Director Underwriting

Highmark Health; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 129,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Highmark Health is seeking a senior leader to oversee underwriting operations within designated regions, guiding the delivery of insights to support customer acquisition and retention.

The role emphasizes timely, high-quality outputs, adherence to internal and governmental regulations, and the development of the underwriting strategy across multiple books of business. Strong leadership and client communication are essential.

Qualifications

• 7 years of relevant underwriting, risk management, or actuarial experience applying advanced mathematics or quantitative analysis.
• 5 years of external client interaction or comparable external interactions.
• 5 years of leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage hiring, coaching, development, rewards, recognition, and performance management.
• Plan and direct daily ops with budgetary responsibility.
• Own books of business; collaborate with Underwriting and Sales on region strategies.
• Coordinate with regional Sales to anticipate client needs and plan workload.
• Provide guidance and insights for critical and sensitive clients.
• Align portfolio and functions with strategic goals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders.
• Contribute to strategy and oversee execution; manage risks.
• Guide underwriting function as subject matter expert; cross-team liaison.
• Ensure consistent application of underwriting policies.
• Review renewal/quote exceptions; recommend modifications to prevent loss.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Client relationships

Quantitative analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Science, Technology, or other quantitative analysis discipline.

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

This leadership role oversees underwriting operations within designated functions or regions, serving as the primary liaison to sales and customers. Guides the delivery of insights and recommendations to support customer acquisition and retention, ensuring adherence to timeliness, quality expectations, and applicable internal and governmental regulations. This role involves monitoring quality and response times, developing team skills and performance, and overseeing strategic regional or functional initiatives. The incumbent contributes to and executes the underwriting strategy, handling progressively more complex and multiple books of business. Daily communication within the function and routine meetings with leadership are essential to review metrics, performance, and key issues.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform management duties, including hiring, termination, coaching, development, rewards, recognition, performance management, and staff productivity.
• Plan, organize, staff, and direct daily operations, developing and implementing policies and programs, with budgetary responsibility.
• Accountable for all levels of books of business, collaborating with Underwriting and Sales leadership to develop and refresh region-level or functional book management strategies.
• Coordinate with regional Sales leadership to anticipate client needs and manage intraday workload planning.
• Provide guidance, deeper insights, and communication assistance for critical and sensitive clients.
• Understand strategic goals, competitive position, and drive portfolio and functional results toward these goals.
• Develop and maintain positive customer relationships with key stakeholders.
• Contribute to strategy development and oversee execution, proactively managing and resolving risks and issues.
• Manage relationships between the assigned function and other key stakeholders, providing guidance to underwriting functions as a subject matter expert.
• Ensure integrity and consistent application of Underwriting policies and guidelines.
• Review renewal and prospect quotes in exception scenarios to provide guidance on reasonableness and appropriateness, recommending modifications to prevent adverse selection and financial loss.
• Other duties as assigned or requested.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Science, Technology, or other quantitative analysis discipline.

Substitutions

• Relevant experience as determined by the company in lieu of a bachelor’s degree

Preferred

• None

EXPERIENCE

Required

• 7 years of relevant underwriting, risk management, or actuarial experience applying advanced mathematics or quantitative analysis.
• 5 years of external client interaction or comparable external interactions.
• 5 years of leadership experience.

Preferred

• 7 years of External Client interaction.
• 5 years in risk management, actuarial work, or advanced mathematics application.

LICENSES or CERTIFICATIONS

Required

• None

Preferred

• None

SKILLS

• Deep understanding of Highmark Health Plan products, services, and risk assessment techniques.
• Experience with customer relationship management.
• Consultative and partnership-driven mindset.
• Strong oral and written communication.
• Strong analytical background.
• Focus on team skill development.

Language (Other than English):

None

Travel Requirement:

25% - 50%

PHYSICAL, MENTAL DEMANDS and WORKING CONDITIONS

Position Type

Office-based

Physical work site required

Yes

Disclaimer: The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

Compliance Requirement: This job adheres to the ethical and legal standards and behavioral expectations as set forth in the code of business conduct and company policies.

As a component of job responsibilities, employees may have access to covered information, cardholder data, or other confidential customer information that must be protected at all times. In connection with this, all employees must comply with both the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and Privacy Policies and Procedures as well as all data security guidelines established within the Company’s Handbook of Privacy Policies and Practices and Information Security Policy.

Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct. This includes but is not limited to adherence to applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as well as company policies and training requirements.

Pay Range Minimum:

$129,100.00

Pay Range Maximum:

$214,500.00

Base pay is determined by a variety of factors including a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and expected contributions, as well as internal peer equity, market, and business considerations. The displayed salary range does not reflect any geographic differential Highmark may apply for certain locations based upon comparative markets.

Highmark Health and its affiliates prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on any category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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