Head of Group Benefits Business Risk & Resiliency

Guardian Life; Holmdel Township (NJ); Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Life is seeking a Head of Group Benefits Business Risk & Resiliency to lead the risk and resiliency program for our B2B GB line. You will manage the risk profile across Technology, Cyber, Data, Model, Compliance, and Third Party domains, enabling informed business decisions with independent risk insights.

You will partner with senior leaders to drive risk visibility, build continuity plans, and maintain the risk register, reporting to the Chief Risk Officer within Enterprise Risk

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Group Benefits insurance.
• Strong analytical, decision making and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to GB Leadership to drive the Risk & Resiliency program according to Guardian standards.
• Assess key risks at the Line of Business and process level and ensure visibility into key risk action items.
• Execute the Business Resiliency framework through development of business continuity plans and resiliency solutions.
• Own and drive maintenance of the Risk Register (ServiceNow) for GB.
• Oversee consolidation and synthesis of risk data across all domains to maintain an aggregated residual risk profile.
• Coordinate and integrate risk activities, including issues, events, KRIs, and stress scenario analysis.
• Drive a risk-aware culture and promote consistent standards.

Skills

Experience in Group Benefits

Analytical skills

Operational risk management

Change leadership

Influencing skills

Job description

Hybrid - In office 3 days per week

New York

Bethlehem

Boston

Holmdel

Stamford

Full time

R000110075

As the Head of Group Benefits Business Risk & Resiliency, you will execute the Risk & Resiliency frameworks for Group Benefits (GB), Guardian’s B2B line of business. You will manage the operational risk profile for GB, aggregating risk across domains (Technology, Cyber, Data, Model, Compliance, Third Party, etc) and ensuring alignment to Guardian’s risk appetite and tolerance. You will enable informed business decision‑making by providing oversight, independent challenge, and proactive risk insights, supported by risk domain experts within Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).

You will

• Act as a trusted advisor to GB Leadership to drive the Risk & Resiliency program according to Guardian standards, in part by facilitating Risk Working Groups on a regular cadence for transparency and accountability. Escalate topics to the appropriate risk committees as warranted.

• Assess key risks at the Line of Business and process level and ensure visibility into key risk action items through coordination and engagement with business process owners and risk and control partners.

• Execute the Business Resiliency framework through development of business continuity plans and resiliency solutions for critical dependencies, regular testing, and oversight of plans, and managing business coordination of Disaster Recovery and Crisis Management efforts.

• Own and drive maintenance of the Risk Register (ServiceNow) for GB, including establishing reporting standards, promoting self‑identification of risks, and ensuring data quality and completeness.

• Oversee consolidation and synthesis of risk data across all domains to maintain an aggregated residual risk profile, assess alignment to risk appetite, identify material risk themes and trends, and inform LOB leadership and risk governance discussions.

• Coordinate and integrate risk activities, including issues, events, Key Risk Indicators(KRIs), and stress scenario analysis, ensuring appropriate linkage, escalation, and consistency across domains.

• Drive a risk‑aware culture, enabling first‑line ownership of risk and partnering with Business Risk Coordinators to promote consistent standards, effective issue identification, and timely escalation.

You are

• A confident, visible leader and trusted advisor comfortable operating in a highly transparent environment, engaging senior leaders, risk committees, and cross‑functional stakeholders to support informed business decision‑making.

• A change leader with strong business acumen who provides clear risk insights, credible challenges, and pragmatic trade‑off perspectives to advance business priorities.

• An exceptional communicator and collaborative relationship builder with a proven ability to partner across lines of business, risk domains, and enterprise functions to drive outcomes through others.

You have

Required

• 5+ years of experience in Group Benefits insurance

• Strong analytical, decision making and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• 5 yrs in operational risk management or a related risk discipline

• Flexibility and resourcefulness in managing multiple priorities.

• The ability to accelerate impact and the desire to lead change.

• Strong influencing skills with transformational initiatives

Reporting Relationship

This position is an individual contributor reporting to the Head of Business Risk & Resiliency, who reports to our Chief Risk Officer within Enterprise Risk Management.

Location

Hybrid: 3 days in the office, 2 days WFH. Preferred location – Hudson Yards, NYC; Bethlehem, PA; Holmdel, NJ; Boston MA; Pittsfield MA or Stamford CT

Salary Range:

$132,420.00 - $217,545.00

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits . Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [e-mail] . Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment-based visas (e.g., such as an H-1B). In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship/support now or at any time in the future.

Notice Regarding Guardian’s Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

As part of Guardian’s job application process, Guardian may use artificial intelligence tools (“AI Tools