VP, Architecture

Emerging Technology Platforms and Architecture

Location: Cary, NC preferred, then NYC 

Global Technology

On MetLife’s Global Technology team, what you build here matters. We view our solutions through the eyes of the customers and are always striving to transform and simplify their experience. Whether your focus is keeping our customers’ and employees’ data and information safe, developing best-in-class-digital and cloud solutions, or leveraging data and analytics to transform customer insights into customer-first solutions – you make an impact for the customers we serve. We each play an integral role in bringing MetLife’s purpose of building a more confident future to life. Sound like a team you’d like to work with? Join us!

The Opportunity

The VP Architecture is a strategic and forward-looking technology thought leader responsible for defining, leading and governing the enterprise architecture strategy across all business units and regions globally within MetLife. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of leadership, driving innovation, encouraging a culture of experimentation, and developing scalable architecture and solutions to advance MetLife’s technological capabilities. Serving as a strategic leader within the Emerging Technology Platforms and Architecture function, this leader will be accountable for formulating and executing a cohesive approach to enterprise technology solutions, while collaborating extensively across all regions and functions of the company. This leader will ensure alignment of architecture standards with business goals, oversee a team of senior architects, and drive innovation and digital transformation through scalable and secure technology platforms. The VP Architecture is accountable for creating a technology architecture strategy that is tightly linked to MetLife’s New Frontier and ensures that all Technology initiatives are advancing the strategy. This position provides strategic support to all areas of MetLife in the development and implementation of the organization's technology strategy, including Business Units, Application Development, Global Operations, Information Security, Data and Analytics, and Infrastructure.

How You’ll Help Us Build a Confident Future (Key Responsibilities):

Innovation in Technology

•         Drive technological innovation to enhance business capabilities and performance.

•         Cultivate a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement within the technology teams. Publish position papers on emerging technologies for business and technology leadership.

•         Lead the development of prototypes to explore new technologies and their applications.

Enterprise and Line of Business Architecture and Solutioning

•         Build reference architectures and design patterns that are aligned to organization strategy, risk, operations and information security requirements in mind.

•         Architect and deliver technology solutions tailored to various lines of business within MetLife.

•         Build target state and transition state architectures partnering with business and CIO teams

•         Collaborate with business leaders and CIOs to understand their needs and translate them into technical solutions.

•         Ensure that technology initiatives are aligned with the overall business strategy and goals.

•         Build roadmaps leading to the target state and align with business and enterprise strategies.

•         Support M&A activities through architectural oversight and integration strategy to align business and technology goals.

Technical Governance

•         Establish and enforce technology standards and patterns to ensure compliance across the enterprise.

•         Oversee technology process governance to guarantee consistent technology use, aligned with industry standards. Support federated architecture review boards and maintain technology asset inventories.

•         Implement security measures to ensure compliance and manage risks effectively.

What You Need to Succeed (Required Qualifications):

•         Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

•         Minimum of 15 years of experience in enterprise architecture or a related role preferably in Financial Services

•         Proven track record of leading technological innovation and implementing effective governance frameworks.

•         Strong understanding of security and risk management in a technology environment.

•         Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

•         Experience in working with diverse lines of business and understanding their unique technological needs.