AVP, Digital Underwriting & Innovation

AVP, Digital Underwriting & Innovation 

Summary

The AVP, Digital Underwriting & Innovation provides strategic leadership for Symetra's digital underwriting capabilities and innovation initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Underwriter, this role is responsible for developing and executing the department's digital underwriting strategy, advancing automated underwriting capabilities, managing underwriting rules engines, and identifying opportunities to improve underwriting quality, efficiency, competitiveness, and partner experience. This role leads the evolution of underwriting through technology, automation, data, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and emerging evidence sources to improve risk assessment while maintaining alignment with Symetra's underwriting philosophy, risk appetite, and business objectives. As a member of the Individual Life Underwriting Leadership Team, this role partners closely with the Chief Underwriter and other Underwriting leaders to advance Symetra's digital underwriting capabilities. By combining underwriting expertise, technology, data, and innovation, the AVP helps strengthen the partner experience, improve operational efficiency, and position Underwriting as a competitive advantage while remaining aligned with Symetra's Win Smart Underwriting philosophy.

Responsibilities

✔ Digital Underwriting & Technology Strategy: • Develop and execute Symetra's Digital Underwriting Strategy. • Establish the long-term vision for digital underwriting capabilities. • Own the Underwriting rules engine, decision logic, and digital underwriting capabilities supporting Symetra's Underwriting Workbench. • Identify opportunities to improve accelerated underwriting, increase instant decision rates, and reduce underwriting friction. • Contribute to the Life Division's technology roadmap in partnership with the Experience Builders team and key business stakeholders. • Evaluate emerging technologies, artificial intelligence capabilities, data sources, and automation opportunities that improve the underwriting and partner experience. • Balance partner experience, customer experience, mortality, speed of evaluation, operational efficiency, and cost of underwriting. • Prioritize digital underwriting initiatives in partnership with the Chief Underwriter and key business partners.
25%

✔ Innovation, Research & Development: • Lead underwriting innovation initiatives that improve risk assessment quality, competitiveness, and efficiency. • Design and execute underwriting research studies involving emerging evidence, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation. • Evaluate industry trends, competitor capabilities, and new underwriting technologies. • Assess the predictive value of existing and emerging data sources. • Lead pilot programs and proof-of-concept initiatives. • Recommend enhancements to underwriting guidelines and digital capabilities based on research findings.
25%

✔ Digital Underwriting Leadership: • Lead the department's Digital Underwriting team. • Provide leadership, coaching, and development to Technical Underwriters and future digital underwriting resources. • Ensure underwriting philosophy and guidelines are accurately implemented within digital underwriting capabilities. • Establish priorities for rules development, testing, and implementation. • Oversee quality and governance of the Underwriting rules engine. • Develop team capabilities that advance digital underwriting, automation, and innovation across the department.
25%

✔ Enterprise Partnership & Leadership: • Serve as a member of the Individual Life Underwriting Leadership Team. • Partner with Product, Actuarial, Distribution, Information Technology, Underwriting Production, Vendor Management, Legal, and Compliance to develop and implement underwriting initiatives. • Represent Underwriting on enterprise technology, automation, and innovation initiatives. • Build and maintain strategic relationships with vendors, data providers, and industry partners. • Promote the department's Win Smart Underwriting philosophy through innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. • Foster an innovative, collaborative, and high-performing culture across the Digital Underwriting & Innovation team.
25%

Skills

✔ Underwriting
5 - Expert

✔ Digital Underwriting Strategy
5 - Expert

✔ Underwriting Technology Strategy
5 - Expert

✔ Rules Engine Management
5 - Expert

✔ Strategy & Innovation Leadership
5 - Expert

✔ Artificial Intelligence Applications
5 - Expert

✔ Communication
5 - Expert

✔ Collaboration & Relationship Management
4 - Advanced

✔ People & Change Leadership
4 - Advanced

✔ Regulatory Compliance
4 - Advanced

Specialty Education Required

College degree or equivalent work experience.

Designations and/or Certifications Required

Preferred: ALU, CLU, FLMI,. ALU or equivalent.

Licensing Required

Typical Years of Experience

15-20 years of cumulative, relevant experience

Impact

Viewed as an emerging Executive by both management and peers. Focus is on operations during the current year, but may participate in establishing multiyear (1-3) strategies and business plans. Small to moderate impact to the business results of the company. Small to moderate decision-making authority pertaining to agreements. Has visibility with Executive management. Able to take complex information and synthesize for Executive management use. Gets others to follow their lead and work with them successfully. Consistently requested to be at the table for critical business decisions.

Job Complexity

Officer assigned title to recognize performance as well as scope of decision making and ability which requires incumbent to be an officer of the company. May lead entire department, which may include multiple business units. Develops, adapts and executes functional or departmental strategy to achieve key business objectives in area of responsibility. Develops solutions that impact and help to define the strategic direction of the department/division.

Skills And Knowledge

Manages and provides direction through senior managers and managers. Extensive knowledge of the field along with advanced management, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

Reporting Structure

Provides leadership and direction through senior managers and managers. Approves goals and budgets for department/business unit. Reports to AVP or VP.

Leadership

Is a change agent. Defines and/or leads action planning for business initiative activities. Regularly assesses talent; provides active management coaching to managers and develops team with succession planning in mind. Mentors others. Able to effectively collaborate cross-functionally.

Contact with Others

Internal: Engage with all levels of the organization, including key stakeholders and senior leaders across the division. External: Industry partners, vendors, and attending key industry and distribution events.

We empower inclusion
At Symetra, we aspire to be the most inclusive insurance company in the country. We're building a place where every employee feels valued, respected, and has opportunities to contribute.

Inclusion is about recognizing our assumptions, considering multiple perspective, and removing barriers. We accept and celebrate diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives, because lifting each other up fuels thought and builds a stronger, more innovative company. We invite you to learn more about our efforts here.

 

Creating a world where more people have access to financial freedom
Symetra is a national financial services company dedicated to helping people achieve their financial goals and feel confident about the future. In our daily work, we're guided by the principles of Value, Transparency and Sustainability. This means we provide products and services people need at a competitive price, we communicate clearly and openly so people understand what they're buying, and we design products--and operate our company--to stand the test of time. We're committed to showing up for our communities, lifting up our employees, and standing up for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Join our team and help us create a world where more people have access to financial freedom.

For more information about our careers visit: https://symetra.eightfold.ai/careers

 

Work Authorization
Employer work visa sponsorship and support are not provided for this role. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at hire and must maintain authorization to work in the United States throughout their employment with our company.

 

Please review Symetra's Remote Network Minimum Requirements:

As a remote-first organization committed to providing a positive experience for both employees and customers, Symetra has the following standards for employees' internet connection:

• Minimum Internet Speed:100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, in alignment with the FCC's definition of "broadband."
• Internet Type:Fiber, Cable (e.g., Comcast, Spectrum), or DSL.
• Not Permissible:Satellite (e.g., Starlink), cellular broadband (hotspot or otherwise), any other wireless technology, or wired dial-up.

When applying to jobs at Symetra you'll be asked to test your internet speed and confirm that your internet connection meets or exceeds Symetra's standard as outlined above.

 

Identity Verification

Symetra is committed to fair and secure hiring practices. For all roles, candidates will be required (after the initial phone screen) to be on video for all interviews. Symetra will take affirmative steps at key points in the process to verify that a candidate is not seeking employment fraudulently, e.g. through use of a false identity.

 

Failure to comply with verification procedures may result in:

• Disqualification from the recruitment process
• Withdrawal of a job offer
• Termination of employment and other criminal and/or civil remedies, if fraud is discovered