Group Benefits Re, Director of Underwriting

The Hartford; Hartford (CT); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 192,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

The Hartford is seeking a Director of Underwriting to lead a team of 5-6 underwriters responsible for profitable acquisition and retention of group life, disability, and supplemental health customers. You will coach, mentor, and drive performance against underwriting guidelines and profitability targets.

Reporting to the AVP of Underwriting & Shared Services, this role supports strategic initiatives, ensures quality standards, and collaborates with clients and partners on pricing, treatment of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 7+ years of group benefits experience with strong technical knowledge related to product, pricing, and risk selection.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including ability to influence audiences with varying levels of expertise.
• Ability to think analytically about business problems, make recommendations and propose solutions.
• Demonstrated success in developing and maintaining solid relationships with internal and external business partners in current role.
• Demonstrated organization and prioritization management skills, including project management and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Prior experience managing a team preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of 5-6 underwriters responsible for providing underwriting services to our group life, disability, and supplemental health reinsurance clients.
• Build and retain a highly motivated and technically competent underwriting team by providing effective coaching, training, motivation, career development, and performance management.
• Ensure team and clients adhere to underwriting guidelines, rate development protocols, authority limits and documentation protocols and achieves quality standards.
• Ensure operating routines are in place to maximize team collaboration, productivity, and engagement.
• Communicate effectively and persuasively with clients and business partners on underwriting issues including decisions on declinations, terminations, exposure, and plan design concerns.
• Monitor key underwriting metrics and develop strategies to ensure profitability, pricing, persistency, and service objectives are met.
• Recommend changes in products, underwriting guidelines and/or pricing protocols to ensure continued growth and sustained profitability for our organization and our reinsurance clients.
• Provide clear and consistent communication to employees regarding business goals, performance expectations, process, procedural and organizational changes.
• Actively drive and participate in assigned project work geared towards helping the organization achieve our financial performance, customer value and employee engagement goals.
• Implement new Clients as required with competent project management.
• Support strategic initiatives of department and team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Project management

Team leadership

Relationship building

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree

7+ years group benefits experience

Job description

Dir Underwriting - UO06AE

We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals - and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Underwriting & Shared Services (GRP), the Director of Underwriting is accountable for leading a team of underwriters responsible for the profitable acquisition and retention of group life, disability, and supplemental health customers.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead a team of 5-6 underwriters responsible for providing underwriting services to our group life, disability, and supplemental health reinsurance clients. This includes presale, new business, and renewal underwriting.
• Build and retain a highly motivated and technically competent underwriting team by providing effective coaching, training, motivation, career development, and performance management.
• Ensure team and clients adhere to underwriting guidelines, rate development protocols, authority limits and documentation protocols and achieves quality standards.
• Ensure operating routines are in place to maximize team collaboration, productivity, and engagement.
• Communicate effectively and persuasively with clients and business partners on underwriting issues including, but not limited to, decisions on declinations, terminations, exposure, and plan design concerns.
• Monitor key underwriting metrics and develop strategies to ensure profitability, pricing, persistency, and service objectives are met.
• Recommend changes in products, underwriting guidelines and/or pricing protocols to ensure continued growth and sustained profitability for our organization and our reinsurance clients.
• Provide clear and consistent communication to employees regarding business goals, performance expectations, process, procedural and organizational changes.
• Actively drive and participate in assigned project work geared towards helping the organization achieve our financial performance, customer value and employee engagement goals.
• Implement new Clients as required with competent project management.
• Support strategic initiatives of department and team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

We'll Be a Good Match if You Have

We'll Be a Good Match if You Have A customer-first mindset, putting our customers at the center of everything you do.

• A passion for making decisions through both analyzing the data and employing critical thinking skills.
• A team spirit and desire to work collaboratively.
• A financial mindset to help make the best decisions.
• Ability to own your work and following through on commitments.
• Ability to decipher and execute within a fluid and changing business environment.
• An understanding of how to build relationships and trust among diverse groups.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 7+ years of group benefits experience preferred with strong technical knowledge related to product, pricing, and risk selection.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including ability to influence audiences with varying levels of expertise.
• An ability to think analytically about business problems, make recommendations and propose solutions.
• Demonstrated success in developing and maintaining solid relationships with all internal and external business partners in current role.
• Demonstrated organization and prioritization management skills, including project management and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Prior experience managing a team preferred.

Additional Information

This role will have a Hybrid work schedule, with the expectation of working in our Hartford, CT office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday).

Compensation

The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition.

The annualized base pay range for this role is: $128,000 - $192,000

Equal Opportunity Employer/Sex/Race/Color/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age

About Us | Our Culture | What It's Like to Work Here | Perks & Benefits

Every day, a day to do right. Showing up for people isn't just what we do. It's who we are - and have been for more than 200 years.

We're devoted to finding innovative ways to serve our customers, communities and employees - continually asking ourselves what more we can do.

Is our policy language as simple and inclusive as it can be? Can we better help businesses navigate our ever-changing world? What else can we do to destigmatize mental health in the workplace? Can we make our communities more equitable? That we can rise to the challenge of these questions is due in no small part to our company values that our employees have shaped and defined.

And while how we contribute looks different for each of us, it's these values that drive all of us to do more and to do better every day.