AVP of Application Development Role ContextSenior leadership role within a multi-line insurance companyDirectly manages the Guidewire and P&C legacy application development teamAdditionally leads through managers who support the following business lines and functions: Life and RetirementBCGSupplemental and GroupDistribution and Corporate Back OfficeResponsible for a large, complex development organization (30+ developers) consisting of both individual contributors and development managers across all of these areasExpected to operate as a bold change agent who is unafraid to challenge the status quo and drive meaningful transformation across a diverse, multi-line portfolioTechnical & Architecture SkillsDeep expertise in modern application architecture, cloud platforms, and software engineering best practicesProven track record of leading large-scale legacy modernization initiatives and reducing technical debt in complex, regulated environmentsHands-on experience with Guidewire or comparable P&C insurance platforms is strongly preferredHands-on experience designing and delivering AI-powered applications — not just AI awareness, but actual build experienceFamiliarity with insurance systems and data (policy, claims, billing) across both P&C and Life lines is a strong plusExperience with finance and commissions systems and processes is a nice-to-have, given the breadth of business lines supportedTeam Leadership & People ManagementDemonstrated experience leading 30+ person development organizations with a mix of ICs and engineering managersSkilled at developing managers — coaching, holding accountable, and elevating leadership capability across the teamAble to attract, retain, and grow top technical talent in a competitive marketComfortable navigating organizational complexity and managing through ambiguity across multiple business lines with distinct prioritiesStrategic Thinking & Roadmap OwnershipAbility to translate business goals into a clear, prioritized application development roadmap across a multi-line portfolioExperience leading multi-year modernization programs with measurable outcomesBalances long-term platform thinking with near-term delivery commitmentsHas a point of view on where AI fits into the development strategy and can build a credible path to adoptionStakeholder & Executive CommunicationCredible and confident communicator with senior business and technology stakeholders across multiple business unitsAble to make the case for investment in modernization and AI in business value terms, not just technical termsBuilds trust across the organization by delivering on commitments and communicating transparently when things changeSkilled at managing competing priorities and expectations across diverse business line partnersAI, Modern Tooling & Low-Code PlatformsHas hands-on experience building and shipping AI-powered applications — not just theoretical knowledgeUnderstands AI tooling, frameworks, and integration patterns relevant to enterprise development, including generative AI, large language models, and AI-assisted development toolsFamiliar with and able to evaluate modern low-code/no-code platforms (such as Microsoft Power Platform, OutSystems, Mendix, or similar) and knows when they are the right fit vs. custom developmentActively leverages modern developer productivity tools — including AI coding assistants, CI/CD automation, and cloud-native development platforms — to accelerate delivery and reduce toilCan lead a team toward responsible, practical AI and low-code adoption that delivers real business outcomes without creating new technical debtAble to assess vendor solutions and build vs. buy vs. configure tradeoffs across traditional, AI, and low-code optionsPay Range:$146,500.00 - $208,750.00 Salary is commensurate to experience, location, etc. Horace Mann was founded in 1945 by two Springfield, Illinois, teachers who saw a need for quality, affordable auto insurance for teachers. Since then, we’ve broadened our mission to helping all educators protect what they have today and prepare for a successful tomorrow. And with our broadened mission has come corporate growth: We serve more than 4,100 school districts nationwide, we’re publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: HMN) and we have more than $12 billion in assets. We’re motivated by the fact that educators take care of our children’s future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We help educators identify their financial goals and develop plans to achieve them. This includes insurance to protect what they have today and financial products to help them prepare for their future. Our tailored offerings include special rates and benefits for educators. EOE/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status For applicants that are California residents, please review our California Consumer Privacy Notice All applicants should review our Horace Mann Privacy Policy Originally posted on Himalayas