Sr. Tech Lead, Life & Annuity Systems

Come join one of America’s fastest-growing insurance companies. Since 1848, National Life Group has aimed to keep our promises, providing families with stability in good times and in bad. Throughout that history, we have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures.

Our mission extends beyond the insurance and annuities policies that we offer. We strive to make the world a better place through our grants from our charitable foundation, paid volunteer time for our employees, environmentally sustainable and healthy workplaces, and events that promote the work of nonprofits in our own backyard.

We foster a collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and encourage our associates to live our values: Do good. Be good. Make good.

Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Role Summary

The Sr. Application Technical Lead is expected to lead a technology team to deliver end-to-end project solutions in a fast-paced environment. The Technical Lead must demonstrate strong technical thought leadership that is deep in Life & Annuity (L&A) Insurance Policy Admin Systems capabilities and Mainframe technologies with basic understanding of SQL and Integration technologies. The Technical Lead will provide IT technical guidance in solution selection as well as lead and facilitate project development and implementation in L&A functionality.

This position currently offers an onsite work schedule, with the expectation that you are in the office four (4) days per week during onsite core days. Our current onsite core days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The work schedule type and core days are subject to change with advance notification and manager discretion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Strong leadership qualities and organizational skills, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities, assignments, and roles
• Establish and sustain high trust partnership with business stakeholders and product owners who are dependent on the incumbent’s technical guidance
• Ensure IT resources are effectively utilized in IT Application Service delivery
• Apply skills in application development and support while exhibiting leadership in process re-engineering and implementation of technology
• Collaborate with architects and development community to define and maintain standards, processes, and emerging technical roadmaps
• Collaborate with IT staff maintaining applications in the Inforce domain or with points of integration to applications
• Judge the feasibility and trade-off of different technologies and make choices that fit the constraints of the project/product. Ensure solutions satisfy business requirements and are of the highest quality
• Estimate delivery cost and schedule for Inforce domain related solutions, projects and requests
• Build and maintain detailed working knowledge of key business applications
• Identify application transformation & rationalization opportunities as we transform to a simpler, more modern system platform
• Develop application design, application configuration, test and release management processes
• Communicate effectively, and with an appropriate level of detail, to all levels in the organization.
• Work with limited direction, usually within a complex environment, to drive delivery of solutions and meet service levels.
• Strong conceptual and analytic skills. Ability to design and build complex algorithms.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferred in Computer Science, or relevant work experience.
• 10+ years Full System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) experience; Designing, maintaining and enhancing software applications leveraging COBOL, JCL, SQL, CICS, DB2, VSAM, ISPF/PDF, FILE-AID, MVS, Endevor and using IBM Mainframe environment preferred
• 3+ years of experience leading product / project development team on Vantage policy administrative platform preferred
• Open-minded with proven ability to work collaboratively in team environment
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a highly matrixed, heavily outsourced organization through a combination of influence, partnership, and authority
• Ability to manage IT Suppliers in a cost- effective manner
• Ability to manage change and cope with complex and ambiguous situations
• Agile solution delivery skills highly desired

AI Proficiency Expectations

At National Life Group, we view AI as an enabler of human potential. We use AI to help us work smarter, serve more clients, and keep our promises, while remaining a relationship-driven business where our people are our greatest strength.

All applicants are expected to:

• Leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of their work.
• Stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways of working.
• Exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content.
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life’s AI guiding principles.
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention and intellectual property.

Benefits

• Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!

Base Pay Range . The base pay range for this position is the range National Life reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors, including: prior experience and job-related knowledge; education, training and certificates; current business needs; and market factors. The final salary or hourly wages offered may be outside of this range based on other reasons and individual circumstances.

Additional Compensation and Benefits . The total compensation package for this position may also include a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. If hired, the employee will be in an "at-will position" and National Life reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

National Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled.

Salary Pay Range

$118,125—$173,250 USD

National Life Group® is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, Montpelier, VT – founded in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, TX – chartered in 1955, and their affiliates. Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York. Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser affiliate of National Life Insurance Company. All other entities are independent of the companies of National Life Group.

Fortune 1000 status is based on the consolidated financial results of all National Life Group companies.

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National Life Group

1 National Life Dr

Montpelier, VT 05604