API Solution Lead

Guardian Life; Holmdel Township (NJ); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Life seeks an API Solution Lead to bridge business and technology, driving API design, development, and adoption across the enterprise. You will partner with business leaders, architects, developers, product teams, and external partners to advance Guardian's API strategy and deliver integrations that create market value.

The role requires strong leadership in a matrixed organization, deep API knowledge, and a passion for enhancing customer experiences.

Qualifications

• <p>Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience</p>
• <p>Minimum of 3 years of experience leading and delivering complex business and technology initiatives, transformational programs, or digital product initiatives</p>
• <p>Experience working within a SAFe Agile software development environment</p>
• <p>Strong product management, program management, and process improvement skills</p>
• <p>Ability to translate business requirements into technical capabilities and customer-focused solutions</p>
• <p>Experience collaborating with business, technology, architecture, vendor, and product teams to prioritize and manage work across multiple stakeholders</p>
• <p>Experience using Agile tools including Jira, Jira Align, and Confluence</p>
• <p>Strong understanding of API development concepts, integration strategies, and digital ecosystems</p>
• <p>Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills</p>
• <p>Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization</p>
• <p>Proven ability to work effectively within a matrixed organization</p>
• <p>Experience supporting enterprise API strategies and governance initiatives</p>
• <p>Experience working with external technology partners, carriers, or industry organizations</p>
• <p>Knowledge of insurance, financial services, or benefits administration ecosystems</p>
• <p>Experience mentoring team members in product management, API development, or Agile practices</p>
• <p>Familiarity with API implementation, testing, security, deployment, and operational support</p>

Responsibilities

• <p>Act as the primary liaison between business and technology teams to align API initiatives with enterprise objectives and customer needs.</p>
• <p>Lead and champion Guardian's API strategy, partnering across Agile Release Trains and stakeholder groups to drive API adoption and business value.</p>
• <p>Collaborate with business leaders, architects, developers, and product teams to design and deliver scalable APIs that enhance customer and partner experiences.</p>
• <p>Support API implementation activities, including testing, configuration, deployment, security considerations, and continuous improvement efforts.</p>
• <p>Monitor API adoption, usage metrics, and customer feedback to identify opportunities for optimization, innovation, and enhanced user experiences.</p>
• <p>Drive change management efforts, promote API-first thinking, and educate stakeholders on the value and strategic importance of APIs.</p>
• <p>Partner with external vendors, carriers, and industry organizations to advance integration capabilities and align with evolving industry standards.</p>
• <p>Mentor and coach peers and team members while helping establish best practices across the API development and integration landscape.</p>

Skills

API strategy

Digital transformation

Cross-functional

SAFe Agile

Product management

Program management

Requirements translation

Agile tools

API development

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

Jira

Jira Align

Confluence

Job description

Hybrid - In office 3 days per week

Boston

Holmdel

Full time

R000110272

Position Summary

Are you passionate about API strategy, digital transformation, and creating innovative connectivity solutions that improve customer experiences? Do you thrive at the intersection of business and technology, translating complex business needs into scalable digital capabilities?

Guardian is seeking an API Solution Lead to serve as the bridge between business and technology teams, driving the design, development, and adoption of APIs across the enterprise. In this role, you will partner closely with business leaders, architects, developers, product teams, and external partners to advance Guardian's API strategy, deliver integrations that create market value, and ensure our APIs remain best-in-class. You will play a critical role in shaping Guardian's digital ecosystem while helping accelerate innovation, customer experience, and strategic partnerships.

You Are

A strategic thinker and lifelong learner who is energized by emerging technologies, digital transformation, and industry collaboration. You possess a strong blend of business acumen and technical expertise, enabling you to align stakeholders around a common vision while driving successful API initiatives.

You excel in cross-functional environments where influencing without authority, solving complex problems, and building relationships are essential. You are comfortable navigating conversations with business leaders, developers, architects, and external partners while championing API-first thinking across the organization. You have a passion for improving customer experiences, creating scalable integration solutions, and helping organizations adapt to evolving technology and industry standards.

