Domain Managing Architect-Digital, Distribution and Customer Service

This is not a remote position.  The position will be located in Springfield, IL or Addison, TX and will be hybrid.

The Domain Managing Architect – Digital, Distribution and Customer Service will leverage Architectural discipline, frameworks and tools in the best interest of Horace Mann.

• Creates architectural and design artifacts to effectively communicate technology solutions.
• Maintains Current, Future, Transitional state diagrams.
• Develops conceptual, logical, and physical level diagrams.
• Formulates and reviews high-level design documents.
• Guides project and program efforts to enterprise patterns and solutions.
• Ensures technology decisions are in the best interest of Horace Mann over individual areas.
• Proactively partners with business, application development, infrastructure, integration, networking, data, and security on solution design, development, and support.
• Serves as trusted technical advisor to IT and Business leadership.
• Ensures solutions and associated documentation are consistent with Horace Mann and industry best practices.
• Brings disparate groups to consensus on technical decisions.
• Serves as a key contributor in planning, roadmap development, and program implementation.
• Possesses knowledge of current and evolving industry technologies
• Communicates complex technical concepts to a wide range of audiences in simple, understandable terms.
• Leads analysts performing business architecture, design, development, and quality assurance tasks to efficient processes and tools.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for continued maturation of Architecture Discipline at Horace Mann.  Includes guiding and mentoring the Architecture community in the maturation journey.
• Acquires, promotes, and enables use of architecture meta-data tools and processes.
• Guides programs and projects to enterprise compliant technology solutions.   Defines and documents architectural decisions.
• Creates or oversees creation of architecture artifacts to support budgeting, planning, development, and support for technology solutions. 
• Collaborates with Solution Delivery Partners, architects, and technical leads on creating and maintaining the current, target, and transition architecture.
• Leads or ensures high level design is created and maintained for systems and material sub-systems.
• Develops Architecture IT policies, standards, and processes at the direction of the Chief Architect and CIO.
• Identifies opportunities for new enterprise building blocks and patterns.  Directs architects and technical leads to develop and consume defined building blocks and patterns.
• Sets direction for creating integration services and reusable patterns to integrate Horace Mann applications and systems.
• Sets direction and guides architects and technical leads on aligning application development to architectural best practices.
• Executive leadership relies on expertise across multiple business and/or technical domains.
• Provides best practices guidance on evaluation and selection of purchased products for use at Horace Mann.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in related technical field or equivalent experience.
• 6-9 years of related experience.
• Proficient working within an Enterprise Architecture framework (e.g. TOGAF).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with technical writing.
• Strong analytical, planning, organizational, and technical skills.
• Expert in creating architectural artifact diagrams.  (VISIO, draw.io).
• Sets direction on best practices for diagram development and storage.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of project management and software development practices.
• Brings broad and deep knowledge of development languages, data solutions, integration, infrastructure, networking, and security.
• Can effectively lead across all organizational areas.
• Can bring disparate groups to consensus on technical issues.
• Experience performing risk management.
• Experience preparing Executive Level recommendations.
• Experience with digital transformation
• Experience in the Customer and Producer/Agent business domains