This is an opportunity to join Ascot Group - one of the world’s preeminent specialty risk underwriting organizations.

Designed as a modern-era company operating through an ecosystem of interconnected global operating platforms, we’re bound by a joint mission and purpose: One Ascot. Our greatest strength is a talented team flourishing in a collaborative, inclusive, entrepreneurial culture steeped in underwriting excellence, integrity, and a passion for finding a better way, The Ascot Way.

The Ascot Way guides our people and our organization. Our underwriting platforms collaborate to find creative ways to deploy our capital in a true cross-product and cross-platform approach. These platforms work as one, deploying our capital creatively through our unique Fusion Model: client-centric, risk-centric, and technology-centric.

Built to be resilient, Ascot maximizes client financial security while delivering bespoke products and world-class service —pre- and post-claims. Ascot exists to solve for our clients’ brightest tomorrow through agility, collaboration, resilience, and discipline.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Infrastructure Operations and Services (SVP) this role will key in managing and support Ascot Group systems and applications. This role will be the key point of escalation from the in-house desktop support teams as well as the outsourced Service Desk team. It will also involve producing detailed documentation and knowledge transfer to the wider team in relation to known issues and technical resolutions. This role will involve travelling to Ascot’s offices across the US building a resolve issues that require hand’s on assistance, as well as the set up and configuration of future offices. 

Job Summary:

The Solution Architect, U.S. will work closely with other Architects within the team, as well as IT Delivery, Change Management, third party suppliers and business stakeholders to ensure alignment between individual solutions and the broader business and technology context. 

Job Responsibilities

• Lead on architectural design of new technology solutions, ensuring that the design aligns with the overall Ascot architecture vision, meets all business requirements, including NFRs, and maintains a focus on security, quality, and technology risk management.
• Recommend solution options because of initial scoping, feasibility analysis or development of Proof-of-Concepts as appropriate.
• Author or oversee production of solution architecture documentation ensuring it is comprehensive, clear, and maintained.
• Participate in vendor or product selection (RFI/RFP) processes, providing technical input and solution due diligence of proposals.
• Present solution designs at the Technical Design Authority and take ownership of resulting actions and recommendations.
• Support the Enterprise Architecture team with the continuous development of technical standards and best practices, leveraging industry standards to continually improve processes and techniques.
• Provide technical consultation to project delivery teams (internal and external) throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Provide initial estimates where required for technical work or validate estimates where provided by 3^rd parties.
• Work collaboratively with IT Application and Infrastructure teams to ensure that technical dependencies between new and existing solutions are identified and planned for.
• Proactively keep up to date with latest developments in both the technology and business domains to identify opportunities for Ascot.

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience as a Solution Architect or similar technical solution design role in the insurance industry having designed scalable, resilient, and secure solutions. Overall 15 years of experience in the Information Technology industry.
• Experience in implementing and overall knowledge of insurance/reinsurance specific business applications such as Policy Administration System suites, Quote & Bind Portals, Claims Management systems.
• Knowledge of common enterprise application and integration design patterns, exposure to and experience working with structured architecture approaches (e.g. TOGAF, Zachman) is a must.
• Experience with enterprise application integration strategies and related technologies (e.g. Azure Integration Services, Mulesoft or Boomi).
• Good knowledge of and evidence of exploiting at least one major Cloud platform for the delivery of cloud-native solutions (e.g. Azure, AWS or GCP).
• Experience working across the software development lifecycle using both Agile and Waterfall delivery methodologies.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of development best practices, continuous integration, and automated deployment processes.
• Ability to build good relationships with internal and external stakeholders and colleagues.
• Strong problem-solving skills with an ability to apply knowledge of best practices and a structured approach to analysis to solve challenges.
• Strong written and verbal communication, presentation, and technical writing skills.

Desirable

• Experience with Guidewire ClaimCenter, PolicyCenter or BillingCenter is highly desirable.
• Experience and knowledge of Microsoft enterprise technologies (e.g. Microsoft Power Platform products such as Power BI, Power Automate and Power Apps).
• Commercial development experience using Gosu (GW scripting language) and SQL or any other programming stack in an enterprise context.
• Any exposure to AI related technologies within the enterprise context
• Experience or knowledge of:
  • REST APIs
  • Service Oriented Architecture
  • Event Driven Architectures
  • Microservice-based/API-centric architectures.
  • TDD, BDD, Unit Testing
• Experience with data modelling principles, methods, and tools for designing relational or non-relational schemas.
• Technical education and/or recognized industry certifications.

***This position may be filled at a different level, depending on experience***

Compensation

Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to experience, subject matter expertise, and skills. The base pay is just one component of Ascot’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual cash bonus, long-term incentives, and other forms of discretionary compensation awarded by the Company. The annualized base pay range for this role is: $150,000- $175,000.

Company Benefits

The Company provides a competitive benefits package that includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):

Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical (including prescription coverage), Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Commuter Account, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, AD&D, Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program), and more

Leave Benefits: Paid holidays, annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state /local paid leave where required), Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Other leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, Adoption, Maternity, Military, Primary & Non-Primary Caregiver)

Retirement Benefits: Contributory Savings Plan (401k)

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