AVP, Enterprise Architect

Our Story
Unum Technology Centre in Carlow serves as a strategic software development and IT services centre supporting Unum, a leading provider of income protection in the US. Our team of IT professionals build solutions and critical business applications to digitally transform the way we do business.

Architects are responsible for leading the creation and implementation of an Enterprise Architecture and associated artifacts (e.g. Technology backlog) and for ensuring the technical direction of applications and solutions both within and across business area portfolios are strongly aligned with the business strategy. They liaise strongly with other Architects and technical leaders to ensure that technical standards, frameworks and processes are applicable across multiple applications or business capability areas. They will ensure a cost-effective IT portfolio through enterprise reuse where possible, and will be responsible for evaluating products and tools to ensure the efficiency of the overall business process.
They will also ensure that a Target State Enterprise Architecture and roadmap is reactive, adaptable, maintainable, and capable of evolving with minimum disruption and cost to support emerging technology trends. They provide the link between the Target State Enterprise Architecture Strategy/Roadmap and the Delivery Teams. Architects ensure that strategic Enterprise Architecture is both realized by, and informed by learnings from the implementation of solutions.
They will manage multiple executive stakeholders within IT and within any assigned operating company. Additionally, they will be required to lead the activities of architects or technical leaders through direct or indirect reporting relationships.
They are known as a thought leader in Architecture by those in Senior Leadership and are sought after to participate in strategic Enterprise discussions.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• The successful candidate will primarily focus on Unum’s Acquisition area, encompassing pre-sales activities such as Quote, CRM, and Client Onboarding, while also having the opportunity to expand their expertise into other domains within the organization.
• They will work in a high-performing enterprise architecture team, where each member specializes in their own domain; collaborating as a team with other Business and Technology experts to align technology solutions with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Responsible for defining Enterprise Architecture standards and strategic technology frameworks that align IT systems, processes, and solutions with Unum’s business goals, particularly focusing on efficiency, scalability, and compliance.
• Mentor Principal and Senior employees within their Domain to ensure strong architecture practice and increase their skill set.
• Manage Architects within their Domain when required.
• Collaborates with multiple business and technical stakeholders to create, maintain and iteratively implement a sustainable and future-proof set of Technology Roadmaps.
• Collaborates with Chief Product owners and Business Strategy Consultants to align business and technology strategies and ensure realization of business capabilities through Enterprise Architecture.
• Resolves architectural uncertainties through prioritisation, planning, and execution of architectural sprints and reprioritizes Technology Roadmap and portfolio backlogs based on outcomes
• Collaborate with Architects across the Enterprise to ensure standardised, efficient, high quality, architecturally sound tactical implementations of technology roadmaps
• Within or across business area portfolio works to further business goals through evaluation, assessment and comparison and of emergent technology. This may involve prototyping and proof of concept work, as well as in-depth vendor engagement.
• Co-ordinates or participates in tool, technology and service selection, risk assessments and sunsetting in conjunction with technical and business stakeholders ensuring consistency with existing business needs and architectural sustainability.
• Co-ordinates the identification and assessment of new and emerging technologies, products, methods and techniques. Evaluates likely relevance of these for the organization.
• Provides regular briefings and communications to Leadership, Management and Staff.
• Actively monitors for and seeks out opportunities to advance the organization and make it successful. Stays abreast of external trends and new functionality to be released by third party/cloud solutions, identifying and socializing opportunities for expanded business applicability.
• Clearly articulates, and formally reports their benefits.
• Recognizes potential strategic application of IT, and initiates investigation and development of innovative methods of exploiting IT assets, to the benefit of organizations and the community.
• Plays a leading role in improving the interaction and understanding between the business and IT.
• Champions Architecture, Technology and Innovation across the Enterprise through various modes of communication, with particular focus on the Development Community.

Job Specifications

• Bachelors required, or equivalent relevant experience, Master Degree Preferred
• Demonstrates an understanding of strategic issues, and is an authority on the systems development life-cycle and typical problems associated with the implementation of information systems, from initial concept through development and implementation to operation and support.
• Has detailed practical knowledge of the organization’s IT infrastructure and software development and maintenance methods, tools and techniques.
• Is conversant with the organization’s IT strategy, policies and standards.
• Has a sound knowledge of risk assessment, change management, configuration management, reliability and safety methods and the use of metrics. Is skilled in project risk management.
• Can effectively articulate the architecture to technical and business audiences
• Communicates persuasively and effectively to business and technical audiences
• Possesses good knowledge of key areas of own organization that could benefit from the application of technology.
• Is able to envisage the business potential of emerging technologies and products.
• Is current in understanding of both developer trends and emerging technologies
• Has sound knowledge of Agile/Lean development methodologies and Continuous Deployment Tools and Techniques. Can ensure that overall Enterprise Architecture Designs and Tool/Vendor selections facilitate and/or support these techniques

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What We Offer
Our size and successful history in Carlow means we can offer you exceptional development and progression, supported by continual learning programs, IT Certifications & third level tuition reimbursement. We offer work-life-balance with flexible working arrangements (including hybrid) and initiatives in support of your well-being. Our attractive range of benefits and reward initiatives includes competitive compensation, 25 days annual leave, paid health insurance, pension scheme, annual performance-based bonus, paid maternity/paternity/adoptive leave, reward programs, and an opportunity to engage with charity and community activities.

Company:

Unum