VP Head of Engineering

We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.   

The Hartford is seeking a Head of Engineering within Actuarial to lead through the next phase of digital transformation.  This executive will drive innovation, operational excellence, and AI adoption across actuarial functions, ensuring our organization remains at the forefront of analytics, automation, and risk management. 

This role will be part of the Executive Leadership team for the Chief Actuary, leading three engineering teams. One team will be dedicated to data management, establishing a strong data set foundation and implementing AI-driven data quality monitoring to ensure accuracy and reliability. The second team will focus on creating datasets and developing AI-powered tools for data consumption within the Actuarial organization, including advanced analytics dashboards that enhance actuarial forecasting and risk assessment. The last team will concentrate on piloting new proof-of-concepts (POCs) and executing short-term tactical builds that, once validated, will be transitioned into production by the other teams.

This role will empower machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions, supporting deeper analytics for the Actuarial team across a wide range of strategic initiatives. This role will collaborate with data scientists, data engineers, and actuaries in a highly collaborative development environment, driving AI transformation through joint innovated initiatives, cross-training on AI/Machine Learning methodologies, and fostering a culture of experimentation.  Heavy interaction and training of partner-customers in actuarial will ensure successful AI adoption and maximize business impact.

This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary leader to shape the future of data engineering and analytics within a dynamic and innovative insurance environment, driving strategic impact across pricing, profitability, and business transformation initiatives. This role will have a Hybrid work schedule, with the expectation of working in an office (Hartford, CT,  Chicago, IL or Charlotte, NC) 3 days a week.  Candidates must be eligible to work in the US without company sponsorship.  

Key Responsibilities

• Set and Communicate Engineering Vision: Define and articulate the technical strategy for data engineering and AI enablement, ensuring alignment with actuarial department objectives and broader business goals. Champion modern engineering practices and drive the adoption of scalable, secure, and innovative data solutions.
• Lead by Technical Example: Serve as the technical authority for the team, leveraging deep engineering experience to challenge assumptions, surface opportunities to improve approaches and suggest constructive alternatives, and guide the team toward best-in-class solutions. Provide constructive feedback and foster a culture of accountability, rigor, and continuous improvement.
• Drive Execution and Delivery: Oversee the design, development, and operation of actuarial data platforms, pipelines, and AI/ML solutions. Ensure delivery of high-quality, production-ready systems that support advanced analytics, actuarial modeling, and business intelligence.
• Ensure Data Governance and Quality: Implement and enforce data governance, security, and compliance standards. Oversee data quality, lineage, and stewardship processes to ensure data is trustworthy and actionable for actuarial and business use.
• Collaborate Across Functions: Partner with actuarial, data science, IT, and business stakeholders to translate business needs into technical requirements and actionable engineering plans. Advocate for engineering priorities at the executive level.
• Stay Ahead of Industry Trends: Monitor emerging technologies, tools, and methodologies in data engineering, AI, and insurance analytics. Lead the evaluation and adoption of innovations that drive business value and operational excellence.
• Develop Talent and Culture: Mentor and develop engineering talent, fostering a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative team environment. Establish career pathways and training programs to elevate technical capability and leadership maturity.

Qualifications

• Technical Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related technical field. Advanced degrees preferred.
• Engineering Experience: Minimum 15 years in data engineering or software engineering roles, with at least 5 years in leadership positions. Direct experience building and operating data platforms, pipelines, and AI/ML solutions at scale.
• Insurance/Actuarial Domain Knowledge: Experience working in insurance, financial services, or actuarial analytics is highly desirable. Understanding of regulatory, reporting, and modeling requirements in these sectors.
• Technical Depth: Expertise in cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark, NoSQL), data modeling, ETL/ELT, and modern software engineering practices. Ability to credibly challenge technical decisions and guide architectural choices.
• Leadership and Influence: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing engineering teams. Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strategic and Operational Balance: Demonstrated success in setting technical vision, driving execution, and delivering measurable business outcomes. Experience balancing long-term strategy with day-to-day operational needs.
• Certifications (Preferred): Relevant cloud/data engineering certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Data Engineer, Azure Data Engineer Associate) and executive education in AI, digital transformation, or insurance analytics.
• Change Agent: Track record of driving transformation, challenging the status quo, and implementing innovative solutions in complex environments.

Compensation

The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition. The annualized base pay range for this role is:

Equal Opportunity Employer/Sex/Race/Color/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age

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