You Have

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience leading and delivering complex business and technology initiatives, transformational programs, or digital product initiatives

• Experience working within a SAFe Agile software development environment

• Strong product management, program management, and process improvement skills

• Ability to translate business requirements into technical capabilities and customer-focused solutions

• Experience collaborating with business, technology, architecture, vendor, and product teams to prioritize and manage work across multiple stakeholders

• Experience using Agile tools including Jira, Jira Align, and Confluence

• Strong understanding of API development concepts, integration strategies, and digital ecosystems

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization

• Proven ability to work effectively within a matrixed organization

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise API strategies and governance initiatives

• Experience working with external technology partners, carriers, or industry organizations

• Knowledge of insurance, financial services, or benefits administration ecosystems

• Experience mentoring team members in product management, API development, or Agile practices

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• Familiarity with API implementation, testing, security, deployment, and operational support

You Will

• Act as the primary liaison between business and technology teams to align API initiatives with enterprise objectives and customer needs.

• Lead and champion Guardian's API strategy, partnering across Agile Release Trains and stakeholder groups to drive API adoption and business value.

• Collaborate with business leaders, architects, developers, and product teams to design and deliver scalable APIs that enhance customer and partner experiences.

• Support API implementation activities, including testing, configuration, deployment, security considerations, and continuous improvement efforts.

• Monitor API adoption, usage metrics, and customer feedback to identify opportunities for optimization, innovation, and enhanced user experiences.

• Drive change management efforts, promote API-first thinking, and educate stakeholders on the value and strategic importance of APIs.

• Partner with external vendors, carriers, and industry organizations to advance integration capabilities and align with evolving industry standards.

• Mentor and coach peers and team members while helping establish best practices across the API development and integration landscape.

Reporting Relationships

As our API Solution Lead , you will report to the leadership team within Guardian's Digital organization.

Location

This is a hybrid position requiring three days per week in a Guardian office. Preferred locations include Boston, MA; Bethlehem, PA; New York, NY (Hudson Yards); or another Guardian office location based on business needs.

Travel

Up to 10% travel may be required for internal collaboration, partner meetings, industry events, and strategic planning activities.

Salary Range:

$103,450.00 - $169,960.00

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 [e-mail] . 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 Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment-based visas (e.g., such as an H-1B). In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship/support now or at any time in the future.

Notice Regarding Guardian’s Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

As part of Guardian’s job application process, Guardian may use artificial intelligence tools ("AI Tools") to automate the sorting and filtering of information provided by applicants as part of its preliminary screening. This preliminary screening may be used to help identify applicant materials and resumes relative to their indication that the applicant meets the requirements for the specific job for which they are applying, as specified in the listing posted on Guardian’s jobs website (Careers at Guardian at https://www.guardianlife.com/careers (http://%20https://www.guardianlife.com/careers) ). At Guardian, we do not use AI Tools to substantially assist or replace human judgment or discretionary decision making in our hiring process. All hiring decisions will be made by Guardian colleagues.

Please be aware that if you apply for a specific position with Guardian, you will have the choice of opting out of Guardian’s use of AI Tools during the job application process. If you would like to request an alternative process that does not utilize AI Tools or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, within ten business days of your position application, you must email your request to [e-mail] , making sure to provide your name and job requisition identification number. Guardian will retain your applicant materials and resume and all information therefrom in accordance with Guardian’s document retention policy, a copy of which you may request via [e-mail] .

Additionally, at applicable times, Guardian will make public the most recent bias audit results for such AI tools, which may be found here (https://assets.ctfassets.net/gau1nv66ynug/1M2AOzFsFCirlWeAmIh4MD/23463b78b6cdd8ebdce9410b98d7a080/Audit.pdf) .

Visa Sponsorship:

Guardian Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment-based visas (e.g., such as an H-1B). In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship/support now or at any time in the future.

Every day, Guardian helps our 29 million customers realize their dreams through a range of insurance and financial products and services. Our Purpose, to inspire well-being, guides our dedication to the colleagues, consumers, and communities we serve. We know that people count, and we go above and beyond to prepare them for the life they want to live, focusing on their overall well-being – mind, body, and wallet. As one of the largest mutual insurance companies, we put our customers first. Behind every bright future is a GuardianTM. Learn more about Guardian at guardianlife.com .