Principal Architect and Technology Governance Lead'

Principal Architect and Technology Governance Lead

Overview

The Principal Architect and Technology Governance Lead will lead the design, implementation, and oversight of enterprise-wide architecture foundations, technology governance frameworks, ensuring that all technology initiatives-including innovation, architecture, cybersecurity, and risk-align with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. This role manages cross-functional governance councils and bodies such as the Innovation Council, Architecture Review Board, IT Security Committee, and CyberRisk Council, driving strategic alignment, operational excellence, and risk mitigation across the technology landscape.

Key Responsibilities

1.  Enterprise Architecture foundations

• Inventory & Simplify Architecture Patterns: Lead the rationalization and simplification of architecture patterns, connecting value streams, business processes, capabilities, applications, data, AI, integration, security, and infrastructure.
• Simplify Architecture Artifacts: Drive the reduction of complexity in architecture documentation and artifacts.
• Implement Tooling for Application Inventory & Metadata: Deploy and manage tools (e.g., LeanIX) to digitize and maintain architecture metadata and application inventory.
• Digitize Architecture Metadata: Enable digital capture and management of architecture data for improved transparency and decision-making.
• Drive Technical Domain Roadmaps: Collaborate with technical domains and maintain roadmaps for Data, Digital, AI, Security, Infrastructure, and Integration domains.
• Publish Enterprise Roadmap: Deliver a 12–18-month enterprise technology roadmap, integrating BU-level strategies and foundational initiatives.
• Reimagine EA in the Age of AI: Simplify and automate architecture creation and reviews using agentic AI and generative AI technologies.

2. Governance Leadership & Strategy

• Define Governance Objectives: Set the scope for governance, including architecture reviews, tech standards, new technology introduction, and risk assessments.
• Streamline Governance Processes: Address pain points such as multiple boards, manual intake, and long cycle times. Transition to checklist-driven, outcome-based reviews.
• Digitize Intake & Workflow: Explore and implement tools (LeanIX, ServiceNow) to automate intake and workflow processes.
• Automate Compliance & Standards: Leverage AI automation and agents to enforce compliance, generate metrics, and monitor standards.
• Measure & Improve: Track and improve review cycle times, automated checks, and SLAs.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the enterprise technology governance framework, policies, and standards to support business strategy, technology modernization and AI transformation.
• Chair and coordinate governance bodies, including the Innovation Council, Architecture Review Board, IT Security Committee, and CyberRisk Council, ensuring effective decision-making, prioritization, and execution of technology initiatives
• Ensure governance supports business outcomes – enabling faster decision making while managing risk and compliance.
• Oversee the review and approval of major technology investments, architectural standards, and security controls, ensuring alignment with business and compliance objectives

3. AI-enabled Governance and Automation

• Lead the design and deployment and of AI and analytics driven governance models (e.g. automated policy checks, pattern validation)
• Build reporting / dashboards for technology governance, compliance.
• Introduce predictive insights for early detection of risk, duplication and technical debt.

4. Risk, Compliance & Security Management

• Ensure technology and cyber risks are proactively identified, assessed, managed, and reported in accordance with internal policies and external regulations (e.g., NIST, ISO, NYDFS)
• Maintain and enhance technology risk policies, risk appetite statements, and key risk indicators; monitor breaches and escalate exceptions as needed
• Oversee the execution of risk assessments, control self-assessments, and continuous monitoring programs across all technology domains

5. Policy, Standards & Architecture Governance

• Approve and enforce changes in IT policies, standards, and procedures, including architectural and security frameworks
• Guide the Architecture Review Board in evaluating solution designs for consistency, interoperability, and alignment with enterprise standards
• Ensure governance processes support innovation while maintaining compliance, security, and operational resilience

You have: (Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or related field.
• Strong experience in Enterprise Architecture with
• 12+ years of progressive experience in technology governance, enterprise architecture or technology strategy within complex, regulated industries preferably within financial services or insurance
• Demonstrated experience managing enterprise governance councils, architecture review boards, and IT risk/security committees
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks (NIST, ISO) and technology risk management best practices
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to influence and drive consensus among diverse stakeholders
• Experience engaging with executive leadership, regulators, and auditors.
• Strategic mindset with a track record of linking governance to business outcomes and digital transformation

Location

• Three days a week at our Guardian Office in New York, NY, Holmdel, NJ or Bethlehem, PA

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.