Principal

Summary

The Principal is the Services leader/owner of the Customer Account and the field leader on all implementation-related topics.

You'll be responsible for the success of the cloud transformation programs, ensuring that projects stay on track and that Guidewire delivers real value to the customer's business. You will lead implementation planning with customers from pre-sales through to delivery, owning the end-to-end estimation process in collaboration with internal functions and SI partners. You will be adept at structuring and managing both outcome-based and Fixed Price engagements, ensuring commercial constructs are aligned to delivery realities and customer expectations.

You will bring firsthand experience delivering programs through a Global Delivery Model, coordinating onshore, nearshore, and offshore teams across time zones while maintaining delivery quality, governance standards, and customer confidence. You will understand the operational disciplines required to make distributed delivery work effectively — from knowledge transfer and team integration to communication cadences and escalation protocols.

You'll coordinate internal and external teams, manage delivery risks, and serve as a trusted advisor to customer stakeholders across the Australia-Japan market. A deep understanding of P&C insurance operations, regulatory environments, and market dynamics in this region is essential to this role. You'll also work closely with Sales, Product, and other internal teams to ensure smooth delivery, clear communication, and long-term success.

Your background will reflect experience gained within a Global System Integrator or a SaaS-based product company, giving you a strong foundation in structured delivery methodologies, commercial engagement models, and the operational realities of delivering enterprise software at scale. This background will inform how you engage with SI partners, shape customer proposals, and lead delivery governance across complex programs.

You will advocate for customers' needs with partners and internal teams while being accountable for the portfolio's financial performance and revenue growth.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Cloud Program Leadership

Lead the planning and execution of cloud transformation programs across assigned customer accounts in the Australia/Japan market

Own end-to-end implementation planning with customers, establishing delivery roadmaps, resource models, and milestone frameworks from engagement inception

Design and govern Global Delivery Model structures for assigned programs, defining the split of responsibilities across onshore, nearshore, and offshore teams and ensuring effective integration across all delivery locations

Establish the governance, communication, and escalation frameworks required to manage distributed delivery teams effectively, including time zone coordination, knowledge transfer protocols, and quality assurance across locations

Coordinate key activities like performance testing, cutovers, and handovers to customer success

Monitor progress, identify risks, and work with delivery teams to keep programs on track

Ensure customer programs align with business objectives and success criteria

Structure and govern Fixed Price engagements, managing scope boundaries, change control processes, and margin protection throughout the delivery lifecycle

Lead outcome-based engagement models, defining measurable success criteria, aligning delivery milestones to business outcomes, and proactively managing customer expectations

Customer Relationship and Advocacy

Act as a trusted delivery partner to customer stakeholders and SI partners across Australia or Japan

Provide strategic input on how customers can best leverage Guidewire products and services within the context of local P&C insurance market requirements, including regulatory frameworks such as APRA or FSA, and regional product lines

Apply strong insurance domain knowledge to guide customers on industry best practices, line of business considerations, and operational transformation specific to the Australia-Japan market

Draw on GSI or SaaS product company experience to bring structured, scalable thinking to customer engagement design and delivery governance

Advocate for customer needs within Guidewire — collaborating with Product, Cloud Ops, and Support

Support governance activities like steering committees and executive reviews

Sales and Pre-Sales Support

Support sales teams by contributing to cloud transformation proposals and services estimates, including Fixed Price and outcome-based commercial constructs

Lead the development of implementation estimates in close collaboration with Delivery, Cloud Ops, Product, and SI partners — ensuring estimates reflect realistic scope, complexity, and risk, including the cost and coordination overhead associated with Global Delivery Model structures

Participate in early conversations with customers to shape engagement plans, applying regional market insight to tailor solutions for the Australia-Japan context

Own small to mid-size opportunity proposals and help develop Statements of Work, including scope definitions appropriate for Fixed Price structures and Global Delivery Model resourcing

Identify expansion opportunities within existing accounts by leveraging delivery performance and customer relationships

Program Financial Management

Track budgets and forecast delivery costs across Fixed Price and time-and-materials engagements, including the financial implications of Global Delivery Model resourcing across multiple locations

Manage commercial risk in Fixed Price contracts through rigorous scope management, proactive change control, and margin monitoring

Contribute to overall account profitability by managing margin, staffing, and scope alignment across onshore and offshore resource pools

Ensure a smooth transition from implementation to BAU support and customer success

KPIs & Success Metrics

Program Success Rate — percentage of cloud implementations delivered on time, on scope, and within budget, with specific accountability for Fixed Price contract performance

Customer Engagement Quality — CSAT scores and stakeholder feedback from assigned accounts across Australia and Japan

Delivery Efficiency — accuracy of delivery forecasting, implementation estimates, staffing plans, and margin impact, including Global Delivery Model cost optimisation

Estimate Quality — accuracy of pre-sales implementation estimates measured against actual delivery outcomes

Establishing and achieving account-specific Services Revenue, Profitability, and Sales targets

Key Skills & Experience

Experience in enterprise software delivery, consulting, or transformation, gained within a Global System Integrator or SaaS-based product company

Experience in a customer-facing delivery leadership role, with accountability for program outcomes and customer satisfaction

Hands-on experience delivering large-scale cloud or SaaS implementations using a Global Delivery Model, with direct responsibility for coordinating onshore, nearshore, and offshore teams

Demonstrated understanding of the operational disciplines required for effective distributed delivery — including team integration, knowledge transfer, quality assurance across locations, and time zone governance

Demonstrated experience in structuring and managing Fixed Price engagements, including scope definition, change control, and margin management

Experience delivering outcome-based engagements with clearly defined success metrics and milestone-linked delivery models

Proven ability to lead implementation planning and develop detailed delivery estimates in collaboration with internal teams and SI partners, incorporating Global Delivery Model resourcing and cost structures

Strong knowledge of the P&C insurance industry in Australia and/or Japan, including regul