Surety Operations Manager

West Bend Insurance Company•Bend, OR

30d•$109,432 - $154,574•Hybrid

About The Position

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, and technology within the Surety organization. You’ll help modernize how work gets done, improving processes, advancing data and reporting capabilities, and enabling smarter decision-making across the business. With strong cross-functional exposure and the ability to influence meaningful change, this position offers the chance to lead impactful initiatives, drive continuous improvement, and shape the future of Surety operations in a growing, evolving environment.

Requirements

7-10+ years of experience in surety operations, underwriting support, underwriting, or related insurance operations roles
3-4+ years of leadership or people management experience
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
Effective written and verbal communication skills
Understanding of insurance or surety operational workflows, systems, data sources, and cross-functional business processes
Ability to collaborate across multiple functional areas and influence stakeholders
Project management and organizational skills to support operational and technology initiatives
For senior-level candidates: demonstrated experience providing strategic direction and leading division-wide or national initiatives

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or related field, or equivalent experience in surety underwriting or operations

Responsibilities

Lead operational, technology, and business initiatives that support Surety divisional objectives and long-term growth.
Use data and reporting to monitor performance, identify trends, and recommend operational and process improvements.
Develop, enhance, and maintain operational processes, metrics, and reporting to support day-to-day execution and leadership decision-making.
Partner with underwriting and internal stakeholders to ensure operational tools, systems, and workflows effectively support business needs.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including IT, legal, finance, billing, claims, actuarial, product, and marketing to implement approved initiatives and system enhancements.
Lead and develop a team of Systems Analysts, Product Owners, and Business Process Specialists, ensuring alignment to divisional priorities.
Provide coaching, performance management, and professional development while fostering accountability and collaboration.
Establish and maintain operational best practices and standard operating procedures that promote efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
Maintain awareness of industry, economic, and competitive conditions to inform operational planning and strategic direction.

Benefits

Medical & Prescription Insurance
Health Savings Account
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Short and Long Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Life and Accidental Death & Disability
Accident and Critical Illness Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
401(k) Plan with Company Match
Pet Insurance
Paid Time Off. Standard first year PTO is 17 days, pro-rated based on month of hire. Enhanced PTO may be available for experienced candidates
Bonus eligible based on performance
West Bend will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act for Colorado employees, in accordance with its plans and policies.