Underwriting Manager, Student Health Insurance

About the role

Wellfleet, a Berkshire Hathaway company, delivers customer-centric accident and health insurance, with quality service and uncompromising ethics. Wellfleet works to protect people against risk throughout every stage of life – from grade school to college to the workplace. Founded in 1993 as Consolidated Health Plans (CHP), Wellfleet, headquartered in Springfield, Mass., is one of the nation’s leading providers of health and accident insurance products to the higher education market.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily underwriting operations across renewals and new business (RFPs)
• Review case work for completeness, consistency, and appropriate application of methodology
• Cook up multiple quote scenarios and plan options for clients
• Lead and manage a team of underwriters and support staff in a high-volume, seasonal environment
• Assign workload and prioritize deliverables to meet tight RFP and renewal deadlines
• Provide ongoing coaching on underwriting methodology, SHIP market dynamics, pricing rationale and documentation
• Manage staff, and as applicable, conduct 1:1 weekly (or bi-weekly) “check-ins” with direct reports to establish expectations and ensure accountability regarding priorities and goals
• Coach and mentor team members by identifying areas of improvement by providing timely and constructive feedback
• Support onboarding and train new team members
• Provide direction to drive success
• Drive a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement
• Manage underwriting workflow to ensure on-time delivery of quotes, efficient case throughput, and minimal backlog during peak periods
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks in the underwriting process
• Maintain strong service levels to Sales, broker partners, and internal stakeholders
• Improve operational processes, documentation standards, and quality control procedures
• Enforce adherence to underwriting guidelines and pricing frameworks
• Accurately apply actuarial assumptions in rating models
• Approve cases within delegated authority and escalate exceptions as needed
• Maintain proper documentation for all pricing decisions and deviations
• Support audit readiness and compliance requirements
• Partner with: Actuarial to ensure accurate data inputs, assumptions, and case-level alignment, Product to reflect benefit design changes and pricing impacts, Sales to support quote development and responsiveness, Coordinate information flow and ensure timely completion of cross-functional deliverables
• Translate technical pricing outputs into clear and actionable information for internal stakeholders
• Aid in managing competing priorities during peak RFP cycles
• Monitor case-level and workflow performance indicators including turnaround time, rework rates, and case volume and backlog
• Identify and escalate deteriorating accounts, pricing inconsistencies and operational risks
• Support leadership with insights into execution challenges and improvement opportunities
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and 6+ years of experience in health insurance underwriting, actuarial support, or pricing role, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 2+ years of leadership or team management experience
• Experience with Student Health Insurance (SHIP) or adjacent markets (fully insured health plans) strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of pricing/risk drivers including; Loss ratio and rate development, Credibility and experience rating concepts, Medical trend drivers (utilization and unit cost), Healthcare claims data and pricing models
• Proficiency with underwriting tools (Excel-based models, pricing systems, reporting tools)
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Capable of efficiently managing multiple tasks and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent organizational skills, including thorough and complete follow-up to all time sensitive items
• Strong verbal, written communication, and presentation skills
• Outstanding attention to detail with the ability to understand complex problems, identify root causes and effectively problem-solve
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to effectively identify, communicate, and address potential issues
• Able to motivate team members and provide direction to drive success
• Able to work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional team

Qualifications

• Passion for health insurance and student health insurance specifically
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and as part of a team

Skills

• Underwriting
• Healthcare Claims Data
• Pricing Models
• Excel-Based Models
• Actuarial Assumptions
• Medical Trend Drivers
• Loss Ratio and Rate Development
• Credibility and Experience Rating Concepts
• Utilization and Unit Cost
• Product Knowledge
• Customer Service
• Team Management
• Leadership

Benefits

We offer a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision and dental insurance options, life and accident insurance, 401(k), and short-term and long-term disability insurance. For a more detailed overview, visit our careers website at: wellfleetinsurance.com/about/careers.

Pay

The annual gross base salary range is $120,000 to $160,000. This range anticipates the low and high end of the salary for this position. Actual salaries will vary and are based on factors such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills and competencies.

Schedule

Full-time position.