Underwriting Consultant

Sun Life Financial; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Flexible benefits

Stock ownership program and pension

Annual bonus

Paid vacation and extra days

Sabbatical program

Maternity/Paternity top-up

Not-for-profit support

Job summary

Sun Life Financial is seeking an Underwriting Consultant to analyze medical, personal, and financial information to determine eligibility for Life and Critical Illness insurance. The role requires strong risk assessment, decision making, and collaboration with advisers and physicians.

With a hybrid work model and a focus on mentorship and continuous learning, you will have opportunities to advance through multiple progression paths including life, health, risk management, and leadership tracks.

Qualifications

• Analytical, judgement, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Influencing and negotiation skills.
• Knowledge of medicine and risk factors.
• Service-oriented attitude with interpersonal skills to work with partners.
• Proven ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure while prioritizing tasks.
• Specialized training: ALU certificate with goal of FALU/FLMI designations.

Responsibilities

• Analyze medical, personal, and financial information to assess eligibility for Life and Critical Illness insurance applications.
• Assess and classify risk using underwriting guidelines and professional judgement; gather information.
• Make timely, well-reasoned decisions within authority limits; refer cases for co-sign when needed.
• Partner with reinsurers to negotiate outcomes on complex decisions.
• Engage internal partners to deliver advisor and Client-centric experiences.
• Communicate decisions clearly to advisors and clients when required.
• Document decisions with supporting rationale and clear notes for risk evaluation.
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance underwriting quality, efficiency and consistency.
• Contribute ideas that support innovation and automation for better outcomes.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Decision making

Interpersonal skills

Deadline driven

ALU/FALU/FLMI

Life underwriting

Bilingual FR/EN

Education

ALU certificate

Job description

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful. When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

Location: hybrid, work from home

As an Underwriting Consultant, you’ll be joining one of Canada’s top insurers. We’re known for not only our strength in the market, but our commitment to our people. Underwriting goes beyond risk assessments here. We’re focused on making thoughtful, well-informed decisions that provide financial security to Canadians and their loved ones. By joining Sun Life, you become part of a high-performing team, led by passionate professionals with extensive experience in the field, industry knowledge, and a passion for mentorship. Our continuous learning pathways and skills development opportunities ensure endless growth for you as you advance in your career. We offer various progression paths including individual life, health insurance, risk management, people management, innovation, and field sales. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career journey—supported in an environment that values its people, their ambitions, and expertise—this is where you belong.

Life’s brighter under the sun

Joining our team at Sun Life means you can expect:

• A hybrid working environment, giving you the best parts of in-office collaboration and work from home flexibility
• Flexible Benefits from the day you join, meeting the needs of you and your loved ones
• Our stock ownership program and pension plan give you the chance to invest in Sun Life with company matching opportunities
• An annual bonus based on company and individual performance
• Paid vacation based on experience, 5 care days available for self-care or care of others (e.g. family or others you may support) and 10 personal illness days to support your well-being
• Our unique sabbatical program gives you the opportunity to take up to 6 weeks off, every 5 years
• Investment in not-for-profit organizations that are important to you
• Maternity/Paternity top-up program so you can focus on your growing family

What will you do?

• Analyze medical, personal, and financial information to assess eligibility for Life and Critical Illness insurance applications, leveraging quantitative and qualitative data to inform sound decisions.
• Assess and classify risk using underwriting guidelines and professional judgement; gather additional information (e.g., medical evidence) or refer cases as required.
• Make timely, well-reasoned decisions within your authority limits and submit cases exceeding limits for co-sign.
• Partner with reinsurers to negotiate optimal outcomes on complex or unfavourable decisions.
• Engage internal partners, business leaders, and advisors to deliver an advisor and Client-centric experience grounded in expertise, empathy, and trust.
• Communicate decisions clearly and confidently to advisors and (as required) Clients' physicians—explaining rationale in a way that is respectful, transparent, and easy to understand.
• Respond to inquiries from advisors and general agents while protecting confidentiality.
• Document decisions and supporting rationale, ensuring clear, concise notes that demonstrate thoughtful risk evaluation.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance underwriting quality, efficiency, and consistency.
• Also contribute ideas that support innovation, automation, and better outcomes for Clients, advisors and Sun Life.
• Maintain strong medical knowledge and stay current on underwriting approaches, trends, and risk factors.
• Embrace new tools and technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.

What do you need to succeed?

• Minimum 7 years of experience as an Individual Life Underwriter
• Existing life and critical illness signing authorities
• Analytical, judgement, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Knowledge of medicine and risk factors
• Service-oriented attitude with interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with our internal and external partners
• Proven ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure while prioritizing multiple tasks
• Specialized training: ALU certificate (or commitment to obtain), with a goal of attaining the Fellow, Academy of Life Underwriting (FALU) and Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) designations

As this position is posted in several locations, we specify that bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

When a new position becomes available which matches your background and experience, the base pay range will be disclosed and correspond to the opportunity Sun Life will consider you for.

In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion

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. We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling. We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Category: Underwriting - Individual

End Date: 16/10/2026

Shine together At Sun Life, you can be your most brilliant self. Our supportive, flexible, and inclusive work environment is one where you – and your career – can thrive. Whatever your aspirations, collaborative leaders and colleagues are ready to help you learn, grow, and succeed. Make life brighter We’re a global company with a passion for people. Our purpose is to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. As a team of 30,000 across 26 countries, our impact is far-reaching, and locally relevant There’s power in numbers. As part of Sun Life’s growing team, you have an impact on people in your community and around the world. Shape the future With an optimistic eye on a brighter future, we drive to innovate. Be part of leading change, push boundaries and try new ways of working. Use data to drive bold actions. Be agile and pivot as we test and learn. At Sun Life, we’re driving transformation, sustainability and innovation for our Clients, employees, partners, and communities. Join us. Together, we can make the future brighter. Join a top employer for a brighter future. Visit Sun Life Careers