Vice President, Underwriting - Employee Benefits (Insurance)

TL;DR

Vice President, Underwriting (Employee Benefits): Lead underwriting strategies and governance for all Employee Benefits products including Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD with an accent on profitable portfolio performance, aggregator risk management, and market-competitive pricing. Focus on building scalable underwriting teams, implementing AI-driven automation, and optimizing processes for small-group and mid-market segments.

Location: Remote (US-based preferred; US-specific benefits like 401k and health insurance)

Salary: $171,000 - $288,000 a year

Company

Insurance company providing protection against life's uncertainties through Employee Benefits products.

What you will do

• Define and drive underwriting strategies, governance, and portfolio performance across all Employee Benefits lines.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing underwriting team with focus on data-driven and automated practices.
• Oversee complex aggregator underwriting for PEOs, payroll companies, GAs, and national brokers.
• Champion technology adoption including AI tools, automation, digital workflows, and analytics.
• Design scalable processes, implement quality controls, and ensure operational alignment with other functions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Distribution, Actuarial, Claims, and Technology teams.
• Own profitability goals, monitor portfolio analytics, loss ratios, and risk management.

Requirements

• 15+ years of Employee Benefits underwriting experience with deep knowledge of small-group and mid-market segments.
• Direct experience underwriting Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, Paid Leaves, and Supplemental Health.
• Proven leadership of underwriting teams; VP-level or equivalent experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to underwrite large aggregators like PEOs, payroll providers, GAs, and national brokers.
• Strong process-engineering mindset and experience with technology modernization, automation, and AI.
• Excellent communication skills for executive-level presentations.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, vision insurance, mental health support, and employee assistance program.
• Work/life balance with paid time off, parental leave, short-term disability, and cultural observance day.
• Financial benefits including healthcare accounts, pension plan, and 401(k) with company matching.
• ProHealth Rewards platform for wellbeing improvements with cash rewards.
• Annual Incentive Plan and Long-Term Incentive Plan based on performance.