Solutions Architect

Southern Cross Health Insurance; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Cross Health Insurance is seeking a Solutions Architect to own the architecture of technology across our corporate functions and to design secure, scalable integrations. You’ll evaluate vendor and off-the-shelf options, ensuring secure connections and coherence with our wider estate including Workday, Microsoft 365 and Azure.

You’ll report to the Head of Architecture & Engineering Practice and work closely with business owners to understand problems and define what a solution must do.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years in solution or integration architecture with track record of connecting off-the-shelf, vendor and existing systems.
• Strong command of integration patterns, APIs and data flows across an enterprise estate.
• Experience evaluating and selecting vendor and SaaS products against a business need.
• Experience designing for security, privacy and compliance, particularly across integrations and data flows.
• Ability to draw out and agree requirements directly with business stakeholders, and to explain designs clearly, in writing and visually, to business and vendor audiences.
• Confidence working independently across a wide range of business areas, as the architect in the room rather than one of a team.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture of technology initiatives across corporate functions.
• Evaluate vendor and off-the-shelf options against business needs and design how components integrate.
• Ensure security, privacy and compliance in designs across integrations and data flows.
• Develop designs yourself and hand straight to vendors for build and configuration.
• Collaborate with Product Owners/Managers to keep solutions secure and coherent.

Skills

Solution architecture

Integration architecture

APIs

Data flows

Vendor SaaS evaluation

Security & privacy design

Requirements gathering

Stakeholder communication

Independent work

Job description

About us

Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We’re here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we’re building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do - delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive.

Now is an exciting time to join us. You’ll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do - and in return for your talent, you’ll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes.

About the role

Southern Cross is guided by purpose, powered by people and technology. We help almost one million members across Aotearoa New Zealand live well for longer. This is work with real scale, real responsibility, and a real chance to make a difference.

We’re creating a new Solutions Architect role to own the architecture of the technology our corporate functions bring in. When People, Finance, Legal, Risk or another team needs a new platform, you’ll work out what they actually need, find the right product, and design how it connects securely to the rest of Southern Cross.

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Architecture & Engineering Practice, you’ll be the architect for technology initiatives across our corporate functions. You’ll work directly with business owners to understand the problems to be solved and what a solution needs to do. You’ll evaluate vendor and off-the-shelf options against that need, and design how the chosen components integrate with each other and with our wider estate, including Workday, Microsoft 365 and Azure.

Security and privacy matter here more than in most places. We hold health information for nearly a million members, and the biggest risk in any vendor solution usually sits in the data moving between systems. You’ll design for that from the start, not bolt it on at the end.

Your designs will be clear enough to hand straight to vendors for build and configuration. This is a design role, not a build role. You’ll be the architecture voice for these initiatives, working alongside our Practice Architect, who sets enterprise architecture direction. Where other teams are delivering, you’ll work with their Product Owners and Product Managers to keep solutions secure and coherent.

What you’ll bring

• 5 to 7 years in solution or integration architecture, with a track record of connecting off-the-shelf, vendor and existing systems

• Strong command of integration patterns, APIs and data flows across an enterprise estate

• Experience evaluating and selecting vendor and SaaS products against a business need

• Experience designing for security, privacy and compliance, particularly across integrations and data flows

• The ability to draw out and agree requirements directly with business stakeholders, and to explain designs clearly, in writing and visually, to business and vendor audiences

• Confidence working independently across a wide range of business areas, as the architect in the room rather than one of a team

Why join us

This is a new role, and it’s yours to shape. You’ll define how Southern Cross brings in technology from outside, with the backing of an architecture practice that is investing in doing this well. The work spans the whole organisation, so you’ll see more of the business in a year than most architects see in five.

Our reputation is strong and growing. In 2026, Southern Cross placed 8th in the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index and 5th in New Zealand for Trust.

Who we are

Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga.

Join a proud, diverse team that’s always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest and open culture, we think you’ll love working with us.

We know our team’s culture and wellbeing drive us forward. That’s why we prioritise not only professional development but opportunities to thrive personally. We offer exceptional work/life balance, and our people are encouraged, and rewarded, for living well.

Southern Cross employee benefits include:

• Five days of wellbeing leave per year

• Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau

• Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance

• Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support

• Participation in our workplace wellbeing programme

• The option to purchase flexi leave for study, volunteering, or supporting your whānau

• An annual volunteer day to contribute to a cause with your team

This hybrid role is Auckland based, requiring a minimum of two days per week in the office. While we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we’re unfortunately not able to consider remote options. Have questions? Check out our FAQs for help with the application and recruitment process.

We are proud to have taken the Pride Pledge, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and belonging. We also facilitate an active, employee-led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum, which includes our Rainbow Network, Māori Network, Pasifika Collective, and Neurodiversity and Whānau Support networks.

If you share our commitment and passion, we’d love to hear from you.