Vice President, Chief Underwriter – Sagicor North America

ivari Canada; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider is looking for a Vice President, Chief Underwriter to lead underwriting operations in Canada and the USA. This executive role requires extensive experience in individual life underwriting, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to handle complex underwriting and claims processes as part of a dynamic hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of individual life underwriting experience at an advanced technical level.
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a high-performing underwriting team.
• Excellent strategy perspective and strong decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction of the underwriting function.
• Develop and document underwriting philosophy and procedures.
• Oversee claims administration and ensure compliance with underwriting policies.

Skills

Leadership

Decision-making

Ethical conduct

Communication skills

Education

University Degree in Business or related field

Fellow, Academy of Life Underwriting (FALU) designation

FLMI (Fellow Life Management Insurance)

Job description

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Welcome to Sagicor North America

Sagicor is a leading financial services provider with over 180 years of history, which operates across the Caribbean, in the United States and Canada.

Sagicor currently operates in 19 countries and maintains a strong market position in most of the markets where it operates. Sagicor has four reporting operating segments, Sagicor Life, Sagicor Jamaica, Sagicor Life USA and Sagicor Canada. For the last 12 months ending September 30, 2024, revenues were US$3.9 billion with assets under management of US$23 billion.

Sagicor’s objective is to be a leading insurance and financial services provider of world class products and services to better serve its customers and other stakeholders in its markets. Sagicor is focused on growing its business in the markets in which we operate and actively supporting the communities in which we serve.

Sagicor North America is comprised of both Sagicor Canada (ivari) and Sagicor Life USA. For the last 12 months ending September 30, 2024, revenues were US$2.7 billion with assets under management of US$52 billion.

Sagicor Canada operates under the ivari brand name in Canada and is one of Canada’s leading individual life insurance providers. Headquartered in Toronto, with an additional office in Montreal, ivari employs 300 people with a wide range of skills and expertise. ivari provides a full range of insurance and investment products including universal life, term life, critical illness, and annuities through a national network of independent advisors.

Sagicor Life USA operates under the Sagicor Life Insurance brand name in the US, in 45 states and the District of Columbia. It has offices in Tampa, FL and Scottsdale, AZ and employs 160 people with a wide range of skills and expertise. Sagicor Life USA provides annuity and life products focusing on pre- and post-retiree clients through independent producers and financial advisors.

At Sagicor, we aim to attract, develop, and retain a workforce as diverse as the customers we serve and the communities in which we do business. We offer an inclusive and accessible work environment where all employees and customers feel valued, respected, and supported.

Here’s the job opportunity…

As the Vice President, Chief Underwriter, Sagicor North America, you are responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the underwriting function including developing and documenting underwriting philosophy and procedures at both Sagicor Canada and Sagicor Life USA.

The Vice President, Chief Underwriter represents underwriting to our advisors, distributors and reinsurers. Collaborating closely with Corporate Actuarial you will provide input on new product development and provide expert guidance and advise on challenging underwriting cases. As a natural leader, you will provide Leadership and direction to the underwriting function including developing and documenting underwriting philosophy and procedures, and representing underwriting to our advisors, distributors and reinsurers. The VP, Chief Underwriter is also responsible for vendor relations, claims review, underwriter training, and audits and represents underwriting on all technology innovations and other projects.

The Chief Underwriter is also responsible for providing oversight to the claims administration function including settling claims philosophy; timely and accurate payment of all individual life, investment product and disability claims.

This role requires a seasoned underwriting professional with extensive experience within the individual life insurance industry. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional leadership skills, a deep understanding of our industry, and the ability to manage and improve the underwriting function for Sagicor North America.

The Vice President, Chief Underwriter will report to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Sagicor North America.

This role is based in Toronto, Canada. We are a hybrid work environment, and employees are expected to come into the office 2-3 days per week. As the role has responsibility for US underwriting operations as well, some travel will be required.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure the Underwriting philosophy is designed, implemented and maintained in a manner that meets the organization’s business requirements.
• Plan, chair and document resolutions of the underwriting committee.
• Regularly review and update underwriting policies, procedures and practices to ensure they are adequate and appropriate to manage underwriting risks and remain applicable considering changing circumstances
• Actively engage and maintain constructive working relationships with the sales team, distributors and advisors as well as industry associations on underwriting matters, including emerging developments.
• Develop technical strength in the underwriting team through targeted training, underwriting audits and controls.
• Collaborate with management to ensure underwriting risks are adequately mitigated in product launches
• Oversee the claims review process and provide underwriting opinion on cases with higher face value
• Fosters a culture of excellence, collaboration, and professional development across the organization and within the underwriting team and ensures team members are challenged and motivated.
• Promotes a culture of compliance and ethical behavior within the organization
• Cultivates strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including the Senior Leadership Teams at ivari and Sagicor US, regulators in both US and Canada and industry groups.
• Collaborates in the development and enhancement of underwriting practices of the Parent Company.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of individual life underwriting experience at an advanced technical level
• Superior technical skills in both medical and financial individual life underwriting
• University Degree in Business or other related field along with Fellow, Academy of Life Underwriting (FALU) designation and FLMI (Fellow Life Management Insurance)
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a high-performing underwriting team
• Unwavering commitment to ethical conduct and integrity in all professional activities
• Excellent strategy perspective and leadership skills
• Strong decision-making skills and self-sufficiency with the ability to interact with senior management and comfortable with creating board reports
• Proven organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple and changing priorities
• Proven ability to simplify processes and drive continuous improvements
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Independent and motivated to provide advice in an effective and efficient manner to all staff levels in a professional, customer focused manner to ensure resolution

Who you are…

Someone who enjoys a culture where everyone is genuinely respectful, and you can be your authentic self every day. Your contributions and opinions are not only sought but valued. You know the importance of, and live by, our core values of…

• Bringing clarity and focus to your work.
• Taking ownership and doing what you say you will.
• Remaining flexible.
• Collaborating with others.

Our commitment to inclusivity is reflected in the safeguards, policies and commitments we have in place to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities to prospective and current employees, without discrimination.

A Human Resources representative is available to consult with applicants who require accommodation in the application or recruitment process. Any information shared by the applicant about an accommodation will be treated as confidential. If you do require an accommodation, please email [emailprotected] .

Seniority level

Seniority level

Executive

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Other

Insurance

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