Program Development & Underwriting Lead

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; United States; Remote; USD 122,000 - 203,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is seeking a Program Business Development Manager responsible for identifying, evaluating, and advancing new delegated underwriting authority program opportunities. This role requires deep understanding of portfolio-level underwriting performance, program structure, and risk management to ensure alignment with risk appetite and profitability targets.

You will lead due diligence of program administrators, assess underwriting discipline and performance, develop

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in insurance, business or a related field is required.
• Advanced industry certification such as CPCU, ARE, et al are preferred.
• Minimum ten (10) years of Property and Casualty experience preferably in an underwriting and/or product development role.
• Minimum of five (5) years of delegated underwriting authority capacity (carrier or program admin) experience; or prior experience/roles in where insurance portfolio evaluation was critical. E.g. Reinsurance underwriter, M&A underwriting.

Responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate new program opportunities through market relationships, brokers, and program administrators.
• Conduct initial screening of opportunities to assess strategic alignment, underwriting appetite, portfolio fit, target segments, and distribution approach.
• Lead due diligence of program administrators, including evaluation of underwriting practices, portfolio performance, operational capabilities, governance, reporting, claims practices, and third-party relationships.
• Assess administrator alignment with carrier expectations and identify risks related to underwriting discipline, adverse selection, and sustainable growth.
• Evaluate program opportunities from a portfolio underwriting perspective, including class mix, exposure profiles, rate adequacy, pricing strategy, profitability outlook, volatility, concentration risk, diversification benefits, and forms utilization.
• Partner with actuarial and underwriting teams to validate assumptions and ensure programs align with enterprise risk appetite and return thresholds.
• Develop Program Assessment Reports, including financial projections, profitability analysis, risk assessments, mitigation strategies, program profiles, and implementation steps.
• Translate complex underwriting and financial data into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership review and approval.
• Manage program opportunities through the full pipeline lifecycle, tracking milestones, dependencies, risks, and strategic priorities.
• Support implementation and transition of approved programs by driving cross-functional alignment, developing execution plans, and ensuring launch readiness.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Presentation and facilitation

Leadership and project management

Independent decision making

Analytical and financial modeling

Portfolio-level underwriting

Program structures and controls

Cross-functional influence

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in insurance, business or a related field

Job description

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is seeking a Program Business Development Manager responsible for identifying, evaluating, and advancing new delegated underwriting authority program opportunities. This role requires deep understanding of portfolio-level underwriting performance, program structure, and risk management to ensure alignment with risk appetite and profitability targets.

You will lead due diligence of program administrators, assess underwriting discipline and performance, develop