• Define and drive solution architecture strategy aligned with business strategy by developing architecture blueprints and multi-year architecture roadmaps.
• Collaborate closely with business stakeholders across functions to understand business objectives, strategic priorities, and transformation goals.
• Assess the current business and application landscape, including processes, systems, integrations, and technology capabilities, to establish the as-is architecture baseline.
• Design the target architecture required to support business strategy, improve operational effectiveness, and enable future growth.
• Identify capability, process, application, data, and technology gaps between the current and target states, and define practical roadmaps to close those gaps.
• Work with business transformation teams, delivery teams, product support teams, and other stakeholders to align architecture vision, solution direction, sequencing, and implementation approach.
• Lead end-to-end solution architecture development for strategic initiatives, partnering with business teams, delivery teams, and vendors to shape solution design from concept through implementation.
• Act as the architecture lead on strategic projects, ensuring solutions are aligned with enterprise business and IT strategy, architecture principles, and the established blueprints and roadmaps.
• Provide architectural direction and governance throughout the project lifecycle, including solution design review, technology selection, integration approach, and implementation decisions.
• Serve as a key member of the Japan Architecture Board Committee, governing project proposals and ensuring new solutions and technology adoption are aligned with business strategy, IT strategy, and architecture standards.
• Review and challenge project architecture proposals to ensure consistency, scalability, maintainability, risk control, and long-term business value.
• Monitor business, insurance, and technology trends in the market to identify opportunities, risks, and emerging capabilities relevant to the organization.
• Continuously strengthen architecture knowledge, domain expertise, and awareness of industry practices to better support business transformation and technology decision-making.

Key Relationships

Internal Interactions
(Within the Organization)

• Business stakeholders
• Transformation service team
• IT delivery teams
• IT production support team
• Infrastructure team
• Global IT teams

External Interactions
(Outside the Organization)

• SI Implementation Partners

Required Skills and Experiences

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.

Specific Qualifications

• Japanese language: N1
• English business fluency

Total Experience

• Extensive experience in solution architecture, enterprise architecture, or a similar technology leadership role.
• Strong experience in the insurance industry, with solid understanding of insurance products, business processes, core systems, and operating models.
• Proven ability to translate business strategy into architecture blueprints, target-state designs, and practical implementation roadmaps.
• Demonstrated experience assessing current-state business and system landscapes, identifying gaps, and defining target architecture aligned with strategic goals.
• Proven experience leading end-to-end solution architecture development and implementation for large-scale strategic programs, transformation initiatives, or complex enterprise projects.
• Strong knowledge of application architecture, integration architecture, data architecture, and enterprise technology platforms.
• Prior hands-on software development experience and sufficient technical depth to engage credibly with engineers, challenge solution design decisions, and ensure architecture is practical, scalable, and implementable.
• Demonstrated success in leading solution architecture or major implementation initiatives for core insurance platforms, including policy administration systems, claims systems, billing systems, producer management systems, agent portals, customer portals, and other critical insurance platforms.
• Deep insurance claims processing business knowledge, with strong understanding of claims operations, workflows, adjudication, case management, vendor interaction, and regulatory considerations, together with proven experience leading or supporting claims system implementation, modernization, or transformation initiatives.
• Experience working closely with business stakeholders, delivery teams, vendors, and support organizations in cross-functional environments.
• Proven experience in architecture governance, including participation in architecture review boards, design authorities, or similar governance forums.
• Strong understanding of architecture standards, governance processes, risk considerations, and technology control requirements, with knowledge of recognized architecture and governance frameworks such as TOGAF, ITIL, COBIT, and related enterprise architecture and IT governance practices.
• Strong understanding of system development lifecycle and delivery methodologies, including waterfall, Agile, and DevOps practices, with the ability to apply architecture governance and solution design effectively across both traditional and modern delivery environments.
• Good knowledge of modern technology trends, including cloud, AI, APIs, digital platforms, data solutions, and emerging enterprise technologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess trade-offs and make sound architecture recommendations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence both business and technology leaders.
• Strong documentation skills, including the ability to develop architecture blueprints, roadmaps, design papers, and governance materials.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery considerations to ensure solutions are both architecturally sound and implementable.
• Strong collaboration, leadership, and facilitation skills, with the ability to drive alignment across diverse stakeholders.