Director, Underwriting Research & Development

Key to John Hancock’s success is maintaining the core competency of Underwriting expertise which relies on a strategy of continual enhancements to our proprietary underwriting approaches and keeping current with medical, lifestyle and technological advances that can further advance our underwriting expertise. 

We are seeking an Underwriting Director with a history of making sound underwriting decisions, building strong relationships and communicating effectively to join us on our transformation journey to simplify the insurance process for our customers. This role is accountable for providing underwriting subject matter expertise, leadership and collaboration with cross-functional teams comprised of actuaries, operations specialists, data scientists, and developers. The successful candidate will demonstrate proven research and development capabilities, project execution, out-of-the-box thinking, and creative problem-solving skills.

Key Accountabilities

• Oversee the research, analysis, and development of proposals for recommendations on the effectiveness of new data sources and underwriting techniques

• Collaborate with teams to develop innovative, data-driven underwriting solutions and capabilities that ensure seamless experience for a broad customer base.

• Support product development work for targeted initiatives

• Analyze underwriting data through various studies and claims experience if applicable

• Prioritize project work, focusing on generating the most value for the business

• Keep abreast of external factors that may affect underwriting (e.g. medical and technical advancements, industry rules, compliance and regulations)

• Keep abreast of competitor actions and industry trends

• Work with internal stakeholders to recommend and implement underwriting guideline changes

• Provide oversight of relationships with external vendors, partners and technologies that support business capabilities

• Apply innovative thinking and creative problem-solving to address complex underwriting challenges.

• Participate in management of mortality and risk monitoring, including post implementation and monitoring plans and outcomes

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of underwriting practices and procedures.

• Responsible for leading discussions to communicate recommendations, results and progress to senior leadership

Job Requirement:

• Advanced knowledge and experience of underwriting risk assessment - medical, non-medical, financial

• Experience with project and tech implementations and owning the translation of business requirements to technology capabilities

• Highly engaged: able to self-manage, create solutions, prioritize deliverables and execute projects under deadline pressure

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written (technical) communication skills and comfort presenting to senior leaders on technical topics

• Ability to convey complex underwriting concepts to diverse stakeholders.

• Exceptional collaboration and presentation skills, demonstrated through experience working with various technical audiences and across multiple functions such as actuaries, medical, data scientists, operations, legal and compliance teams

• Mentorship and coaching of developing talent and team members

• Excellent MS Office Skills, Excel, Powerpoint, Teams and web tools  

• Undergraduate and/or post graduate degree in science, medical or related field or minimum of 5-10 years’ experience in underwriting and/or research experience

• FALU/FLMI a plus

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [email protected] for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife/John Hancock offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in the U.S. includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.

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