Director Digital Technology and Architecture

The Canada Life Assurance Company • Toronto, ON

1d • CA$149,000 - CA$199,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Digital Delivery & Platforms team is a critical enabler of Canada Life’s future. We are responsible for modernizing how we deliver digital experiences, platforms, and capabilities across the enterprise—spanning customer, advisor, operations, and employee journeys. Our Digital Strategy and Design team is looking to add a Director, Digital Technology and Architecture. An expert in the architecture of a large product group or ecosystem, this role will proactively and holistically guide the design, evolution and implementation of the target state solution architecture. Reporting to the Assistant Vice-President, Digital Strategy & Design the Director will engage regularly with VPs, SVPs, and executive leadership across the enterprise. They will play a pivotal role shaping Canada Life’s enterprise digital technology and architecture design to enable target digital experience, with a strong expertise in digital and technology architecture, platform modernization, and customer-led experience design. The successful candidate will develop and maintain the strategy and roadmap for delivering and evangelizing state of the art capabilities that are critical to a successful digital transformation in the areas of Life, Health, Dental, Disability and Wealth.

Requirements

• Deep technologist with a background in software development in roles such as Tech Lead and Architecture
• Led or supported business process changes related to technology
• Bachelor Computer Science / Software Engineering or equivalent degree
• Prior experience working in an Architect capacity and exposure to Architecture governance preferred
• 10+ years of demonstrated experience in IT environments with a preference for significant complexity, highly regulated, and/or financial services with experience developing and promoting code into production
• 5+ progressive leadership experience related to both projects and teams
• Operational risk expertise related to working in complex shared environments
• Exposure/Involvement with Strategy/Delivery and having a Product mindset is desired, and demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with Agile delivery methodologies and maintaining Architecture runways
• Enthusiasm for hands-on work to support innovative prototypes and guide development teams
• Knowledge of emerging technology trends and best practices for improving operational efficiency
• Strong communication skills with ability to engage independently with different levels of the organization and tailor communication based on audience (e.g. technology executive, business stakeholder, technical SME)
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships across multiple geographies, business functions, and levels of technical knowledge.
• Demonstrate customer centric approach to problem solving, striving for service excellence with an outward focus.
• Experience motivating highly skilled groups of individuals toward teamwork and a common purpose; integrating efforts across units; monitoring and assessing results
• Ability to challenge; understanding how to persuade and influence

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of financial services industry, preferably with insurance experience, a strong asset
• Experience with application modernization, system decomposition and rationalization.
• Experience delivering omni-channel experiences via cloud-native designs
• Experience with API standards, microservices, single page apps and integration to core/legacy platforms
• Architectural experience using modelling tools such as UML, TOGAF, Archimate etc., to model architecture practices and principles in Business, Information (data), Application, Technology, and Security architecture disciplines.
• Understanding of continuous architecture and value stream approach to business solutions.
• A general understanding of Business Architecture
• TOGAF certification is a plus

Responsibilities

• Define the Enterprise digital technology strategy for Canada Life, with a strong emphasis on AI, automation, platforms, and experience transformation.
• Develop a clear technology vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmap aligning business ambition with technology enablement.
• Identify target state platforms and technology to achieve ambitions
• Work closely with Enterprise Architecture to define target state architecture and solution designs
• Translate strategy into actionable plans including investment cases, value hypotheses, delivery sequencing, and success metrics.
• Partner closely with Business, Operations, Technology, Data, Architecture, Security, Risk, and Legal teams.
• Accountable to ensure high quality delivery of leading-edge solutions that meet time and cost requirements that align with business unit (BU) and enterprise architecture principles and design standards
• Proactively identify areas (i.e. trendspotting) and opportunities to use technology to enhance customer experience and/or organizational efficiency
• Research and recommend opportunities to leverage technology and keep up with the industry to support the strategy
• Support development of business strategies by producing technology roadmaps, architectural standards and patterns to achieve business plans
• Provides leadership in managing IT risk (e.g.: security, disaster recovery, technology solution quality, etc.) and control requirements
• Ensure leaders, employees and vendors work together to drive performance and that high expectations are achieved within the values of the organization

Benefits

• Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement.
• Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being.
• In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.
• Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options.
• Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!
• A workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director