Director IT, Agent Platform

Position: Director IT, Agent Commission Platform
** Our Company
** Explore how you can contribute  over 50 years, Ameri Life has been a leader in the development, marketing and distribution of annuity, life and health insurance solutions for those planning for and living in retirement.

Associates get satisfaction from knowing they provide agents, marketers and carrier partners the support needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry.
** Job Summary
** Ameri Life is seeking a strategic, hands on Director, IT – Agent Commission Platform to own the enterprise delivery, governance, and operational success of its agent commissioning and incentive compensation ecosystem. The platform is delivered through enterprise grade compensation solutions (Varicent preferred), with all configurations, development, and operational support provided by external Service Integrators.
This role will initially function as a senior individual contributor, serving as the enterprise product and technology owner for the agent commission platform. While there may be limited direct people management at the outset, the role requires strong leadership presence, deep technical understanding of compensation platforms, and the ability to hold multiple integrator partners accountable.
The Director will partner closely with Finance, Commissions, Operations, Distribution, Data, and IT leadership to ensure accurate, scalable, timely, and transparent commission processing across all business channels.
** Job Description
**** Key Responsibilities
**** Platform Ownership & Strategy
*** Serve as the enterprise owner for the Agent Commission Platform, defining vision, roadmap, success metrics, and operating model.
* Align platform capabilities with evolving compensation strategies, distribution models, financial controls, and business growth.
* Own prioritization of enhancements, data model changes, reporting capabilities, and integration needs.
** Service Integrator‑Led Development & Delivery Oversight
*** Oversee all configuration, development, testing, and release execution performed by Service Integrators.
* Review and validate solution designs, calculations logic, architecture decisions, and delivery plans.
* Ensure integrator delivery aligns with enterprise architecture, security standards, data governance, and audit requirements.
* Drive disciplined SDLC execution, release management, and quality assurance practices.
** Technical Leadership & Data Integrations
*** Provide enterprise technical leadership despite a vendor‑delivered model, ensuring informed design and delivery decisions.
* Partner with Data Engineering and Enterprise Architecture teams to design and manage data pipelines for:  + Agent hierarchies  + Commission transactions  + Adjustments, clawbacks, and bonuses  + Financial and reporting outputs
* Ensure data accuracy, reconciliation, traceability, and performance at scale.
** Production Support & Operational Governance
*** Own production availability, cycle execution, issue management, and escalation coordination with Service Integrators.
* Establish SLAs, KPIs, monitoring, and reconciliation controls to ensure accurate and timely commission processing.
* Lead root‑cause analysis, post‑cycle reviews, audit support, and continuous‑improvement initiatives.
** Vendor & Service Integrator Management
*** Serve as the primary owner for all Service Integrator relationships supporting the commissioning platform.
* Manage contracts, SOWs, capacity planning, renewals, and performance governance.
* Hold Service Integrators accountable for delivery quality, cycle readiness, knowledge transfer, and cost effectiveness.
* Coordinate with software vendors (e.g., Varicent) as needed for escalations and roadmap alignment.
** Leadership & Future Team Growth
*** Initially operate as a senior individual contributor with full enterprise ownership and accountability.
* Establish governance models, documentation standards, and repeatable processes that enable future team scaling.
* Prepare to build, mentor, and lead an internal commissions technology team as organizational needs evolve.
* Communicate clearly with executive stakeholders regarding risks, timelines, dependencies, and value realization.
** Required…