Senior Business Architect

📋 Description

• • As a Senior Business Architect at Guidewire Software, Inc., you will step into a pivotal leadership role, serving as a trusted advisor and technical authority for Guidewire’s most intricate customer implementations. Your primary mission will be to guide the overarching solution strategy, establish and enforce architectural governance, and ensure the successful delivery of scalable, maintainable, and business-aligned Guidewire solutions that meet and exceed client objectives.
• • You will operate as a critical cross-functional thought partner, collaborating closely with Engagement Managers, customer executives, development teams, and product specialists. Your extensive experience and influential presence will be instrumental in shaping critical project decisions, championing technical standards, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across diverse projects.
• • This role is designed for an individual who thrives in the complex landscape of enterprise software architecture, possesses strong leadership capabilities, and excels at building confidence and trust with a wide array of stakeholders involved in large-scale, enterprise-level programs.
• • In terms of Business Architecture, you will be expected to achieve Guidewire certification in multiple products and possess a comprehensive understanding of how all Guidewire products interact. You will establish project or team-specific standards for requirements definition and design, providing expert guidance on their application and ensuring strict compliance.
• • You will actively investigate and implement cutting-edge tools, techniques, and processes for managing configuration and requirements items, meticulously verifying that all related information is complete, current, and accurate. A key responsibility involves leading elaboration sessions to capture detailed requirements that extend beyond the core InsuranceSuite, encompassing critical areas such as data management, reporting, analytics, forms, and complex integrations.
• • You will be responsible for defining precise requirements and validating specifications that effectively leverage Guidewire Products and underlying technology to achieve specific customer business objectives. Furthermore, you will be encouraged to leverage AI tools to drive significant productivity improvements and spearhead innovation by applying AI to enhance the delivery of Guidewire’s products and services, staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
• • Within Business Consulting Leadership and Governance, you will serve as the Guidewire lead for designated functional or technical workstreams, providing expert direction and oversight. You will offer mentorship and guidance to Business Analyst team members, ensuring their work aligns seamlessly with Guidewire’s base functionality and architectural principles.
• • A crucial aspect of your role will involve reviewing and approving requirements definitions, ensuring they are robust, well-defined, and aligned with project goals. You will meticulously ensure that all requested enhancements are in direct alignment with the customer's overarching business goals, preventing scope creep and maintaining strategic focus.
• • You will proactively anticipate potential application risks, developing and implementing effective mitigation strategies to preemptively address challenges. In instances of complex system issues, you will provide critical support to both Guidewire and customer teams, aiding in troubleshooting and resolution.
• • In Strategic Client and Stakeholder Engagement, you will act as a primary trusted advisor to customer business and leadership teams, building strong, lasting relationships. You will present proposed solutions and strategic roadmaps to senior stakeholders with exceptional clarity, confidence, and persuasive communication.
• • You will actively support pre-sales and proposal efforts by critically reviewing the alignment of proposed solutions with the customer’s unique value proposition, ensuring technical feasibility and business impact. Collaboration with Product, R&D, and Cloud teams will be essential for resolving product-specific questions and providing valuable input for future roadmap development.
• • Your Internal Impact and Enablement contributions will be significant. You will actively contribute to the development and refinement of internal architecture standards, playbooks, and reusable solution assets, enhancing the collective knowledge and efficiency of the Guidewire team.
• • You will mentor junior Architects, playing a key role in developing and nurturing business architecture leadership capabilities across the entire Professional Services organization. Participation in business architecture forums and knowledge-sharing sessions across different regions will be encouraged to foster a collaborative and learning-oriented environment.
• • You will represent the Professional Services function in critical cross-functional strategic initiatives and internal pilot programs, bringing valuable architectural perspective to broader organizational efforts.
• • Success in this role will be measured by Architectural Excellence, demonstrated through solutions that maximize the use of base functionality while achieving business goals across large or complex programs. Stakeholder Confidence & Influence will be evidenced by achieving trusted advisor status with clients, reflected in positive feedback and successful solution adoption. Delivery Support & Risk Mitigation will be assessed by the reduction of delivery issues attributable to your effective oversight and early risk identification.