Head of API Engineering, Platforms & Modernization (L9)
Role Summary
Guardian is transforming how we deliver digital and data-driven experiences. This role leads the strategy and execution of our enterprise API ecosystem—enabling secure, scalable, and reusable services that power customer, product, and AI capabilities across the organization.
You will modernize our API landscape, establish engineering standards, and lead teams delivering high-quality integration solutions across the enterprise.
You Will
Lead the design and delivery of scalable, reliable API platforms across the enterprise
Establish and enforce API standards across security, performance, and lifecycle management
Modernize legacy integrations into reusable, well-governed APIs
Drive adoption and reuse of APIs across product and engineering teams
Partner with architecture, cybersecurity, and platform teams to align on integration patterns
Improve developer experience through tooling, automation, and self-service capabilities
Build and lead high-performing engineering teams across platform and delivery
Reduce duplication and improve efficiency across enterprise integrations
Influence technology direction through strong cross-functional partnerships
You Have
Experience leading API, platform, or integration engineering in large-scale environments
Strong expertise in API design, microservices, and modern integration patterns
Proven ability to establish standards and drive adoption across teams
Experience modernizing legacy systems into scalable services
Strong understanding of security (authentication, authorization, zero-trust)
Experience leading and developing engineering teams
Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive enterprise outcomes
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
10+ years of experience in software engineering, API development, or platform engineering
5+ years of experience leading engineering teams and delivering at enterprise scale
Proven experience designing and implementing API strategies and integration architectures
Experience modernizing legacy systems into scalable, service-based architectures
Strong understanding of API security, governance, and lifecycle management
Experience operating in complex, cross-functional environments with multiple stakeholders
Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and drive enterprise-wide initiatives
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with cloud-native architectures (e.g., AWS, Azure)
Familiarity with event-driven architectures and distributed systems
Exposure to data and AI integration patterns
Experience implementing developer platforms or API marketplaces
Background in financial services or regulated industries
Success Measures
High platform reliability, performance, and developer experience
Increased API adoption and reuse across teams
Reduction in redundant integrations and services
Strong compliance with security and engineering standards
Improved delivery speed and predictability
Reduction in API-related incidents
Salary Range:
$178,690.00 - $293,560.00The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected]. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.
Visa Sponsorship
Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
Notice Regarding Guardian’s Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment
As part of Guardian’s job application process, Guardian may use artificial intelligence tools (“AI Tools") to automate the sorting and filtering of information provided by applicants as part of its preliminary screening. This preliminary screening may be used to help identify applicant materials and resumes relative to their indication that the applicant meets the requirements for the specific job for which they are applying, as specified in the listing posted on Guardian’s jobs website (Careers at Guardian at https://www.guardianlife.com/careers). At Guardian, we do not use AI Tools to substantially assist or replace human judgment or discretionary decision making in our hiring process. All hiring decisions will be made by Guardian colleagues.
Please be aware that if you apply for a specific position with Guardian, you will have the choice of opting out of Guardian’s use of AI Tools during the job application process. If you would like to request an alternative process that does not utilize AI Tools or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, within ten business days of your position application, you must email your request to [email protected], making sure to provide your name and job requisition identification number. Guardian will retain your applicant materials and resume and all information therefrom in accordance with Guardian’s document retention policy, a copy of which you may request via [email protected].
Additionally, at applicable times, Guardian will make public the most recent bias audit results for such AI tools, which may be found here.
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
Skills Required
- Experience leading API, platform, or integration engineering in large-scale environments
- Expertise in API design, microservices, and modern integration patterns
- Proven ability to establish standards and drive adoption across teams
- Experience modernizing legacy systems into scalable, service-based architectures
- Strong understanding of security (authentication, authorization, zero-trust)
- Experience leading and developing engineering teams
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive enterprise outcomes
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
- 10+ years of experience in software engineering, API development, or platform engineering
- 5+ years of experience leading engineering teams and delivering at enterprise scale
- Proven experience designing and implementing API strategies and integration architectures
- Strong understanding of API governance and lifecycle management
- Experience operating in complex, cross-functional environments with multiple stakeholders
- Experience with cloud-native architectures (e.g., AWS, Azure)
- Familiarity with event-driven architectures and distributed systems
- Exposure to data and AI integration patterns
- Experience implementing developer platforms or API marketplaces
- Background in financial services or regulated industries
Guardian Life Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Guardian Life and has not been reviewed or approved by Guardian Life.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Leave appears unusually expansive, including unlimited paid time off for most roles plus additional time for volunteering, bereavement, jury duty, and personal holidays. Paid parental leave is repeatedly positioned as a standout element of the overall package.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as broad, spanning medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, second opinions, and multiple supplemental insurance options. Mental-health support is also emphasized through dedicated services and platforms.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Lifestyle-oriented benefits extend beyond core insurance, including fitness membership and equipment reimbursement and access to caregiving support resources. These offerings reinforce a whole-person approach that can increase perceived total rewards value.
Guardian Life Insights
What We Do
Who we are Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Today, we stand behind 29 million consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues and are building a progressive, innovative and inclusive culture. We uplift individuals and communities through thoughtful social and environmental programs. What we stand for In 1860, a community of immigrants joined together to insure and protect their businesses and families. They were guided by powerful ideals that we’ve continued to stand behind and evolved throughout the years: we do the right thing, we believe people count, we courageously shape the future together, and we go above and beyond for the people we serve. Guardian employees embrace and live by these values every day. They remind us to put people at the heart of all we do so that we can help protect what matters most to you. Want to help bring these values to life? Join us for a rewarding career and the opportunity to shape the future. Disclosures: Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2022, on a statutory basis: Admitted assets = $76.0 billion; liabilities = $67.2 billion (including $55.0 billion of reserves); and surplus = $8.8 billion. Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by Guardian’s Board of Directors. Guardian® is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. © Copyright 2023 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America 2023-156184 Exp. 5/25








