The Lead Solutions Architect is a senior technical leader who partners with Manulife business, product, operations, and external partners to design and deliver secure, scalable, and cost-efficient solutions across
Azure, AWS, and hybrid environments.
The role combines
enterprise architecture leadership with
front-deployed engagement, embedding directly with priority initiatives to ensure strategies, standards, and enterprise platforms (e.g.,
ServiceNow, New Relic) are effectively adopted.
This role defines target cloud architectures, modernizes legacy environments, and drives automation across infrastructure, networks, and operations. The architect improves elasticity, provisioning, observability, and resilience; ensures solutions can serve multiple businesses; and governs the evolution of Manulife's cloud and enterprise platforms while meeting technical, security, and regulatory requirements.
Position Responsibilities:- Define multi-cloud (Azure, AWS) and hybrid target-state architectures, patterns, and roadmaps across business segments.
- Design innovative cloud solutions that modernize environments and leverage enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow (ITSM/ITOM) and New Relic (APM/observability).
- Lead architecture reviews to ensure solutions meet Manulife's technical, security, resiliency, and compliance standards.
- Manage technical and business requirements for new cloud platforms and shared services.
- Act as a front-deployed architect, embedded with product and delivery teams to guide architecture from discovery through implementation and operations.
- Work directly with application owners and operations teams to ensure solutions are buildable, operable, and aligned with performance and availability objectives.
- Lead and oversee implementation plans to deploy Azure and AWS infrastructure and migrate workloads, including design and execution of PoCs.
- Develop strategies to automate infrastructure deployment and operational procedures using Infrastructure as Code(e.g., Terraform, Bicep/ARM) and automation/orchestration tools (e.g., Ansible, CI/CD pipelines, Azure DevOps).
- Implement automation for provisioning, configuration, scaling, and patching to increase speed, consistency, and reliability.
- Integrate solutions with ServiceNow for change, incident, problem, and CMDB processes to enable robust operationalization.
- Enhance monitoring, logging, and alerting using New Relic, Application Insights, Log Analytics, Defender for Cloud/Security Center, and integrate with operations workflows.
- Collaborate with network and security teams to design secure, resilient network architectures (VNETs/VPCs, connectivity, load balancers, firewalls, zero-trust principles).
- Ensure correct implementation of identity, access management, encryption, and security controls across Azure, AWS, and hybrid environments.
- Design for high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity using cloud-native and PaaS capabilities (including Kubernetes where appropriate).
- Apply cost optimization techniques and tools to manage cloud spend while meeting performance and resiliency targets.
- Create and maintain best practices, reference architectures, and standards to provide a uniform, compliant cloud environment.
- Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams (developers, SMEs, DBAs, system admins, network and operations, architects) to deliver enterprise solutions.
- Mentor and coach architects and engineers; contribute to IT operating model, cost reduction, and workforce transformation initiatives.
Preferred Qualifications:- Post-secondary degree, diploma, or equivalent demonstrable experience in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years of experience in application and/or infrastructure solution architecture in large, complex enterprises.
- 4+ years designing and building large-scale cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure; experience with AWS and hybrid environments preferred.
- Experience leading large-scale technology implementations, IT operating model transformations, IT cost reduction and/or workforce transformation initiatives.
- Proven experience in infrastructure and solution architecture with strong focus on Azure Cloud services and familiarity with core AWS services.
- Solid understanding of Infrastructure as Code, automation, and orchestration (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, Bicep/ARM, Azure DevOps/GitHub pipelines).
- Experience with monitoring and security tools such as New Relic, Application Insights, Log Analytics, Defender for Cloud/Security Center.
- General understanding of Azure PaaS services and Kubernetes; familiarity with Azure SQL Database, Azure Functions, Logic Apps preferred.
- Understanding of cloud and hybrid networking (VNETs/VPCs, VPN/ExpressRoute, DNS, load balancing, firewalls) and associated security controls.
- Experience integrating solutions with ServiceNow (ITSM/ITOM) for operational processes and lifecycle management.
- Proficiency in cloud cost management and optimization techniques and tools.
- Strong analytical skills; able to quickly assess complex issues and recommend appropriate solutions.
- Motivated self-starter comfortable working directly with internal customers, partners, and global teams.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate integrated project teams across multiple technical disciplines.
- Active listener who seeks to understand requirements, underlying needs, and alternative perspectives.
- Strategic thinker with a delivery-focused mindset; able to balance long-term architecture with near-term delivery.
- Collaborative team player who values others' contributions and provides mentoring and guidance as needed.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with ability to explain complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
When you join our team:- We'll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
- We'll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
- As part of our distributed team, we'll support you in shaping the future you want to see.
If you are applying to this role in US, please note the salary range is $127,330 to $236,470 USD. Additionally, employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.
The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.
Referenced Salary LocationToronto, Ontario
Working ArrangementHybrid
Salary range is expected to be between$113,260.00 CAD - $210,340.00 CAD
Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [redacted] for the salary range for your location.
Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact [redacted] for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.
