GroupHEALTH Family of Companies – Chief Information Officer

GroupHEALTH Family of Companies - Chief Information Officer

THE ORGANIZATION:   GroupHEALTH Family of Companies
The GroupHEALTH Family of Companies (GHFoC) is a leading Canadian provider of employee benefits and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Munich Re New Ventures, a division of Munich Re, one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, primary insurance, and insurance-related risk solutions.

GHFoC is comprised of 11 companies, including four main operating companies (GroupHEALTH Benefit Solutions, GroupSource, the Disability Management Institute, and Manion Wilkins & Associates) and seven other smaller operating companies all within the group benefits space. The GHFoC generates over $270M in annual revenues and employs more than 1,200 employees throughout its various locations.

GHFoC serves thousands of clients across various industries, offering innovative and customized benefits plans. Their primary focus is on small to mid-sized businesses, providing comprehensive insurance packages that include health, dental, life, and disability coverage, as well as pension plans, group and individual investments and individual insurance. The GHFoC aims to simplify the complexities of employee benefits through user-friendly platforms and exceptional customer service.

The organization is committed and accountable for embedding diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all areas of work, whether it be with colleagues, clients, plan members, or industry partners. GHFoC believes in the transformative power and value of an organization where all people feel safe and comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, knowing that an inclusive company is an innovative and successful one.

To learn more, please visit GroupHEALTH’s website.

THE OPPORTUNITY:   CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a key member of the GroupHEALTH Family of Companies (GHFoC) senior leadership team responsible for the strategic direction, development, and future growth of the company’s technology platform and infrastructure.

Reporting to the CEO, the CIO will lead all aspects of technology development and innovation to ensure alignment with the GHFoC’s business goals.

Direct Reports:

• Director of IT Infrastructure
• Vice President, Business Intelligence

Outcomes

Within 3 months:

• Get to know all IT team members across the GHFoC;
• Develop an understanding of IT operations across the GHFoC;
• Familiarize yourself with the GHFoC’s strategic business plan and develop a high-level understanding of the company’s products, services and solutions;
• Meet with key stakeholders and leaders across the company to gain an overall understanding of the GHFoC’s business model and operating structure;
• Become familiar with key stakeholders within GroupHEALTH’s distribution network and key strategic business partners;
• Become familiar with core business applications (WEBS, MPACS, DMS, BCMSPro, CRM, Pega, Marketo and Sales tools, etc.);
• Conduct initial assessment of overall operations including SWOT analysis as input to IT Strategic plan;
• Review and become familiar with the overall IT governance model;
• Become familiar with IT Roadmap and current projects in flight.

Within 6 months:

• Identify improvements in IT Roadmap;
• Develop 2-year strategic IT plan aligned with the overall corporate strategic plan;
• Conduct a full organization assessment to ensure optimal structure and efficiency;
• Provide recommendations on how to improve the IT governance model to support a growing enterprise;
• Review organizational structure and identify resource requirements;
• Collaborate with HR to recruit required resources.

Within 12 months:

• Oversee all operational aspects of IT including Infrastructure, external Software Development and IT Operations;
• Develop business plan and budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Primary Responsibilities

Technology Strategy and Digital Transformation (20%)

• Develop and execute a technology roadmap aligned with business goals and regulatory requirements;
• Lead the modernization of legacy systems (e.g., core policy admin systems, claims processing);
• Drive digital transformation initiatives, including self-service portals, omnichannel engagement, and automation in partnership with our Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) and external vendors.

Core Systems Optimization (20%)

• Oversee the upgrade, integration, or replacement of legacy system platforms;
• Ensure interoperability between systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, underwriting engines);
• Reduce technical debt and improve system performance and scalability.

Data & Analytics Enablement (20%)

• Build a scalable data infrastructure for real-time reporting, actuarial modeling, fraud detection, and customer insights;
• Support advanced analytics, AI/ML for risk assessment, and personalized insurance offerings;
• Ensure quality, accessibility, and protection of sensitive policyholder data.

IT & Infrastructure Management (10%)

• Oversee IT operations, including infrastructure, cloud migration, disaster recovery, and help desk functions;
• Ensure high availability and business continuity across platforms and regions;
• Establish and monitor KPIs for uptime, latency, and system health.

