Director, Underwriting Risk Management

Sun Life; Waterloo; Hybrid; CAD 105,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company is seeking a Director of Underwriting Risk Management to enhance client onboarding and lead underwriting teams. This role requires minimum 10 years of experience, a proven leadership record, and strong communication skills. The position is hybrid, offering flexibility to work both in-office and virtually. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits included.

Benefits

Flexible Benefits

Pension Plan participation

Stock Ownership Program

Paid vacation and Care Days

Sabbatical Program

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years Life and Health Underwriting experience including 5 years in a leadership role.
• Comprehensive understanding of risk management policies and framework.
• Willingness to represent the company on industry associations and committees.

Responsibilities

• Support the AVP, Underwriting Risk Management.
• Promote excellence in underwriting risk assessment across the organization.
• Champion a positive client experience in underwriting.

Skills

Leadership

Underwriting expertise

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Education

University degree in a relevant field

Job description

Overview

Location : hybrid

The Director, Underwriting Risk Management for Sun Life Canada will be recognized in the Canadian insurance underwriting community as a high performing underwriting leader who thrives on the challenge of applying innovative problem solving skills to improve the client onboarding experience. Through active, hands on leadership this leader will foster a forward thinking, collaborative, results-oriented environment for professional underwriters across Sun Life’s Canadian business units.

What will you do?

• Support the AVP, Underwriting Risk Management
• Promote excellence and consistency in underwriting risk assessment across SLF Canada
• Develop and deliver life, critical illness and disability underwriting training schools for SLF Canada Underwriting Teams
• Develops and conducts underwriting reviews / audits for Individual, Group Medical Underwriting (GMU) and Client Solutions (CS) underwriting teams. Recommends periodic changes to the review programs and ensures action plans are completed
• Continuously contributes to development of the organization\'s Underwriting philosophies by monitoring emerging trends and best practices. Recommends and implements changes to underwriting philosophies, methodologies, practices, processes and technologies
• Provides deep technical leadership and underwriting risk perspective on product development, medical, financial, and non-medical underwriting, application revisions and new business processes
• Champions and advocates for a positive and consistent underwriting client experience for all clients of SLF Canada
• Participates in, coordinating reinsurance audits and ongoing communications regarding changes to underwriting policies
• Leads the team responsible for rescissions and contestable claim reviews
• Keeps abreast of medical underwriting developments, emerging trends and industry practices
• Acts as a senior underwriting resource for complex underwriting cases, providing deep technical expertise, consulting with Legal, Medical and Chief Underwriter as necessary to resolve escalations
• Ability to engage and influence internal stakeholders and business leaders on matters pertaining to underwriting risk management, philosophies, methodologies, practices, processes, technologies and strategy

What do you need to succeed?

• Minimum of 10 years Life and Health Underwriting experience including 5 years in a leadership role
• Previous authority limit of $5,000,000 life insurance and $1,000,000 critical illness insurance with a minimum of two years of experience at that level
• Comprehensive understanding of risk management policies and framework
• Experience with multiple lines, products and distribution channels
• Understanding of the financial impact of underwriting decisions to the Company
• Proven effective interpersonal and leadership skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with proven partnership capabilities
• Comfortable navigating in a matrix organization
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills
• University degree, with preference given to medical, science, mathematics, legal, or business.
• Completion of or working towards recognized professional qualifications including Fellowship, Academy of Life Underwriting (FALU) and Fellowship Life and Health Claims (FLHC)
• Willingness to represent SLF on industry associations and committees
• Willingness to travel as needed
• As this position is posted in several locations, bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only as the position includes managing both French and English-speaking staff (Quebec and outside Quebec) and providing daily support to the team.

Reasons to join us

• A caring, supportive, and inclusive culture
• Supportive leadership who’s focused on your success and well-being
• Continuous improvements that focus on enhancing your work and our clients’ experience #makeadifference
• Sustainability commitments to create a cleaner, more inclusive and sustainable future for our communities

We also offer a number of programs and offerings to help our Employees achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives, some of these include :

• Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family
• Pension Plan participation starts immediately, and you are automatically enrolled. We help you save more with Sun Life automatic and matching contributions and by including both your salary and bonus when making contributions
• Stock Ownership Program gives you the chance to invest in Sun Life and get a company match
• Paid vacation based on experience, 5 Care Days available for self-care or care of others (i.e., family or others you may support) and 10 Sick Days to support your well-being
• Our unique Sabbatical Program gives you the opportunity to take up to 6 weeks off, every five years

Salary Range : 105,000 / 105 000 - 180,000 / 180 000

Job Category : Underwriting - Individual

Posting End Date : 16 / 09 / 2025

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to [e-mail].

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you! Several work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.