Cognizant - Chief Architect/Technology Partner/Enterprise Architect

We are currently seeking a strategic Technology partner/Enterprise Architect to join our growing Insurance practice and be part of our Insurance Technology Consulting leadership group.

Job Description:

- Working with the Executive Leadership of the Insurance practice, delivery managers and subject matter experts, the Enterprise Architect will serve as the go-to person for all matters related to the clients- Enterprise Architecture and IT Strategy, Technology Governance, Technology Consulting, Innovation and associated architecture tracks.

- Additionally, the individual will be responsible for identifying and furthering opportunities for driving Cognizant's capabilities across the client's business and technology organization.

- This individual plays a critical role in linking the business mission, strategy, and processes of the client organization to the IT strategy, and documents this using multiple architectural models or views that show how the current and future needs of the client organization will be met in an efficient, sustainable, agile, and adaptable manner.

- The Enterprise Architect will also research emerging standards and guide the internal and external teams in developing and documenting standards and best practices. The Enterprise Architect will be responsible for mentoring architects across architecture, design and technology delivery and consulting domains.

Key and primary responsibilities include:

Technology Governance:

- Serve as the primary PoC for all Technology Architecture related activities for the Insurance SBU

- Drive adoption of standard architecture, design and development practices, methodologies and tools: ensure all projects follow quality and security standards

- Provide oversight and facilitate/conduct architecture reviews, portfolio assessments and recommendation of architecture and development improvement areas across the practice

- Ensure adequate level of architecture governance adoption and execution is followed across delivery teams; ensuring all development and transformation initiatives are deployed according to company and client guidelines using the appropriate architecture, design and development practices leveraging appropriate tools

- Manage the architecture staffing demand-supply pipeline across the SBU, aligning client architecture and technology practitioner needs and building/staffing architects with right technical skills

- Applying a variety of tools to convey analytic findings to executive management, account team, and development team

- Aligning Cognizant technical governance process as per customer expectations

Consulting and Client Engagement:

- Provide strategic consultation to assigned clients in defining or designing IT strategy and roadmaps, refining business processes, functions and organizational structures, as well as in researching, identifying and internally marketing enabling technologies based on customer requirements

- Drive technology architecture and strategy consulting engagements across client accounts

- Engage client's technology leaders, EA team, project architects and identify opportunities for consulting, collaborating with client partners

- Analyzing and assess the client IT environment to detect critical deficiencies, gaps and recommend solutions for improvement

- Ownership of technology solution and architecture service capabilities during RFI/RFP process

- Supporting client visits and engaging/facilitating technology meetings in coordination with account team

Innovation and Thought Leadership:

- Formulate and provide technology thought leadership to clients;

- Take primary ownership on SMAC stack for InsuranceNext, Hackathon and other Innovation initiatives as applicable to the Insurance practice

- Publish PoVs and collaborate on white papers with fellow architects

- Engaging client CTO organization to share emerging technology trends, share our experience in areas of interest or relevance for customer

- Working with different horizontal teams like GTO, EBA to identify relevant technologies for customer

Key Technical Competencies Required:

- P&C or Life/Annuities Domain expertise.

- Minimum 12 years experience in an IT environment.

- Minimum 6 years Enterprise Architecture experience

- Minimum 3 years- experience creating Enterprise IT Roadmaps

- Minimum 8 years- experience with SDLC methodology

- Proven technical expertise in one of the major development platforms Java or .NET combined with a good basic understanding on both of them

- Proven experience in building solution architecture for large programs and participating in the full SDLC spectrum

- Expertise in providing solutions taking into account different aspects like Identity/Access Management, Customer Relationship Management, Business Process Management, Enterprise Content Management, Portals, SOA, Enterprise Application Integration, Master data management, Mobile, Cloud, Desktop solutions etc.

- Proven expertise in terms of providing application architecture comprising of frameworks, business components, services and integration of both online and batch solutions

- Experience in governing architecture in major programs which involves working with architects from different streams representing data architecture, information architecture, integration architecture, business architecture, product architecture, application architecture etc.

Desired Skills and Experience:

- Exposure to enterprise architecture frameworks like TOGAF or Zachman

- Having a good understanding of insurance industry models like IAA, ACORD is a plus.

- Experience with a business rule engine and knowledge of business rules

- Ability to determine simple validations/rules that the business may use to define and determine the quality of data

- Previous experience in consulting services, performing deep analytical and business process analysis

- Broad knowledge of business process including disaster recovery, business continuity and risk management

- The ability to produce, manipulate, implement or enhance Enterprise Architecture concepts, roadmaps, principles or effective strategies

- The ability to think laterally and constructively question established processes

- Knowledge and understanding of business process, objectives, milestones and structure

- Strong understanding of information systems from a holistic perspective; key technologies and limitations; and systems modelling and enterprise frameworks

- Strong leadership skills, decision making and problem solving abilities

- Master's degree in computer science or equivalent experience

Hiring Location: Chennai

Experience: 16 Years - 24 years

Please apply only if you are interested for Chennai.

Yuvaraj K