AVP, Underwriting

National Life Insurance Company • Montpelier, VT

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Come join one of America’s fastest-growing insurance companies. Since 1848, National Life Group has aimed to keep our promises, providing families with stability in good times and in bad. Throughout that history, we have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures.
Our mission extends beyond the insurance and annuities policies that we offer. We strive to make the world a better place through our grants from our charitable foundation, paid volunteer time for our employees, environmentally sustainable and healthy workplaces, and events that promote the work of nonprofits in our own backyard.
We foster a collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and encourage our associates to live our values: Do good. Be good. Make good.
Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.
Role Summary
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Underwriting leader to be head of our dynamic and growing core markets team. This senior leadership role requires a data-driven, forward-thinking leader who can provide strategic oversight, drive innovation, and focus on the development of our team. The ideal candidate will balance top and bottom-line objectives, ensuring our underwriting practices are both competitive and compliant while fostering a culture of excellence and growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required. A master’s degree and significant industry certifications (FALU, FLMI, and/or CLU) are strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the life underwriting industry, marked by strong business relationships, skilled leadership, and proven business results.
• Recognized as an industry leader with a strong external reputation, capable of attracting and engaging new distribution groups to National Life Group.
• Strategic Focus: Demonstrated ability to manage and influence people and initiatives with a strategic, externally focused approach.
• Leadership: Exceptional leadership skills with a balance of sales and marketing acumen and a collaborative problem-solving style. Must be able to role model Servant Leadership principles and hold others accountable within the underwriting organization.
• Innovation: Possess an innovative and solution-oriented mindset with a forward-thinking perspective on demographic and risk changes.
• Proactive and Collaborative: High energy, strong bias for action, and a collaborative nature. Takes initiative and works effectively with minimal supervision.
• Technical Expertise:
• Extensive knowledge in complex case underwriting, and living benefits.
• Broad experience across affiliated, independent, and brokerage channels.
• Understanding of product development, illustrations, and pricing.
• Ability to work with advanced sales and specialty risks, including foreign national, executive bonus, large case, and premium finance niches.
• Business Acumen: Broad industry perspective with strong general business acumen. Understanding of the evolving compliance and regulatory environment.
• Relationship Building: Ability to attract business, foster loyalty among agents, and build strong relationships both with field associates and the home office team.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills, enthusiastic and articulate. Ability to develop and present to large audiences.
• Background Check: Candidate must successfully pass a background check.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with COLI, small group, and critical or chronic cases is a plus.
• Deposition experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Vision:
• Develop and articulate a clear, forward-looking underwriting strategy that aligns with our corporate goals. Work across our department and enterprise to ensure that underwriting strategy deepens the value chain and competitive edge that we offer to our customers.
• Foster a solution-oriented mindset within the core market Underwriting department, promoting innovation and continuous process and workflow management improvement.
• Industry Leadership and Presence:
• Elevate National Life brand by actively participating in industry events, committees, advisory boards, and vendor meetings. Establish our organization as a Center of Excellence in underwriting, setting industry standards and driving thought leadership.
• Field Engagement and Relationship Building:
• Collaborate with field and key distribution leaders to recruit and educate producers on our underwriting practices and target demographics. Cultivate strong relationships with field leadership and producers, integrating their feedback into the underwriting process and directly addressing complex issues when necessary.
• Team Development and Leadership:
• Uses data insights and innovative tools to assess current staffing models and, based on projections, make recommendations on ways to support the growing business.
• Lead a high-performing underwriting team, focusing on hiring, development, succession planning, and career growth.
• Provide mentorship and strategic guidance on managing a diverse portfolio of cases, including large and complex cases.
• Inspire and motivate the team to achieve our business growth plans, while effectively managing the underwriting budget.
• Innovation and Competitive Advantage:
• Champion innovative underwriting practices that enhance our competitive edge, focusing on improving quality, speed, and agent satisfaction.
• Product Development and Enhancement:
• Influence product development by providing insights based on field feedback, competitive intelligence, and market analysis.
• Continuously refine risk selection criteria to maintain a competitive position in the market.
• Standards, Compliance, and Quality Assurance:
• Drive productivity and service standards to ensure National Life remains competitively differentiated, safeguarding profitability through high-quality risk selection.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant insurance regulations and laws, partnering with the legal team to address and resolve disputes.

Benefits

• Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!
• The total compensation package for this position may also include a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered.
• The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees