Lead of Underwriting Transformation and Modernization

Do you want to shape the future of life underwriting and lead the organization through a modernization journey? As the Lead of Underwriting Transformation and Modernization, you will drive the transformation of Guardian’s life underwriting ecosystem, including technology modernization, workflow redesign, automation, digital underwriting capabilities, and the adoption of next-generation tools. You will champion innovation while aligning with our values of We do the right thing, We believe people count, We courageously shape our future together, and We go above and beyond for the people we serve.

A forward-thinking transformation leader who inspires change, leads through ambiguity, and thrives at the intersection of underwriting, technology, and strategy. You influence stakeholders across functions, reconcile competing priorities, and make decisions that shape the long-term future of underwriting.

• Proven experience leading underwriting modernization or transformation efforts, such as system enhancements, workflow redesign, automation, underwriting engine improvements, or adoption of digital tools.

• Deep life underwriting experience, including oversight of large dollar amount, complex, impaired‑risk, and escalated cases requiring senior‑level judgment.

• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans, budgets, and policies to achieve business objectives.

• Strong familiarity with underwriting technologies and data sources, and the ability to work with Technology and Product teams to evolve system capabilities.

• Strong knowledge of underwriting guidelines, risk assessment, and regulatory requirements.

• Experience leading and developing underwriting managers, including oversight of cases above individual retention levels that require advanced judgment and senior‑level underwriting expertise.

• Experience collaborating with reinsurance partners, including applying treaty provisions, navigating facultative submissions, and resolving complex treaty‑related case questions.

• Minimum 10+ years of life underwriting experience, including oversight of high dollar cases, complex and impaired-risk cases, appeals, facultative submissions, and escalations requiring senior-level judgement.

• Lead underwriting transformation initiatives, guiding modernization of systems, tools, workflow design, and digital underwriting capabilities to support Guardian’s future state operating model.

• Oversee the Underwriting Transformation Specialists, setting direction, prioritizing modernization work, and ensuring new capabilities are successfully implemented and adopted across underwriting teams.

• Direct life underwriting operations across multiple teams, setting priorities and allocating resources to align with business objectives.

• Champion adoption of modern underwriting tools and processes, ensuring seamless integration into daily workflows.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with reinsurance partners, ensuring effective treaty application, resolving complex facultative issues, and collaborating on process improvements.

• Strengthen partnerships with distribution leaders, agencies, and field partners to ensure alignment and service excellence.

• Develop and communicate strategic plans and budgets, ensuring operational execution and alignment with corporate goals.

• Provide leadership to subordinate people leaders, coaching and developing talent to build a high-performing organization.

• Oversee underwriting-related reporting, including operational dashboards, capacity and productivity metrics, and risk reporting in partnership with underwriting risk teams.

• Partner with Claims to understand and monitor claims exposure, trends, and root-cause insights relevant to underwriting practices and mortality expectations.

• Ensure operational excellence, including adherence to underwriting guidelines, quality standards, and regulatory compliance.

• Resolve systemic impediments to excellence, ensuring customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

• Negotiate key agreements and manage vendor relationships to support underwriting modernization and risk governance.

• As our Lead of Underwriting Operations, you will report to our Head of Life Underwriting Risk & Excellence.

• This is a remote position.

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected]. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.