Director, Life Underwriting

The Canada Life Assurance Company; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 121,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career Development

Health & Wellness

Time Off

Financial Security

Rewards and Recognition

Community

Job summary

Canada Life is seeking a Director of Underwriting to lead a team of underwriting specialists across Canada. The role drives consistency with Canada Life’s underwriting philosophy, balancing speed, judgement and risk appetite while coaching staff and aligning with signing authorities.

You will collaborate across Insurance Solutions, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Distribution and IT, shaping policies and training to ensure defensible outcomes and strong advisor and client experiences.

Qualifications

• Significant life underwriting experience with advanced medical, financial and non-medical risk assessment.
• Proven people leadership, coaching and succession development.
• Strong knowledge of underwriting guidelines, signing authorities and reinsurance terms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of underwriting specialists with clear expectations.
• Oversee co-signs, consultations and complex underwriting decisions.
• Use quality metrics to identify capability gaps and strengthen underwriting practice.
• Improve cycle time while maintaining controls and oversight.
• Implement a closed-loop learning system from reviews and outcomes to improve decisions.
• Lead updates to underwriting policy and guideline communications and readiness.
• Collaborate with Distribution and Insurance Operations to improve transparency for advisors and clients.
• Monitor regulatory and market risks and provide evidence-based recommendations.
• Own risk and compliance obligations and ensure timely action on remediation.
• Contribute to workforce planning and signing authorities progression.

Skills

Significant life underwriting

People leadership

Underwriting guidelines

Underwriting automation

Data-driven decision making

Judgment and risk

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Bilingual (French/English)

Education

Professional insurance education (FALU/FLMI/LOMA)

University degree or equivalent

Tools

Underwriting automation tools

Rules engines

Digital applications

Job description

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Reporting to the VP, Chief Underwriter, the Director leads a team of underwriting specialists and helps translate Canada Life’s underwriting philosophy into consistent underwriting outcomes through guidelines, expert co-signing, coaching, mentoring, support and measurable business outcomes.

The role balances speed, judgement and trust: removing friction from routine decisions, strengthening expert capability for complex cases, and ensuring every outcome is consistent, defensible and aligned with risk appetite.

The Director partners across Insurance Solutions, Insurance Operations - New Business & Underwriting, Client Service, Technology, Product, Pricing, Reinsurance, Claims, Legal, Compliance, Distribution and Management Information to improve underwriter, advisor and client experiences while protecting the company and its policyholders.

What you will do

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of underwriting specialists, setting clear expectations for quality, service, collaboration, learning and accountability
• Oversee co-signs, consultations, escalations and complex underwriting matters, ensuring decisions align with signing authorities, guidelines, treaty terms and Canada Life’s risk appetite
• Use quality reviews, spot checks, process audits, claims outcomes, reinsurance feedback, referral patterns and service data to identify capability gaps and strengthen underwriting practice
• Improve cycle time by reducing avoidable evidence, referrals and rework without weakening appropriate controls or expert oversight
• Build a closed-loop learning system that converts quality reviews, claims, litigation, treaty outcomes, advisor feedback and underwriter experience into stronger co-signs, consults, coaching and decisions
• Lead timely review and implementation of underwriting policy and guideline changes, including clear communications, training and operational readiness
• Partner with Distribution and Insurance Operations to explain underwriting approaches, support complex or sensitive cases and improve transparency for advisors and clients
• Monitor emerging medical, financial, avocational, regulatory, technology and market risks and provide evidence-based recommendations to leadership
• Own applicable risk and compliance obligations, including control execution, audit support, access reviews, business continuity and timely closure of action plans
• Contribute to workforce, succession and capacity planning, including specialist accountability, capability, capacity and progression of signing authorities

What you will bring

• Significant individual life underwriting experience, including advanced medical, financial and non-medical risk assessment
• Proven people leadership experience, with the ability to coach specialists, manage performance, build succession depth and lead through change
• Strong knowledge of underwriting guidelines, signing authorities, reinsurance treaties, retention and jumbo considerations, quality assurance and risk governance
• Experience with underwriting automation, rules engines, digital applications, workflow or technology-enabled change
• Ability to use data and operational insight to identify trends, test assumptions, prioritize improvements and measure outcomes
• Sound judgment and the ability to balance growth, advisor and client experience, operational efficiency, fairness, profitability and risk appetite
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain complex underwriting decisions and influence senior and cross-functional stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across Underwriting, Operations, Product, Pricing, Reinsurance, Claims, Legal, Compliance, Technology and Distribution
• Professional insurance education such as FALU, FLMI, LOMA or a related designation is an asset. A university degree or equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred
• As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism is an asset (fluent in French and English) but is required for Quebec only as the position will regularly serve our clients with French and English-speaking needs

Given the size and scope of our organization, we have the flexibility for this position to be located across Canada. This role follows a hybrid work model, with an in-office presence required two days per week at the designated office location.

The base salary for this position is between $121,200 - $171,200 annually. This represents base salary only and does not represent other variable compensation components of our total compensation ( i.e. annual bonus, commission etc).

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grow with Canada Life

We’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. Our company is trusted by 1 in 3 Canadians and contributes to the strength of communities across the country.

We’re looking for people who live our values everyday: we step up, we do the right thing, and we deliver – for our customers, communities and each other. Are you someone who always strives to do the right thing, who steps up for themselves and others, and who delivers with impact? Then we want to hear from you!

What we offer

We’re committed to supporting our employees through every stage of their career. Here’s what you can expect as a full-time or part-time permanent team member:

• Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement.
• Health & Wellness: Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being.
• Time Off: In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.
• Financial Security: Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options.
• Rewards and Recognition: Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!
• Emphasis on Community: We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.

We’re committed to removing barriers and ensuring equal access to employment. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact [e-mail]. All information provided will be handled in accordance with applicable laws and Canada Life policies.

Canada Life would like to thank all applicants, however only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted.

Location

Canada, ON, CA