Enterprise Architecture Senior Manager

Hastings Insurance is currently looking for an Enterprise Architecture Senior Manager to join its IT Leadership team! This is a great opportunity for an experienced IT professional to play a key strategic role in the ongoing enhancement and modernization of our core business systems and applications.

Position Overview

The Enterprise Architecture Senior Manager focuses on the strategic development and operation of the Enterprise Architecture practice, including managing staffing, optimizing processes and technology, and ensuring the high availability of architecture services. They will also work closely with business executives and stakeholders in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support newer solutions that provide new services to agents.

Position Location & Work Format

This position is flexible in its location! We will entertain candidates who reside within our six-state territory (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, or Illinois) to work a remote schedule. Candidates residing within the greater Hastings area can work a hybrid (combination of on-site and work-from-home) schedule as an alternative. Generally, this position will work within our standard office hours of Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Hastings Insurance may consider candidates in other states to work remotely if elements of their application are strong.   

Position Duties & Responsibilities

• General Management & Leadership
  • Manages staffing and staff development, including recruitment, supervision, organizational structure, individual and team development, performance management, evaluation, and disciplinary actions.
  • Creates a supportive team-oriented work climate that enables individuals to develop professionally, values diversity, promotes teamwork, collaboration and emphasizes quality, customer satisfaction, creativity, and cost-effectiveness.
  • Directs negotiations and administration of vendor, outsourcer, and consultant contracts and service agreements in assigned areas of responsibility.
  • Keeps current with the technologies that have a potential impact on company operations.
• Strategy & Planning
  • Works with stakeholders to define business and systems requirements for new information technologies, particularly in the areas of architecture, InsurTech, and newer technologies.
  • Works with different business units at the director level to align the business and IT.
  • Ensures the efficient utilization of data resources across different business units and global locations (if applicable).
  • Oversees all architecture boards and meetings.
  • Promotes the architecture program.
  • Facilitates system feasibility studies, proof of concepts, pilot projects, and testing.
  • Ensures best practices are established for effective problem resolution in a high availability, 24/7, global environment.
  • Develops, implements, and maintains all key architectural policies and procedures, including those for BI/EDW architecture, data centers, standards, purchasing, monitoring, and service provision.
• Acquisition & Deployment
  • Manages the deployment, monitoring, maintenance, development, upgrade, and support of systems, including architecture, data integration, high availability, security, and data privacy.
  • Defines the short and long-term strategies for the corporate architecture program to ensure the effective delivery of information that meets current and future requirements.
  • Approves purchase of equipment and supplies to meet operational requirements of the business.
  • Analyzes existing operations and makes recommendations for the improvement and growth of the Hastings system architecture.
  • Conducts research and remains current with the latest technologies and solutions
  • Develops requests for proposals.
• Maintains an effective working relationship with management team members, serving as an automation advisor in the formulation of Company goals and objectives.
• Evaluates and report on how technology (software and hardware) may be effectively employed to achieve corporate goals.
• Actively participates in professional development, i.e. continuing education or self-improvement.
• Other duties as assigned by leadership, either verbally or in writing.

Technical Environment

• Data
  • VSAM/DB2 file structures, DB2 and MSSQL databases, XML and JSON structures, BI/Data Cubes, Data modeling (ER, Data Flows, etc.), DDL, ETL
• Development Tools
  • COBOL LE, Assembler, Bim-Edit, CICS, Visual Basic, .NET, Java, Pentaho Kettle, Microsoft Office
• Major System Solutions
  • CSC Series II and III Application Software, Guidewire Suite (BillingCenter, ClaimCenter, PolicyCenter) OnBase (Document Management), Policy Express (Developed In-House)
• Operating System Environments and Extensions
  • zOS, zVM, TSO, Linux, MS Windows (Server and Client), Apache TomCat, VMware
• Physical
  •  IBM OS/390, Client/server development platforms, Microsoft LAN, Remote communications

About Us

At Hastings Insurance, our balanced corporate strategy focuses on implementing emerging technologies, cultivating strong independent agency relationships, and providing the right products to our policyholders.

We seek to strategically grow our product lines and continue to expand geographically while maintaining our financial stability and innovative nature.

Our talented employees are dedicated to providing excellent customer service to our agent partners and policyholders. Many of our employees have been identified as industry experts, and we value the knowledge and skills that they contribute to our success.

For more than 135 years, Hastings has helped our customers protect their valued assets and rebuild after devastating losses. We are proud to be rated an A (Excellent) insurance carrier by A.M. Best Company.