Associate Director, Digital Architect Cna Insurance
Chicago, IL

Job Description

Job Summary:

Individual contributor provides highest level of expertise for development, specification and communication of firm's scalable, modular, loosely coupled architecture for the digital transformation from legacy to cloud, advises cross-functional teams in the implementation of a phased approach to moving CNA's legacy systems to cloud graduating from near-term "quick wins" to full "self-service" over time. This position involves working in collaboration with Domain Architects, Solution Architects, Data Architects and Cloud Architects, to ensure it reflects synergies and dependencies with core technology trends and priorities (e.g. Cloud migration, Information Security and Infrastructure), as well as clearly articulates synergies and dependencies across the business units in solidifying target IT application rationalization strategy.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:

* Self-starter and ability to define and hold the big picture while executing on a piece of it, and reduce technical debt while enhancing Digital Transformation.


* Works with leads to design and develop decoupling strategies to unlock the value inside legacy IT for various channels and back-end systems.


* Research, recommend, design and develop systems and application architecture to accelerate the CNA's digital transformation journey.


* Ensures quality of the design by avoiding complexity, reviewing the code and advocating clarity.


* Demonstrates opportunities by developing prototypes and/or contributing code, evaluating technologies, and mentoring project team members.


* Good understanding of digital trends and impact across the industry and how it can enable business transformation and create true value.


* Ensures the architecture for digital transformation journey stays loosely coupled, modular, scalable, extensible and re-usable.


* Collaborate with superiors and leads to develop and implement the strategic design, acquisition, management, and implementation of an enterprise-wide technology roadmap.


* Analyzes the technology industry and market trends to highlight potential impact on the business.


* Ability to define and hold the big picture while executing on a piece of it, and reduce technical debt while enhancing Digital Transformation.


* Researches and evaluates new and/or alternative solutions and technologies to enhance operational effectiveness, reduce costs and/or system risks and increase speed to market.


* Works with leads to provides in-depth technical consultation to business partners and IT management to ensure development of efficient application systems utilizing established standards, procedures and methodologies.


* Guides the team that drives implementation of strategic and operational digital objectives with significant impact on the short-term and long-term success of the experience of interacting with CNA systems by agents, brokers and insureds.



May perform additional duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationship:

AVP Digital Architect

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:

* Knowledge of design and implementing of and/or co-leading digital transformation journey in current or past organization with expertise in digital decoupling architecture.


* Hands-on knowledge of many of the below technologies is required:
* Java, Spring, Spring Boot, Node.js, React.js, Vue.js, Angular.js, GCP and/or AWS, Docker, Kubernetes




* Knowledge of contemporary technology and business trends that allows architecture to solve problems in a creative and cost effective manner.


* Experience diagnosing, isolating, and resolving complex issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems


* Experience developing strategic initiatives which align with business goals and budget.


* Demonstrated leadership experience across digital, change management, innovation and experience design.


* Assisted defining digital transformation, decoupling & API based solutions.


* Knowledge of design and implementation of enterprise workflow systems, distributed architecture, intranet/internet architecture, and communication architectures.


* Senior level knowledge of the system development life cycle, and system and application program development technological alternatives and architecture methodologies for multi-platform environments.


* Must be competent to work at the highest technical level of all phases of system architecture design using state of the art rules-based architecture, object oriented component analysis and development and proficiency in web-based systems architecture, service-based architecture and enterprise application architecture.


* Excellent communication and interpersonal and consultative skills to work effectively with vendors, clients, peers, and IT management and staff.


* Strong analytical and problem solving skills.


* Experience developing/following 3-5 year roadmaps outlining the evolution of the enterprise application portfolios from current to future state.



Education & Experience:

* Degree in Computer Science, or related discipline, or equivalent experience.


* Typically a minimum of 7 years of solid, diverse work experience in IT including experience with systems architecture methodologies.


* 6 years of prior hands-on coding experience as full-stack engineer in their career, preferably in the context of large secure web applications with complex real-time integrations and diverse user bases.


* Some previous project leadership experience is desirable.


* Applicable certifications preferred.



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