Director Underwriting

Premera Blue Cross; Washington; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental coverage

Pet insurance

Total rewards program

Job summary

Premera Blue Cross in Western Washington is seeking a Director of Underwriting to lead a talented team delivering high-quality underwriting work and strategic support. This leadership role focuses on aligning underwriting practices with client needs and company growth, including collaboration with actuaries and our pharmacy division.

The position requires extensive underwriting experience, strong leadership, and the ability to partner across departments to drive sustainable pricing and product

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 4+ years of equivalent work experience in health insurance underwriting.
• Eight years of group medical underwriting or health insurance consulting experience, including 5 years of leadership.
• CEBS designation is preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership in underwriting for medium to large businesses.
• Deep knowledge of health insurance industry and carrier underwriting functions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision to sustain long-term policies and procedures.
• Support Sales and Account Management in client presentations, negotiations and renewals.
• Develop pricing and underwriting models and data-driven solutions.

Skills

Underwriting leadership

Team management

Strategic partnership

Negotiation skills

Health insurance knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Mathematics or related field

Master's degree in related field

CEBS Designation

Job description

Workforce Classification:

Hybrid

Join Our Team: Do Meaningful Work and Improve People's Lives

Our purpose, to improve customers' lives by making healthcare work better, is far from ordinary. And so are our employees. Working at Premera means you have the opportunity to drive real change by transforming healthcare.

Premera is committed to being a workplace where people feel empowered to grow, innovate, and lead with purpose. By investing in our employees and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous development, we’re able to better serve our customers. It's this commitment that has earned us recognition as one of the best companies to work for. Learn more about our recent awards and recognitions as a greatest workplace. https://www.premera.com/visitor/careers#awards

Learn how Premera supports our members, customers and the communities that we serve through our Healthsource blog: https://healthsource.premera.com/.

Director of Underwriting

As the Director of Underwriting, you will lead a talented team dedicated to delivering high-quality work and strategic support through advanced underwriting techniques. This leader will think creatively to achieve financially sound and sustainable growth.

This impactful leadership role will:

• Strategize with clients ranging from Fortune 10 to Fortune 500 companies that want to differentiate themselves in the marketplace via their benefits offerings and ensure that underwriting can support their benefits strategies sustainably.
• Strategically partner with actuaries and our pharmacy division that develops in-house formularies, pricing, and product design that strategically align with our mission to make healthcare work better and be more cost-effective.
• Provide underwriting oversight for the unique Alaska market where Premera has a close partnership with providers, hospitals, brokers, employer groups, unions, public entities, and native corporations. Oversee stop-loss renewals, working closely with self-insured groups in this complex market.

What you will do:

Underwriting and Pricing Activities

• Provide Strategic Vision: Assist Underwriting senior management in sustaining long-term policies and procedures to formulate work unit strategies in support of organizational goals.
• Champion and Partner with Clients: Provide integral support to Sales and Account Management teams in client presentations, negotiations, and sales of renewals and proposals.
• Provide Systems-Based Solutions: Use your understanding of key business goals and strategies to make decisions that address critical business threats and opportunities.

Data Systems and Technology

• Innovate and Lead: Develop and maintain state-of-the-art pricing data systems that empower underwriting and strategic management decisions with timely and accurate information.
• Design Excellence: Oversee the creation and maintenance of sophisticated underwriting models that set the standard for excellence.
• Leverage Technology: Stay ahead of the curve by leveraging technology to drive practical solutions.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Mentor and Inspire: Lead an engaged underwriting team, inspiring them to grow and develop at a company that cares.
• Build a Dream Team: Create and maintain a core competency in underwriting by recruiting, hiring, and training a high-quality, experienced, and energetic team of underwriters.
• Bring Your Collaborative Spirit: Foster open and collaborative relationships with other departments to drive success.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Mathematics, or related field of study or 4 years of work experience.
• Eight years of group medical underwriting, or health insurance consulting experience, including 5 years of experience managing teams. (Required)
• Master's degree in a related field.
• CEBS Designation.
• Demonstrated track record in providing underwriting leadership in complex medium to large size businesses.
• Substantial and diverse knowledge of the health insurance industry and the group underwriting function within an insurance carrier setting.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills. Demonstrated ability to negotiate "win-win" solutions as it relates to business decisions.

Preferred location is Western Washington, we are open to telecommuters in the PST and MST zones.

Premera total rewards

Our comprehensive total rewards package provides support, resources, and opportunities to help employees thrive and grow. Our total rewards are more than a collection of perks, they're a reflection of our commitment to your health and well-being. We offer a broad array of rewards including physical, financial, emotional, and community benefits, including:

• Medical, vision, and dental coverage with low employee premiums.
• Voluntary benefit offerings, including pet insurance for paw parents.