax, recharge and spend time doing what’s important to them. And Securian Financial rewards associates for their service by providing additional PTO the longer you stay at Securian.
• Leave programs: Securian’s flexible leave programs allow time off from work for parental leave, caregiver leave for family members, bereavement and military leave.
• Holidays: Securian provides nine company paid holidays.
• Company-funded pension plan and a 401(k) retirement plan: Share in the success of our company. Securian’s 401(k) company contribution is tied to our performance up to 10 percent of eligible earnings, with a target of 5 percent. The amount is based on company results compared to goals related to earnings, sales and service.
• Health insurance: From the first day of employment, associates and their eligible family members – including spouses, domestic partners and children – are eligible for medical, dental and vision coverage.
• Volunteer time: We know the importance of community. Through company-sponsored events, volunteer paid time off, a dollar-for-dollar matching gift program and more, we encourage you to support organizations important to you.
• Associate Resource Groups: Build connections, be yourself and develop meaningful relationships at work through associate-led ARGs. Dedicated groups focus on a variety of interests and affinities, including: Mental Wellness and Disability Pride at Securian Financial Securian Young Professionals Network Securian Multicultural Network Securian Women and Allies Network Servicemember Associate Resource Group

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees