Disability Underwriting Director

MassMutual; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

MassMutual is seeking a Disability Underwriting Director to lead a team of underwriting consultants, coaching them on workflow, procedures, and underwriting guidelines. The role drives talent development, process improvement, and a strong customer experience for advisors and brokers.

The ideal candidate will possess extensive IDI underwriting experience, leadership skills, and the ability to partner with sales, product, marketing, and compliance.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of Disability Underwriting experience.
• 2+ years leading or mentoring production underwriters.
• Candidates residing within 50 miles of our Springfield MassMutual office will be expected to work a Hybrid schedule of 3 days a week in the office

Responsibilities

• Acquisition, retention, and development of IDI underwriting talent.
• Lead, guide, mentor, and coach disability underwriters in both technical and professional skills.
• Cultivate an environment conducive to continuous improvement and root cause problem solving activities.
• Build on our culture of Advisor True North, ensuring the team provides an exceptional customer experience to our career advisors and brokers
• Work closely with Compliance, Legal and key underwriting partners around underwriting policies and respond to new regulatory issues and inquiries
• Commitment to professional development: adaptable to change; open to both receiving and providing feedback in a constructive manner; makes changes in behavior based on feedback and/or experience
• Maintain ongoing awareness of medical, financial, and occupational underwriting developments across the industry.
• Perform trending and root cause analysis to identify gaps and provide feedback on training needs and procedural changes
• Develop and maintain key relationships with General Agents, advisors, brokerage directors and firm staff to resolve escalations, discrepancies, or risk related concerns. Considers total case financials, relationship, and value of customer.

Skills

Disability underwriting

Leadership

Hybrid work

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

The Opportunity

As a Disability Underwriting Director, you will be responsible for a team of underwriting consultants, using your experience to support them through coaching, answering questions and providing guidance on workflow, procedures, resources, and underwriting. Successful candidates will maintain full awareness of the department’s service level requirements, provide support as needed to achieve these goals and work with leadership to develop and deliver on our strategic vision and execute on day-to-day results.

The Team

It is an exciting time in Underwriting at MassMutual! We are going through a digital transformation while continuing to be a leading customer-centric company. The team supports our MassMutual Financial Advisors (MMFA) distribution channel. We support MassMutual career agents, individual brokers, and the consumers they serve. The team culture is collaborative, cross-functional, and uses legacy and new technologies combined with a work/life balance.

The Impact

As a Disability Underwriting Director your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Acquisition, retention, and development of IDI underwriting talent.
• Lead, guide, mentor, and coach disability underwriters in both technical and professional skills.
• Cultivate an environment conducive to continuous improvement and root cause problem solving activities.
• Build on our culture of Advisor True North, ensuring the team provides an exceptional customer experience to our career advisors and brokers
• Work closely with Compliance, Legal and key underwriting partners around underwriting policies and respond to new regulatory issues and inquiries
• Commitment to professional development: adaptable to change; open to both receiving and providing feedback in a constructive manner; makes changes in behavior based on feedback and/or experience
• Maintain ongoing awareness of medical, financial, and occupational underwriting developments across the industry.
• Perform trending and root cause analysis to identify gaps and provide feedback on training needs and procedural changes
• Develop and maintain key relationships with General Agents, advisors, brokerage directors and firm staff to resolve escalations, discrepancies, or risk related concerns. Considers total case financials, relationship, and value of customer.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma
• 7+ years of Disability Underwriting experience
• 2+ years leading or mentoring production underwriters
• Candidates residing within 50 miles of our Springfield MassMutual office will be expected to work a Hybrid schedule of 3 days a week in the office

Ideal Qualifications

• 10+ years of direct IDI underwriting experience with an underwriting authority
• 7+ years production underwriting experience
• IDI underwriting leadership experience
• Bachelor's Degree
• Experience leading a concierge service team
• Proven experience of innovation; can brainstorm effectively; open to new methods, processes, or ways of performing work; proactively seeks alternative ways to meet objectives; can articulate how potential ideas may play out in the business environment; advanced critical path thinking
• Demonstrated knowledge of all aspects of risk selection (medical, non-medical, financial)
• Proven track record of partnership with sales, product, marketing and compliance
• Flexible to travel and work outside of standard office hours

What You Can Expect at MassMutual

MassMutual offers the opportunity to do meaningful work within a purpose-driven organization that values long-term impact over short-term outcomes. In this role, you can expect:

• Clear areas of ownership and accountability, with work that connects directly to company and customer outcomes
• A collaborative environment where perspectives are welcomed
• Access to learning, development, and internal networks that support continuous growth and skill-building over time
• Employee-led communities and forums that foster connection, learning, and inclusion across the organization
• A culture grounded in integrity, responsibility, and stewardship—supported by a company with a strong legacy and a future-focused mindset

Salary Range:

$144,800-$190,000

At MassMutual, we focus on ensuring fair equitable pay, by providing competitive salaries, along with incentive and bonus opportunities for all employees. Your total compensation package includes either a bonus target or in a sales-focused role a Variable Incentive Compensation component.

Why Join Us.

We’ve been around since 1851. During our history, we’ve learned a few things about making sure our customers are our top priority. In order to meet and exceed their expectations, we must have the best people providing the best thinking, products and services. To accomplish this, we celebrate an inclusive, vibrant and diverse culture that encourages growth, openness and opportunities for everyone. A career with MassMutual means you will be part of a strong, stable and ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits. And your voice will always be heard.

We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. As a company owned by our policyowners, we are defined by mutuality and our vision to put customers first. It’s more than our company structure – it’s our way of life. We are a company of people protecting people. Our company exists because people are willing to share risk and resources, and rely on each other when it counts. At MassMutual, we Live Mutual.

MassMutual is an equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome all persons to apply.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.

At MassMutual, we focus on ensuring fair, equitable pay by providing competitive salaries, along with incentive and bonus opportunities for all employees. Your total compensation package includes either a bonus target or in a sales-focused role a Variable Incentive Compensation component. For more information about our extensive benefits offerings please check out our Total Rewards at a Glance.