Customer Experience & Innovation (10%)

• Drive digital initiatives to improve customer experience (e.g., online quote-to-bind, claims tracking, chatbots);
• Collaborate with operations and marketing to deliver tech-enabled insurance products;
• Explore and initiate deployment of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, Robotics, etc.)

Vendor & Partner Management (5%)

• Evaluate, negotiate, and manage relationships with third-party technology providers, insurtech partners, and systems integrators;
• Ensure vendor solutions meet security, performance, and integration standards.

Budgeting & Cost Efficiency (5%)

• Prepare and manage a $10-$15M annual technology budget with a focus on return on investment and fiscal prudence;
• Optimize spend across build vs. buy decisions, cloud vs. on-prem strategies, and vendor negotiations;
• Align the entities around a global technology budget that leverages buying power.

Team Leadership & Development (5%)

• Build and lead a high-performing engineering, IT, and data team through external partnerships;
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and agile delivery;
• Upskill team members to stay current with industry and technology trends.

Board and Executive Communication (5%)

• Translate complex technical topics into business language for board and executive reporting;
• Present technology initiatives, risks, and performance against strategic objectives.

THE PERSON

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Information Systems;
• 15+ years’ experience providing high level IT Management and leadership;
• Demonstrable experience in leading multi-disciplined teams driving both package solutions and custom development, in an environment of continual change and transformation in a rapidly growing, fast-moving environment;
• A proven track record in managing a large and complex applications development organization. Experience in high-transaction, high-volume and high-availability is an asset;
• Solid understanding of and experience with leading best practices in IT Security, Network and Systems operations, Telecommunications, Dev Ops. Etc.;
• Experience in leading multiple teams, including employee and third-party teams, and managing relationships with suppliers is essential;
• Direct prior experience having led and built a rigorous strategic planning process, including demonstrable buy-in and agreement from the business on requirements;
• Familiarity with Insurance or Financial Services industry is a bonus but not a requirement.

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes for this Role:

• Strategic thinking skills with a solutions focus that has a simple and practical approach to execution and the ability to align IT & Systems strategy with business goals;
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to guide the IS/IT teams and influence senior leaders across the organization;
• Change management skills;
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technology strategies to diverse audiences;
• Critical thinker with the ability to anticipate issues and strategize accordingly;
• Problem solving;
• Significant knowledge of software development processes and project management methodologies around effective solution design, development, and quality assurance;
• Advanced knowledge/experience of industry leading platforms for CRM, ERP, SFA, Contact Centre, etc.;
• Superior verbal and written communication skills with the ability to develop and maintain relationships with senior;
• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize tasks to ensure work is completed within set timelines.

Critical Competencies:

Innovation & Digital Transformation Leadership : Drives modernization of systems, processes, and capabilities to improve business outcomes and customer experience. Champions adoption of emerging technologies where they deliver value. Leads pilots and proofs of concept to test innovative ideas. Removes barriers to cross-functional innovation. Encourages a culture of continuous improvement.

Strategic Thinking & Vision : Develops, updates and communicates a long-term technology vision aligned with organizational strategy, anticipating industry trends and emerging risks. Articulates a clear IT roadmap that supports business growth and efficiency. Anticipates future technology needs and market disruptions. Aligns investment decisions with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals. Balances short-term operational needs with long-term innovation.

Technology Governance : Establishes and updates policies, standards, and frameworks for effective technology management across the enterprise. Implements clear governance structures for technology decision-making. Monitors adherence to IT policies and standards. Manages vendor contracts to achieve cost savings and service quality. Ensures lifecycle management of technology assets.

Data & Analytics Literacy : Uses data strategically to inform decision-making, measure performance, and enable predictive capabilities. Establishes enterprise-wide data governance standards. Encourages data-driven decision-making at all organizational levels. Leverages analytics to identify operational efficiencies and customer insights. Integrates data sources for comprehensive reporting.

Develop Others : Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to achieve organizational goals. Coaches, mentors and manages employee experience and performance through mindful preparation. Creates space for others to lead.

COMPENSATION:
A competitive compensation package will be provided including an attractive base salary hiring range between $225,000 - $281,000, plus a very generous variable compensation plan, and excellent benefits. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.

To apply, please visit our website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Julian Manchon or Greg Longster
LEADERS INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE SEARCH
#880—609 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1G5
Phone: (604) 688-8422
Email: connect@leadersinternational.com