Principal Architect and Technology Governance Lead

Location: Holmdel, United States

Why Join Guardian Life?

At Guardian Life, we are more than an insurance company—we're a purpose-driven organization committed to protecting the financial security of millions of Americans. As one of the nation's largest mutual life insurers, Guardian Life offers a collaborative, innovative culture where your expertise can drive real impact. Join our Holmdel team and lead transformative technology governance in a stable, growth-oriented environment. Enjoy competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional development in enterprise architecture, AI governance, cybersecurity, and risk management. Be part of a company ranked among the World's Most Ethical Companies®, where your leadership in technology strategy supports business innovation while ensuring compliance and resilience.

Role Description

The Principal Architect and Technology Governance Lead at Guardian Life will spearhead the design, implementation, and oversight of enterprise-wide architecture foundations and technology governance frameworks. This strategic role ensures all technology initiatives—including innovation, architecture, cybersecurity, AI, and risk management—align seamlessly with business objectives, regulatory requirements (e.g., NIST, ISO, NYDFS), and industry best practices. You will manage cross-functional governance councils such as the Innovation Council, Architecture Review Board, IT Security Committee, and CyberRisk Council, fostering strategic alignment, operational excellence, and proactive risk mitigation across the technology landscape. This position is pivotal in modernizing Guardian's tech stack through AI-enabled automation, simplified architecture patterns, and streamlined governance processes.

Detailed Responsibilities

Enterprise Architecture Foundations

• Lead inventory and simplification of architecture patterns, connecting value streams, business processes, capabilities, applications, data, AI, integration, security, and infrastructure.
• Simplify architecture artifacts and documentation to reduce complexity.
• Implement tooling like LeanIX for application inventory and metadata management.
• Digitize architecture metadata for enhanced transparency and decision-making.
• Drive technical domain roadmaps for Data, Digital, AI, Security, Infrastructure, and Integration.
• Publish a 12–18-month enterprise technology roadmap integrating business unit strategies.
• Reimagine enterprise architecture using agentic AI and generative AI for automated creation and reviews.

Governance Leadership & Strategy

• Define governance objectives for architecture reviews, tech standards, new technology introductions, and risk assessments.
• Streamline processes by transitioning to checklist-driven, outcome-based reviews and digitizing intake with tools like LeanIX and ServiceNow.
• Automate compliance, standards enforcement, and metrics generation using AI agents.
• Chair governance bodies including Innovation Council, Architecture Review Board, IT Security Committee, and CyberRisk Council.
• Oversee review and approval of major technology investments, standards, and security controls.

AI-Enabled Governance and Automation

• Design and deploy AI-driven governance models for automated policy checks and pattern validation.
• Build reporting dashboards for technology governance and compliance.
• Introduce predictive insights for early risk detection, duplication, and technical debt.

Risk, Compliance & Security Management

• Proactively identify, assess, manage, and report technology and cyber risks per internal policies and regulations.
• Maintain risk policies, appetite statements, key risk indicators; monitor breaches and escalate exceptions.
• Oversee risk assessments, control self-assessments, and continuous monitoring across technology domains.

Policy, Standards & Architecture Governance

• Approve and enforce IT policies, standards, and procedures including architectural and security frameworks.
• Guide Architecture Review Board in evaluating solution designs for consistency and alignment.
• Balance innovation with compliance, security, and operational resilience.

Required Skills

We seek a visionary leader with expertise in enterprise architecture, technology governance, AI automation, and risk management. Key skills include strategic thinking, cross-functional leadership, and hands-on experience with modern tooling.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 15+ years in IT architecture, governance, or related roles, with 5+ years in senior leadership.
• Proven experience chairing governance councils and implementing EA tools like LeanIX or ServiceNow.
• Deep knowledge of regulatory frameworks (NIST, ISO, NYDFS) and AI-driven automation.
• Track record in financial services or insurance technology environments preferred.

Compensation Overview

Competitive base salary reflective of experience, plus performance incentives.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match and pension plan.
• Generous PTO, parental leave, and wellness programs.
• Professional development stipend and tuition reimbursement.
• Hybrid work model in Holmdel, NJ with modern office amenities.

Guardian Life is an equal opportunity employer. Apply now to shape the future of technology governance at a leading insurer!