IT - Head of Architecture, Platform & QA

Zurich; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 287,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Competitive health benefits

401(k) with employer matching

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Zurich Cover-More is seeking a strategic Technology Architect to shape our North America IT landscape. You will define architecture standards, roadmaps, and enable platforms across enterprise, data, AI, and cloud domains.

This role partners with business and technology leaders to translate requirements into scalable solutions. You will lead modernization initiatives, establish quality engineering practices, and mentor technical talent while guiding cross-functional teams through complex

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in enterprise and solution architecture.
• Strong knowledge of application, data, integration, and cloud architecture.
• Experience developing technology strategies, architecture standards, and roadmaps.
• Knowledge of data and AI technologies in enterprise environments.
• Experience establishing quality engineering practices, automated testing, and delivery standards.
• Ability to engage with senior business and technology leaders.
• Proven experience leading technology teams.

Responsibilities

• Define technology direction and establish architecture standards for North America.
• Define North American IT technology strategy, principles, and roadmaps.
• Provide architectural leadership across applications, data, integrations, and cloud platforms.
• Ensure technology solutions align with business priorities and standards.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and opportunities for adoption.
• Lead strategic direction for shared platforms focusing on modernization and reusability.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Solution architecture

Cloud architecture

Data & AI

Quality engineering practices

Technical leadership

Insurance industry experience

Job description

At Zurich Cover-More, we're proud to be one of the world's leading travel insurance and assistance providers. Each year, we protect more than 20 million travellers worldwide, making sure we're there every step of their journey with proactive care, personalised cover and specialist support. Zurich Cover-More partners with many of the world's best-known brands - think major airlines, travel giants, top banks, credit card providers, and large retailers - to deliver more care, more cover, for all.

Launched in December 2024, Zurich Cover-More is the global travel brand of Zurich Insurance Group, one of the world's leading multi-line insurers. Our family of customer-facing brands includes trusted names like Travel Guard, Cover-More Travel Insurance, Travelex Insurance, Universal Assistance, World Travel Protection, Freely, and Blue Insurance. Together, we're redefining what it means to travel safely and with confidence. Whether it's a long-awaited holiday, a last-minute business trip, or an unexpected detour, we deliver in the moments that matter.

What you'll be doing:

• In this role, you'll help shape the future of our technology landscape across North America. You'll define technology direction, establish engineering and architecture standards, and ensure our platforms and solutions support both current business needs and future growth across enterprise architecture, platform modernisation, data and AI, and quality engineering.
• You'll define and maintain the North American IT technology strategy, architecture principles, and roadmaps.
• You'll provide architectural leadership across applications, data, integrations, and cloud platforms.
• You'll ensure technology solutions align with business priorities and enterprise architecture standards.
• You'll evaluate emerging technologies and recommend opportunities for adoption.
• You'll establish the strategic direction for shared technology platforms, focusing on modernisation, simplification, and reusability.
• You'll identify legacy technology risks and develop roadmaps to address them.
• You'll define engineering and development standards that promote consistency across technology teams.
• You'll shape the architecture and technology direction for data and AI initiatives and ensure those capabilities integrate with the broader technology environment.
• You'll establish consistent quality engineering, automated testing, and delivery standards throughout the software development lifecycle.
• You'll partner with stakeholders to translate business requirements into initial technology solutions and assess complexity, dependencies, and high-level effort.
• You'll provide architectural oversight for major technology initiatives and resolve complex technical challenges.
• You'll provide strategic technical guidance to engineering and delivery teams while supporting the development of technical capabilities and talent.

What skills and experience you'll bring on this journey:

• Extensive experience in enterprise and solution architecture, ideally within a complex technology environment.
• Strong knowledge of application, data, integration, and cloud architecture.
• Demonstrated experience developing technology strategies, architecture standards, and modernisation roadmaps.
• A strong understanding of modern engineering practices and software development methodologies.
• Knowledge of data and AI technologies and how they integrate into enterprise environments.
• Experience establishing quality engineering practices, automated testing, and delivery standards.
• The ability to engage, influence, and collaborate with senior business and technology leaders.
• Proven experience leading technology teams and developing technical talent.
• Desirable: Previous experience within insurance, financial services, or another complex, regulated industry.

Why you'll love working with us!

We value optimism, caring, togetherness, reliability, results-orientation, and forward-thinking.

We have more than 3000 employees worldwide. We are a global group of digital specialists, actuaries, marketers, doctors, nurses, case managers, claims specialists, finance experts, customer service and corporate services professionals. We share a global purpose to look after travellers, at every step of their journey.

Job flexibility. We understand the importance of making sure that work fits into your life, not the other way around. Our hybrid approach ensures you can maintain work-life balance with the flexibility of 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home.

Career growth. This is an extremely exciting time for us at Zurich Cover-More, as we rapidly expand our business across the globe. We're committed to helping our people thrive through a comprehensive onboarding experience, continuous professional development, and a supportive work environment that empowers growth at every stage of your career.

Take the time you need, for you and your community. We encourage you to take the time you need when you need it. We offer regular annual and personal leave benefits along with volunteer leave and a comprehensive paid parental leave scheme.

Investing in your health and your future. We offer a competitive high-deductible health plan, EAP programs and access to health and well-being activities along with a 401(k) program with employer matching to help you plan for your future.

Diversity and inclusion. We respect who you are and thoroughly embrace diversity. Wherever life has taken you, we welcome you to bring your whole self to work. Just be you - because that's exactly who we're looking for.

At Zurich Cover-More, compensation for roles is influenced by a variety of factors, including but not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. In compliance with local laws, Zurich commits to providing a fair and reasonable compensation range for each role. For more information about our Total Rewards, please click here. Additional rewards may encompass short-term incentive bonuses and merit increases. We encourage candidates with salary expectations beyond the provided range to apply as they will be considered based on their experience, skills, and education.

The compensation indicated represents a nationwide market range and has not been adjusted for geographic differentials pertaining to the location where the position may be filled. The proposed salary range for this position is $175,200 - $287,000 with STIP of 25%.