Technical Lead

Security Benefit•Topeka, KS

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Technical Lead provides technical leadership for Security Benefit's Firm & Advisor Onboarding (FAO) and Annuity & Mutual Fund Custodial (AMFC) teams. These teams manage firm and advisor onboarding, business submissions through eApp platforms (Firelight/Affirm and AnnuityNet/AN4), and transactions and replacements settling through DTCC and custodial partners. The role supports work ranging from wirehouse onboarding and new product launches to DTCC digitization and custodial data quality. Operating within Security Benefit's Customer Centric Delivery Model, the Technical Lead owns the technical “how”: architecture, Enabler Epics, feasibility, and engineering quality. The Product Manager or Platform Lead owns the “what,” including product and platform outcomes, the roadmap, and quarterly planning. This is a technical leadership role rather than a delivery-ownership role; roadmap accountability, business stakeholder relationships, and delivery facilitation remain with the Product Manager or Platform Lead and Delivery Manager. The Technical Lead's primary outputs are sound architecture, Enabler Epics that create the runway for business work, technical feasibility assessments, and engineering quality across both teams. Hands-on coding is occasional, for example to prototype a solution, evaluate vendor capabilities, or address a difficult problem. The position reports to the Senior Manager, Platform Engineering. It may be based in Topeka or Overland Park, Kansas, or remotely for the right candidate. The company follows a hybrid schedule with flexibility to work remotely and on-site.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 8 years of experience in software engineering or technical leadership, including significant prior hands-on development experience.
Demonstrated experience owning technical architecture and design decisions for vendor-built or third-party platforms and their integrations.
Experience creating and sequencing Enabler Epics, or an equivalent technical work breakdown, to establish the architectural runway for business-facing work.
Experience assessing technical feasibility and managing technical risk across the project lifecycle, from early discovery through delivery.
Experience identifying and advocating for technical debt remediation and partnering with a Product Manager or Platform Lead on sequencing it.
Experience setting engineering standards, conducting code reviews, and guiding a team's implementation decisions.
Experience serving as the primary technical partner to vendor engineering teams, such as a platform or system-of-record vendor.
Experience partnering with a Business Systems Analyst on the technical accuracy of requirements.
Working knowledge of full-stack, cloud-native architecture—including TypeScript/React, REST integration, SQL/data, and AWS—sufficient to guide design decisions and communicate credibly with engineers and vendors.
Comfort collaborating directly with external vendor and distributor engineering teams as a technical peer.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with DTCC transaction networks and processes, such as Replacement Processing/RPL, Attachment API, Carrier-to-Carrier replacement, and scheduled releases.
Experience with annuity eApp or point-of-sale platforms, such as Firelight or AnnuityNet.
Insurance, annuity, retirement, or custodial/transfer-of-assets domain experience, including familiarity with firm and advisor onboarding, eApp submission, and DTCC-based settlement and replacement processing.
Experience operating within a scaled agile or product/platform operating model, such as SAFe or a similar Portfolio → Product/Platform → Team flow structure.
Financial services or other regulated-industry experience.

Responsibilities

Own technical architecture and design decisions across eApp platforms, DTCC transaction networks, and internal onboarding and custodial platforms, ensuring solutions adhere to the platform organization's technology architecture and standards.
Partner with the Product Manager or Platform Lead to decompose Initiatives into Epics, provide sizing estimates, and create Enabler Epics that establish the architectural runway for Business Epics.
Own technology evaluation and governance for both teams' tools and integrations, partner with the Platform Lead on enterprise-wide platform decisions, and serve as the primary technical partner to eApp, DTCC, and other vendor engineering teams.
Identify technical debt across both teams and advocate for it, partnering with the Product Manager or Platform Lead on roadmap sequencing.
Set engineering standards, conduct code reviews, and guide technical implementation decisions throughout each Iteration.
Assess technical feasibility and risk from Portfolio Flow intake through delivery, surface technology opportunities or constraints early, and confirm feasibility before an Initiative is approved.
Participate in Backlog Refinement and Iteration Planning to validate feasibility and add technical acceptance criteria; validate technical quality at Iteration reviews and resolve technical blockers.
Finalize the Enabler Epic list ahead of Quarterly Planning, provide Business Epic sizing estimates, and present and advocate for Enabler Epics at QPE, ensuring prerequisites are sequenced correctly.
Surface technical dependencies and architecture risks at Cross-Team Sync, and consult with other Tech Leads on cross-team architecture, standards, and shared infrastructure.
Mentor engineers through code review, pairing, and technical coaching, and serve as a go-to technical resource.
Occasionally engage in hands-on development for prototypes, spikes, or to unblock a team on a difficult problem, while keeping most time focused on architecture, feasibility, and engineering quality.

Benefits

Competitive salary and annual incentive bonuses.
33 days of paid time off, including PTO, holidays, Volunteer Day, and days of significance.
Paid parental leave after 90 days of service.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) with company match, plus Profit Sharing & Savings Plan.
Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
Life Insurance.
Educational assistance.
Associate assistance programs for personal and professional well-being.