Underwriting Manager

Premera; United States; Remote; USD 108,000 - 184,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401K match

Pension plan

Commuter perks

On-site parking

Tuition assistance

Wellness programs

Job summary

Premera is seeking an experienced Underwriting Manager to lead a high-performing team from a remote/telecommuter setting. You’ll guide underwriting, pricing, and contracting activities to ensure adequate rates and policy provisions while driving operational efficiency and strategic priorities across the organization.

The role emphasizes leadership, compliance with health insurance standards, and collaboration with sales and account management to support business objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field, or 4 years of work experience.
• 5 years of underwriting, regulatory, or health insurance consulting experience.
• Leadership experience in health insurance management or a senior role.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy management monitoring reports for tracking financial and membership positions.
• Manage underwriting, pricing, and contracting activities to meet risk and profit objectives.
• Oversee underwriting processes to meet turnaround goals and objectives.
• Recruit, hire, and train high-quality underwriting teams and manage performance appraisals.
• Oversee budget processes for assigned cost centers and liaise with senior management.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Underwriting expertise

People management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field

Master’s degree

CEBS designation

Job description

Workforce Classification: Telecommuter

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

As an Underwriting Manager, you will guide a high-performing team and shape the work that drives our business forward. In this role, you’ll combine people leadership, strategic insight, and underwriting expertise to strengthen operations and support key priorities across the organization. This is a remote/telecommuter position, working from home.

What you’ll do:

• Develop and deploy management monitoring reports for tracking financial and membership positions and contract and fulfillment production, using these reports to effectively manage the business and report results to senior management teams.
• Manage underwriting, pricing, and/or contracting activities to ensure that rates and policy provisions are adequate to meet the risks assumed and the profit objectives of the company.
• Manage underwriting processes to meet or exceed turnaround goals and objectives.
• Create and maintain core competency in underwriting by recruitment, hiring, and training of high-quality, experienced, and energetic teams.
• Manage the associated performance appraisal process.
• Manage the budget process for assigned cost center(s), subject to corporate guidelines and senior management requirements.
• Serve as primary point of contact within Premera for other departments seeking information related to underwriting policy.
• Provide integral support to sales and account management teams, in internal and external presentations and negotiations.
• Develop and maintain pricing data and contract generation systems that support departmental and strategic management decisions with timely and accurate information.
• Assist underwriting senior management in sustaining long-term policies and procedures to formulate work unit strategy in support of organizational strategy.
• Monitor and review data from internal departments for content and accuracy, and to identify associated problems and develop solutions.

What you’ll bring:

• Required Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field of study, or (4) years of work experience.
• (5) years of underwriting, regulatory, or health insurance consulting experience.
• Previous underwriting experience.
• Preferred Qualifications (2) years of experience in health insurance management or a leadership position.
• Master’s Degree.
• CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) designation.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Demonstrated track record in providing leadership in complex business cases and/or projects.
• Substantial knowledge of the health insurance industry, and of the group administration and/or underwriting function within an insurance carrier setting.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate "win-win" situations as it relates to business decisions.
• Ability to assess market conditions and recommend contract and underwriting improvements to support competitive position and/or revenue growth opportunities.

Physical Requirements

The following have been identified as essential physical requirements of this job and must be performed with or without an accommodation: This is primarily a sedentary role which requires the ability to exert up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. This role requires the ability to keyboard and to communicate clearly and understandably in person and over the telephone.

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.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Retirement programs, including a 401K employer match and, believe it or not, a pension plan that is vested after 3 years of service.
• Wellness incentives with a wide range of mental well-being resources for you and your dependents, including counseling services, stress management programs, and mindfulness programs, just to name a few.
• Generous paid time off to reenergize.
• Looking for continuing education? We have tuition assistance for both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
• Employee recognition program to celebrate anniversaries, team accomplishments, and more.
• For our hybrid employees, our on-campus model provides flexibility to create your own routine with access to on-site resources, networking opportunities, and team engagement.
• Commuter perks make your trip to work less impactful on the environment and your wallet.
• Free convenient on-site parking.
• Subsidized on-campus cafes make lunchtime connections with colleagues fun and affordable.
• Participate in engaging on-site activities such as health and wellness events, coffee connects, disaster preparedness fairs and more.
• Our complementary fitness & well-being center offers both in-person and virtual workouts and nutritional counseling.

Need a brain break? Challenge someone to a game of shuffleboard or ping pong while on campus.

Equal employment opportunity/affirmative action:

Premera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Premera seeks to attract and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. If you need an accommodation to apply online for positions at Premera, please contact Premera Human Resources via email at [e-mail] or via phone at 425-918-4785.

Premera is hiring in the following states, with some limitations based on role or city:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington
• Wisconsin

The pay for this role will vary based on a range of factors including, but not limited to, a candidate’s geographic location, market conditions, and specific skills and experience. The salary range for this role is posted below; we generally target up to and around the midpoint of the range. National Salary Range: $108,100.00 - $183,800.00 National Plus Salary Range: $123,200.00 - $209,400.00 *National Plus salary range is used in higher cost of labor markets including Western Washington and Alaska. We’re happy to discuss compensation further during the interview because we believe that open communication leads to better outcomes for all. We’re committed to creating an environment where all employees are celebrated for their unique skills and contributions.

At Premera, we make healthcare work better. By focusing on improving our customers’ experience purposefully and serving their needs passionately, we make the process easier, less costly, and more positive. Through empathy and advocacy, we change lives. As the leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, we provide comprehensive health benefits and services to more than 2 million customers, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. Our services include innovative programs focused on health management, wellness, prevention, and patient safety. We deliver these programs through health, life, vision, dental, disability, and other related products and services. Premera Blue Cross is headquartered in Mountlake Terrace, WA, with operations in Spokane and Anchorage. The company has operated in Washington since 1933 and in Alaska since 1952. With more than 80 years of experience in the region, we deliver innovation, choice, and expertise.