Underwriting Director

Penn Mutual•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

Position Overview: The Underwriting Director is a senior underwriting role responsible for managing underwriting production, quality, and people leadership. Reporting directly to the Associate (VP) Chief Underwriter, this role provides expert subject matter guidance on complex cases, leading and developing a team of underwriters, and ensuring underwriting decisions align with company philosophy, quality standards, and profitability objectives. The Underwriting Director combines deep technical underwriting expertise with strong people leadership, operational oversight, and decision-making authority, while supporting enterprise underwriting initiatives. This role requires close collaboration with underwriting leadership, new business operations, distribution partners and product to drive the company’s growth and success.

Requirements

Extensive large case experience, working routinely on cases $20,000,000+
Strong leadership capability with experience coaching, mentoring, and developing underwriting talent. Approaches our customer with a proactive mindset and with servant leadership
Highly developed knowledge of financial and other non-medical underwriting factors including deep expertise in advanced financial underwriting concepts
Highly developed knowledge of medical science, technology and terminology and their impact on mortality
Strong knowledge of reinsurance marketplace with full understanding of retention, automatic, jumbo and reinsurance arrangements
Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to create and build relationships and thrive in a team environment
Strong knowledge of insurance products (plans, riders, benefits) and illustrations and how they are marketed and priced
Experience in an accelerated underwriting environment including working with various data sources
Ability to make a positive contribution as demonstrated by learning new skills and recommend process improvement
Experience in field education and the ability to create and deliver effective PowerPoint presentations
Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills; ability to define, research and resolve problems
Ability to prioritize and work effectively under deadlines balancing service levels with an appropriate customer focus
Commitment to remaining current on emerging underwriting technologies, AI trends, and industry best practices.
Solid knowledge of insurance contract law and state legislative requirements
General awareness of current affairs, industry issues and trends, both corporate and external
College degree required, equivalent work experience in life Underwriting may be considered
10+ years of life underwriting experience
FLMI, FALU and ACS designations or current coursework toward earning certificates

Responsibilities

Serve as the Underwriting Director, reporting directly to the Associate (VP) Chief Underwriterand leading an underwriting team responsible for underwriting production.
Oversee our largest life insurance applications, ensuring thorough and accurate assessments
Make underwriting decisions within approval limits up to $20,000,000
Work closely with Underwriting, New Business and Distribution teams to ensure cohesive operations
Identify trends/issues and offers solutions on issues, including escalations to meet customer needs while ensuring alignment to business strategies
Communicate and collaborates with the field and home office to provide top-tier service to our customers
Coach and mentor individual underwriters. Accountable for underwriter development and career progression.
Participate in department initiatives, assisting in recommending process improvements to enhance productivity, profitability, growth and quality
Select and classify risks according to company philosophy and standards
Assist others with resolving complex issues while ensuring adherence to underwriting standards and objectives
Review and provide second level approvals on referrals from underwriters
Manage retention, autobind and jumbo arrangements
Maintain profitable mortality experience
Participate in projects and initiatives to support our business plan
Champion the responsible adoption of AI in underwriting, ensuring appropriate governance, quality controls, and integration into underwriting workflows.
May represent the company at industry and customer meetings