Sr Director Life Underwriting

Responsibilities

• Manage overall life underwriting risk assessment processes impacting Company bottom line and producer satisfaction.
• Develop and oversee underwriting procedures, practices, guidelines, forms and manuals for life insurance products and distribution systems.
• Coordinate with the Product, Pricing, Risk, Operations and other Underwriting leadership to set life insurance underwriting strategies, drive the transformation of risk selection processes while balancing the need to maintain and improve mortality/morbidity results and comply with appropriate insurance and financial services regulations.
• Create positive, proactive relationships with internal and external customers.
• Drive and support the use of data analytics in mortality/morbidity assessments, and as analysis of the Transamerica underwriting process and its results.
• Drive the underwriting experience and notify the appropriate stakeholders of variations with underwriting guidelines/experience.
• Set and drive achievement of department goals, objectives, and priorities in alignment with company/divisional goals.
• Manage the budget process by providing information on needs within the team.
• Resolve escalated issues as they arise; facilitate resolution with internal and external customers.
• Manage relationships with other leaders on integrated strategies, workflows and system development efforts that maximize organizational effectiveness.
• Complete performance appraisals and evaluate overall performance of team.
• Drive an exceptional culture and climate in the department through effective communication, employee development, standards setting and leading by example.
• Be a champion of diversity.
• Oversee department management by providing hiring, direction, counseling, and training to staff.
• Recommend and/or lead projects, processes or changes in underwriting policies and procedures to promote efficient processes within the department.
• Oversee underwriting processes and underwriting decisions through audit and analytics programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a business field or equivalent experience.
• Expert knowledge life insurance underwriting processes and procedures.
• Eight years of leadership experience, preferably in life insurance.
• FALU, FLMI, CLU, or similar professional designations.
• Experience leading the development, execution, and measurement of strategic plans.
• Sound business judgment, results oriented, customer focused, and excellent negotiation, relationship building and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively at all levels to build strong cooperative relationships that drive profitable sales.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of risk factors relating to mortality risk management (medical, financial, occupational, environmental, etc.); insurance principles including mortality, insurable interest and actuarial theory; compliance with insurance, privacy and FINRA regulations; reinsurance treaties, pool agreements, and auto-bind retention limits; and individual life insurance products and riders.
• Project management experience.