Data Foundation CoE Architecture & Strategy Lead

About Team

The Digital & Tech Re organization is at the forefront of driving the digital transformation for our reinsurance business units across P&C Re, L&H Re and Solutions. We strive to build an inspiring environment for our people to use data and technology to create a sustainable and strategic competitive advantage.  

Data & Analytics Re is the data arm of Digital & Tech Re. We create innovative analytics, data science and robust data foundation capabilities to generate data-driven insights that serve the heart of Swiss Re's business. Together with our business counterparts in Property & Casualty and Life & Health, we work daily to deliver differentiating insights, elevate underwriting excellence and effectively select and manage risk pools.  

Our team is composed of an international workforce based in different locations and serving a global customer basis, with a large part of our leadership located in Zurich.  
 

About the Role 

We strive to enhance the success and impact of our data foundation; data assets' growth is accelerating in our organization and new analytics techniques are emerging (e.g. Generative.ai) that open new horizons to our business.  

The position focuses on driving the transformation of the Data Foundation landscape, emphasizing the migration from legacy systems (e.g. Group Datawarehouse) to strategic platforms and constructing a unified data architecture. It encompasses the development and management of Data Models for the Analytics Data Model (ADM), serving as our Single Version of Truth (SVoT) for L&H Re and P&C Re, integrated with enterprise-wide data flows. Additionally, it involves ensuring alignment and coherence in Data Governance and Data Quality efforts across two Business Units - P&C Re and L&H Re. 

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced professional to be at the forefront of the execution within the Data Foundation CoE. The CoE is comprised of a team of highly qualified data & analytics professionals, purposed to maximize delivered value through an effective Strategy to Execution process, value measurement and cross-functional collaboration.  

You will be responsible to:  

• Provide strategic leadership and ensure coordination across various functions within the Data Foundation CoE – Data Architecture and Delivery, Data Governance and Data Quality. 

• Driving the transformation, across several teams, of our Data Foundation landscape. Prioritizing the transition from legacy to strategic platforms. 

• Oversee the design, development, and maintenance of the organization's data architecture framework, supporting Data Foundation CoE's objectives and initiatives. 

• Monitor performance metrics and OKR's (100% of our Data Products leverage the Data Foundation, Datasets supporting our flagship products have 5 Data Quality Indicators implemented), identifying areas for improvement and driving continuous optimization efforts. 

• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand data requirements and translate them into scalable and efficient data foundations. 

• Define and enforce data standards, best practices, and governance policies within the division. 

• Evaluate emerging technologies and trends in data management to enhance capabilities. 

About you 

The Data Foundation CoE Architecture & Strategy Lead combines commitment to execution, delivery orientation, change & transformation along with a strong data architecture competence and team leadership, with data & analytics knowhow and keenness to comprehend business needs across the reinsurance value chain. 

If you are eager to shape the next generation of data foundations in the re-/insurance industry and make an impact, then join us in an extraordinary world class data & analytics organization and become part of the transformation of a leading Reinsurance company. 

Your experience 

• Track record of over 7 years of hands-on experience with large, complex delivery organizations, design and implementation of data platforms or management consulting. 

• A university degree in technical field (engineering, computer science) or in business with complementary technical experience.  

• Leading landscape transformations or spearheading large-scale change initiatives. 

• Proficiency in program and / or project management across agile and waterfall methodologies. 

• Proven experience in operational leadership roles, with a track record of driving division performance and operational excellence. 

• Extensive experience in data architecture, data modelling, and database design, preferably in a complex enterprise environment. 

• Proficiency in data management technologies such as data lakes, SQL databases, data warehouses, and ETL tools. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions. 

• An agile certification (e.g., Product Owner, Scrum Master, Agile Project Management, Kanban) and/or the equivalent hands-on experience in operationalising scaled agile frameworks is beneficial. 

• Re/-insurance industry experience is highly valued. 

• Excellent verbal and written English skills. 

Behavioural Competences 

• Excellent organizational skills. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to communicate on different levels of seniority. 

• Team player; enjoying being part of a cross-functional setup. 

• Ability to perform well on time-critical endeavours and on multiple fronts at the time. 

• Strong dedication to quality and 'client' mindset. 

• A passion for learning and continuous improvement, both of yourself and your team members.