Director of Underwriting

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Virginia.

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement underwriting and new business strategies that are in line with organizational objectives, risk tolerance, and service standards.

• Convert enterprise-level strategies into structured, scalable, and measurable operational practices.

• Spearhead transformation initiatives aimed at modernizing underwriting and new business workflows.

• Manage the complete new business lifecycle, including intake, underwriting, requirements, offers, reconsiderations, and policy activation.

• Enhance workflows, case assignments, and throughput to boost cycle times, efficiency, and consistency.

• Set up and oversee service level agreements (SLAs) and performance metrics.

• Offer technical underwriting expertise on intricate life insurance risks.

• Ensure that decisions are thoroughly documented, compliant, and consistent with mortality expectations and reinsurance standards.

• Review and authorize complex cases within authorized limits and escalate issues as necessary.

• Lead the implementation of automation, accelerated underwriting, and third-party data solutions.

• Assess and deploy digital tools and workflow improvements to increase speed and accuracy.

• Enhance real-time decision-making capabilities and improve member experiences.

• Develop and track KPIs and KRIs, including cycle time and throughput, quality and post-issue audit results, requirement aging and placement rates, as well as productivity and vendor performance.

• Identify trends, risks, and areas for improvement; initiate corrective actions as needed.

• Mentor, coach, and develop underwriting and new business teams, including managers and senior technical personnel.

• Drive performance management, workforce planning, succession planning, and talent development initiatives.

• Cultivate a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and high performance.

• Collaborate with Sales, Inforce, Claims, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Technology teams.

• Work in partnership with reinsurance carriers on complex cases and program enhancements.

• Ensure team alignment to provide a seamless, member-first experience.

• Maintain underwriting guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), audit readiness, and regulatory compliance.

• Assist with escalations, member grievances, and risk-related evaluations (e.g., rescissions, contestable claims).

• Oversee vendor relationships, including those related to medical exams, labs, and data providers.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

• Over 8 years of experience in life insurance underwriting, particularly in complex case reviews.

• Demonstrated leadership experience in managing teams and/or senior technical experts.

• Profound understanding of medical underwriting and associated terminology.

• Expertise in mortality risk assessment.

• Knowledge of reinsurance practices.

• Experience in leading process enhancements and operational transformations.

• Involvement in automation and accelerated underwriting initiatives.

• Development of KPIs/KRIs and performance analytics.

• Strong familiarity with underwriting systems, workflow tools, and policy administration platforms.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

• Capability to function effectively in a fast-paced, production-oriented environment.

• Professional designations such as CLU, FLMI, ALU, or FALU are preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health insurance.

• Retirement plans.

• Paid time off.

• Flexible work arrangements.

• Opportunities for professional development.