Senior API Specialist

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- Full Time Permanent position
- Hybrid role based in our City Centre offices

What we offer

We have embraced a hybrid working model for most of our positions, which means that you can enjoy a balanced approach of working from home for part of the week and working from the office for the remainder of the week.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salaries and bonuses, robust Learning and Development support, excellent Defined Contribution pension and comprehensive Wellbeing initiatives and support to name but a few.

At Irish Life, our purpose is to help people build better futures. Our company values shape everything we do and underpin our vision of being the driving force behind Ireland's financial, physical, and mental well-being.

We believe in doing the right thing—acting with integrity and making fair, responsible decisions. We aim high, setting ambitious goals and find better ways to innovate and improve. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we are dedicated to understanding their needs and exceeding their expectations. Achieving this this is only possible when we work best together—in a supportive, collaborative environment where every idea and contribution is valued.

Are you an experienced Azure API Management (APIM) professional with a passion for designing, implementing, and optimising enterprise-grade API solutions? Do you excel at enabling seamless communication between systems while ensuring security, scalability, and performance? If so, we want you to join our team as a Senior API Specialist (APIM) and play a pivotal role in shaping our API strategy and architecture.

At Irish Life, we are leading the way in digital transformation. As one of Ireland's largest financial institutions, we serve over 1.3 million people, helping them build better financial futures. We are leveraging cutting-edge cloud technologies to modernise our operations and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior professional to take ownership of our API ecosystem, mentor team members, and drive innovation in API design and management.

What you will help us to achieve

As a Senior Azure API Management Specialist, you will:

• Architect API Solutions: Lead the design and implementation of secure, scalable, and high-performing APIs using Azure API Management.

• Define API Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive API strategy aligned with business goals, ensuring seamless integration across systems and platforms.

• Secure API Gateways: Implement advanced security measures, including OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, API keys, and IP filtering, to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance.

• Optimise API Performance: Monitor, analyse, and optimise API performance using caching, rate limiting, throttling, and other techniques to ensure reliability and scalability.

• Enable Hybrid Integration: Facilitate integration between on-premises systems, cloud services, and third-party applications using Azure APIM and other Azure integration tools.

• Mentor and Lead: Provide technical leadership and mentoring to junior team members, fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, and excellence.

• Collaborate Across Teams: Work closely with development, DevOps, architecture, and security teams to ensure APIs meet functional and non-functional requirements.

• Monitor and Troubleshoot: Use Azure Monitor, Application Insights, and APIM analytics to identify and resolve API issues, ensuring optimal performance and availability.

What you will need to be successful in the role

Technical Expertise

• Azure API Management: Deep expertise in designing, implementing, and managing APIs using Azure API Management.

• API Security: Strong knowledge of API security protocols, including OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, JWT, and IP filtering.

• API Policies: Proficiency in creating and managing APIM policies such as caching, transformation, rate limiting, and throttling.

• Integration Expertise: Experience with hybrid integration scenarios, including connecting on-premises systems to cloud services using Azure APIM, Logic Apps, and Azure Functions.

• API Lifecycle Management: Skilled in API versioning, documentation, and lifecycle management to ensure consistency and maintainability.

• Monitoring and Analytics: Proficiency in using Azure Monitor, Application Insights, and APIM analytics for performance monitoring and troubleshooting.

• DevOps Integration: Experience integrating APIM with CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps or other tools for automated deployment and management.

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Proven ability to lead and mentor technical teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with a focus on delivering high-quality solutions

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in API design, development, and management, with at least 5 years of hands-on experience with Azure API Management.

• Strong understanding of API security, scalability, and performance optimisation.

• Experience with Azure integration services, including Logic Apps, Azure Functions, and Event Grid.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and collaborative team practices.

• Proficiency in scripting and automation using tools like PowerShell, ARM templates, or Terraform.

• Experience with API testing tools such as Postman or SoapUI.

• Familiarity with RESTful API design principles and best practices.

• Knowledge of microservices architecture and containerisation (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker).

• Experience writing scripts with Powershell, Terraform and swagger.

• Understanding of networking concepts, including DNS, load balancing, and firewalls.

• Azure certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Communication and Influencing

Leadership

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Planning and Organising

Team Working and Cross Functional Collaboration

About us

Irish Life is one of Ireland's largest financial institutions with a presence across a range of financial services markets. We are one of Ireland's leading financial services groups with over 1.5 million customers. For over 80 years, we've been helping people to look after their life insurance, pension and investment needs, and more recently their health insurance.

It is a subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco and a member of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.

We are proud of our culture of developing and supporting the growth and professional development of our people. The focus has resulted in a team of top talent with high standards, positioning us at the forefront of our industry.

The company reserves the right to draw up a shortlist as part of the selection process. Where Agency assistance is required the Irish Life Recruitment Team will engage directly with suppliers. Unsolicited CVs / profiles supplied to Irish Life by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this role.

Irish Life is proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer. We have created an environment of inclusion and growth to help people achieve their potential, to ensure they can bring their whole selves to work and to feel valued. We celebrate diversity of thought and perspective and want all of our employees to feel valued, respected and supported.

We have built a culture that promotes equality and inclusion for all of our current and future employees and strive to ensure that our behaviours, processes and practices are aligned to this culture.

If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process please contact lifecareers@irishlife.ie and we will be delighted to ensure you are fully supported to be your best.

ILFS supports Equal Opportunity and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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