Guidewire Solution Architect

Aviva; Markham; Hybrid; CAD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance provider is seeking a seasoned Guidewire Architect to design enterprise-grade architecture solutions across various functions. This role requires collaboration with stakeholders and cloud engineering teams, ensuring the delivery of scalable and secure solutions. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in commercial insurance, Guidewire systems, and technical leadership. Possesses strong communication skills and ability to adapt to evolving business needs. Offers a competitive rewards package and hybrid working model.

Benefits

Base compensation

Annual bonus eligibility

Health benefits

Career development opportunities

Competitive vacation package

Corporate wellness programs

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in underwriting, policy lifecycle, and claims.
• Strong understanding of commercial product structures.
• Skilled in Guidewire integrations and migration strategies.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver solutions for Guidewire Insurance Suite.
• Stay updated on Guidewire platform advancements.
• Drive project-based problem solving and propose improvements.

Skills

Guidewire PolicyCenter

Integration Architecture

Cloud Computing

Agile Methodologies

Commercial Insurance Expertise

Technical Leadership

Digital Technologies

Job description

Individually we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence.

We are seeking a seasoned Guidewire Architect to define and deliver enterprise-grade architecture solutions that span underwriting, policy, billing, claims, and commercial insurance workflows. In this role, you will design and articulate robust Guidewire-centric architectures that align business and technology objectives, ensuring clarity and shared understanding across stakeholders. You’ll collaborate closely with cloud engineering teams to embed scalability, performance, and security into every solution, while partnering with vendors and integrators to drive end-to-end delivery. Your work will uphold architectural standards, governance frameworks, and best practices, supporting Aviva’s long-term strategic direction and modernization priorities.

What you'll do

• Solutions and Assurance:

  • Design and deliver solutions for Guidewire Insurance Suite (PolicyCenter, ClaimCenter, BillingCenter, Contact Manager) that meet Aviva’s standards for availability, security, resilience, and performance.

  • Develop Guidewire design and migration strategies, including legacy policy conversion, with clear cost, benefit, and risk analysis to support investment decisions.

  • Ensure end-to-end solution integrity across platforms, including transition states, while balancing short-term and long-term goals with stakeholders.

  • Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences and document solution debt for future resolution.

  • Identify risks, propose mitigation strategies, and participate in post-implementation reviews to continuously improve solution design.

• Technical Leadership:

  • Stay current with Guidewire platform and integration advancements; evaluate and recommend adoption of new features, including Guidewire Cloud Platform.

  • Define and enforce architecture best practices and standards; conduct reviews to ensure compliance and quality.

  • Produce and peer-review design artifacts supporting service, security, and engineering needs.

  • Mentor and coach team members, fostering knowledge sharing and technical growth.

• Design Community membership:

  • Contribute to Aviva’s Solution Architecture community by leading or supporting initiatives that enhance design practices.

  • Continuously develop technical skills to help Aviva leverage emerging technology trends.

• Problem Solving & Change Leadership

  • Drive project-based problem solving, applying technical expertise to resolve issues and recommend design solutions aligned with policy and process.

  • Adapt to change proactively, proposing improvements and influencing design decisions to meet evolving business needs.

• Collaboration & External Engagement

  • Build strong relationships with internal teams including project managers, platform specialists, and architects.

  • Maintain liaison with suppliers and technology partners to stay current on emerging trends and ensure specialist knowledge remains up to date.

What you'll bring

• Commercial Insurance Expertise

  • Extensive experience in underwriting, policy lifecycle, rating, endorsements, renewals, audits, and claims.

  • Strong understanding of commercial product structures (multi-location, multi-line, schedules, packages, additional interests, risk-specific coverages).

  • Deep knowledge of submission intake modernization, including ingestion of unstructured documents, automated data extraction, classification, and routing to underwriters.

• Guidewire & Integration

  • Skilled in Guidewire PolicyCenter, Workbench, and ecosystem integrations (CRM, broker systems, document repositories, pricing engines, appetite/eligibility APIs).

  • Hands-on experience with Guidewire Cloud Platform and migration strategies.

  • Experience in using APD and Integration Framework in solving business problems

  • Experience in architecting integration solution involving Guidewire to the ecosystem’s applications including document, finance, payments exposure.

  • Experience in integration architecture design and implementation.

• Digital & Cloud Technologies

  • Knowledge of digital technologies, cloud computing, and modern development practices.

  • Certified in public cloud platforms (AWS or Azure).

• Project & Technical Leadership

  • Strong grasp of end-to-end project lifecycle methodologies (Agile).

  • Broad technical expertise with the ability to apply solutions across diverse customer and business scenarios.

  • Technology-driven mindset, focused on leveraging innovation to deliver customer value.

  • Financial acumen for business case development and design decisions.

  • Ability to balance strategic direction with short-term goals.

• Soft Skills & Leadership

  • Excellent communication and technical guidance skills.

  • Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.

  • Leadership qualities with personal impact and influence.

What you’ll get

• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.

• Outstanding Career Development opportunities.

• We’ll support your professional development education.

• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.

• Employee driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity, and inclusion.

• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health.

• Hybrid flexible work model.

Please note that we may use AI tools to help us through the recruitment process. This is a new position which has been posted both internally & externally.

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged. This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.

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