API and Integration Tech Lead

Definity is the parent company to some of Canada’s most long-standing and innovative insurance brands, including Economical Insurance, Sonnet Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, and Petline Insurance. Our ambition is to be one of Canada’s leading and most innovative property and casualty insurers. We can’t do that without our people, so we embrace and encourage a culture that’s collaborative, ambitious, rewarding, and empowering.

We offer a flexible, hybrid work experience where employees work from the office and virtually depending on the type of work they are doing and who they are working with. Bring your true self and be a part of our journey. It’s better here.

The API & Integration Technical Lead is a hands-on technical leader responsible for designing and delivering comprehensive integration solutions that support enterprise shared services. This role will lead the solution delivery of end-to-end integration strategies, including cloud-native, on-premises, and hybrid integration models, focusing on APIs, microservices, event-based architectures, real-time data processing, and cloud modernization. The role will also be responsible for leading the integration of GenAI solutions as part of the shared service delivery, enabling advanced AI capabilities to support various business use cases. Strong data and event processing skills are critical to support GenAI use cases.

In addition, the role will contribute to implementing integration patterns and reusable frameworks aligned with the target integration architecture and drive innovation by conducting proof of concepts (POCs) on new patterns and technologies. As a senior technical expert, you will provide hands-on guidance to the development team, set solution standards, and ensure that platform capabilities align with both business and technology strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Integration Solution Engineering:
  • Design and implement integration solutions across cloud platforms (GCP, AWS) using managed services like Cloud Functions, AWS Lambda, GKE, EKS, and data processing tools.
  • Implement hybrid integration patterns that connect legacy systems, cloud services, and modern applications.
  • Define scalable data processing pipelines to support high-throughput, real-time streaming, and batch integration use cases.
  • Contribute to building and implementing reusable integration frameworks that align with the target integration architecture.
  • Collaborate on the development of standardized and reusable components to enable consistent solution delivery across multiple domains.
• GenAI Integration Leadership:
  • Lead the integration efforts for GenAI solutions as part of the shared service delivery, building the technical capabilities to support various business AI use cases.
  • Collaborate with AI and data science teams to define integration patterns and data pipelines that connect real-time data and AI models.
  • Design integration solutions that enable seamless connectivity between AI services, data sources, and enterprise systems.
  • Develop scalable data and event processing capabilities to support GenAI use cases and ensure real-time data availability.
  • Ensure that GenAI integrations align with security, scalability, and performance standards, delivering reliable AI-powered capabilities.
• Technical Leadership & Cloud Modernization:
  • Serve as a hands-on technical lead in designing and implementing cloud-native and hybrid integration solutions using a variety of patterns, including APIs, microservices, and event-based architectures.
  • Drive cloud modernization efforts to transform legacy integrations into scalable, cloud-native platforms using best practices for resilience and security.
  • Develop robust integration solutions using platforms such as Apigee, Kafka, and GCP Pub/Sub.
  • Provide technical direction and mentorship to the development team, ensuring the adoption of best practices and modern integration patterns.
• Innovation & POC Development:
  • Drive innovation by conducting proof of concepts (POCs) to evaluate new integration patterns, emerging technologies, and design approaches.
  • Research and prototype solutions for complex integration scenarios, assessing feasibility, scalability, and performance.
  • Actively contribute to the continuous improvement of integration practices by testing new frameworks, tools, and methodologies.
• Mentorship and Team Development:
  • Mentor and guide the development team, promoting a collaborative, hands-on technical culture.
  • Act as a subject matter expert (SME) in cloud-native and modern integration techniques, providing technical training and support to teams across the organization.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  • Engage with business and technology stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into scalable integration solutions.
  • Collaborate with product owners and project managers to define roadmaps and shared service integration strategies.
• Solution Delivery:
  • Oversee the delivery of complex integration solutions from concept through implementation, ensuring high-quality, scalable, and secure solutions.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve complex integration issues, identifying root causes and implementing long-term fixes to ensure platform stability and reliability.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.

Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise integration, API development, and system solutions.
• 5+ years of experience with cloud platforms (GCP, AWS) and associated integration services.
• Proven track record of leading cloud modernization initiatives and complex integration projects as part of a broader shared service mandate.
• Hands-on experience with microservices frameworks, container orchestration (Kubernetes), and real-time data processing pipelines.
• Experience designing and implementing hybrid and multi-cloud integration solutions.
• Prior experience working with AI/ML integration, data pipelines, and event processing is highly desirable.

Technical Skills:

• Strong proficiency in Java, Python, or Node.js for backend service development.
• Deep expertise in integration platforms and technologies: Apigee, Kafka (Confluent), GCP Pub/Sub, AWS SNS/SQS, Cloud Run.
• Experience with API design, security standards (OAuth, JWT), and RESTful/GraphQL services.
• Proficiency in data processing frameworks (e.g., Apache Beam, Dataflow, Glue).
• Strong understanding of event-driven architectures, including Kafka streams, event sourcing, and real-time data processing.
• Experience with AI/ML integration patterns and best practices.

Soft Skills:

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lead, mentor, and inspire diverse teams.

Nice-to-Have:

• Certification in GCP or AWS.
• Experience with Anthos and hybrid cloud deployments.
• Familiarity with AI/ML platforms and cloud-based AI services (e.g., Vertex AI, SageMaker).
• Knowledge of AI governance and responsible AI practices.

Salary range: $77,700 - $157,000

Interested in this role, but don't meet every requirement? We encourage you to apply! We know from experience that a candidate doesn't need 100% of the qualifications listed to bring incredible value to our team. We're actively seeking diverse backgrounds and perspectives to help us make insurance better. At Definity, inclusion, diversity, and equity aren't just "nice to have" — they're essential to our success.

What's in it for you?

• Hybrid work schedule for most roles
• Company share ownership program
• Pension and savings programs, with company-matched RRSP contributions
• Paid volunteer days and company matching on charitable donations
• Educational resources, tuition assistance, and paid time off to study for exams
• Focus on inclusion with employee groups, support for gender affirmation surgery, access to BIPOC counsellors, access to programs for working parents
• Wellness and recognition programs
• Discounts on products and services

Actual salary for the role may vary depending on work location of the successful candidate and other factors including but not limited to, skills, education, experience, working conditions and the local labour market.  In addition to base pay, eligible employees may participate in various incentive plans which are paid out at the discretion of the company and subject to individual and company performance.

Go ahead and expect a lot — you deserve it.
It's better here — but don't take our word for it. Definity was named by Great Place to Work® as one of the Best Workplaces™ in Canada for women, for youth, and for inclusion.

Our inclusive work environment welcomes diversity and supports accessibility. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know by contacting [email protected].

Background checks
This role requires successful clearance of background checks (including criminal checks and leadership references).

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