Senior Director, Head of Actuarial

About The Role

Branch is seeking a seasoned and technically deep Senior Director of Actuarial to lead the P&C actuarial function, with direct ownership of reserving, pricing, and predictive modeling. In this role, you will define and execute the actuarial strategy, ensure the integrity and soundness of loss reserves and pricing frameworks, and deliver the analytical insight that informs underwriting strategy, financial planning, and risk management. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will lead a team of actuarial professionals and partner closely with Finance, Product, Underwriting, and executive leadership to support critical business decisions.

This is a leadership role for a credentialed actuary who brings both technical authority and the ability to lead and develop a high-performing team. You are expected to own a complex, regulated domain with deep expertise, operate with a high degree of independence, and translate actuarial findings into clear recommendations for senior and executive stakeholders. This role is ideal for someone who can define the strategic direction for the actuarial function while staying close enough to the work to drive quality and solve hard problems in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end actuarial function, including loss reserving, pricing analysis, and financial and economic modeling in support of business decision-making.
• Lead reserve adequacy reviews and communicate findings and recommendations to senior management, Finance, and external auditors; facilitate final determinations on reserve positions.
• Develop pricing methodology and rate adequacy positions across lines of business, ensuring frameworks are technically sound, current, and compliant with regulatory and internal standards.
• Direct financial and economic analyses that inform underwriting strategy, profitability assessments, and capital planning; make final recommendations on actuarial inputs to those processes.
• Establish, maintain, and improve actuarial policies, methodologies, and workflows that support accuracy, compliance, and scalability as the business grows.
• Contribute to the development of methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria that shape how Branch builds and advances its actuarial practice over time.
• Manage the actuarial function's budget and resource planning, ensuring delivery against commitments and corporate requirements.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Underwriting, Finance, and executive leadership to solve complex actuarial problems and inform strategic decisions.
• Represent the actuarial function in senior forums and communicate complex technical findings clearly and credibly to non-technical audiences.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of actuarial professionals, including managing performance, supporting career growth, and building team capacity for current and future needs.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve actuarial systems, tools, and processes to increase efficiency, transparency, and analytical quality.

Skills, Knowledge, And Expertise

• Fellowship in the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) strongly preferred; ACAS with equivalent depth of experience considered.
• Typically 10+ years of progressive actuarial experience.
• Deep technical expertise in P&C actuarial methodologies, including loss development, pricing trend analysis, and predictive modeling techniques.
• Proven experience leading and developing actuarial teams, including managing individual contributors and developing team members for growth.
• Experience establishing or improving actuarial processes, controls, and team operating rhythms in a complex or scaling environment.
• Advanced proficiency in data extraction (e.g. Python, R) and analytical tools; familiarity with data science and modeling platforms (e.g. Akur8) is a plus.
• Effective communicator who can present technical conclusions clearly to senior leadership, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of ownership and accountability in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Why join us at Branch?

We’re all about getting back to getting each other’s back - that means Branchers, too. So we provide benefits that let you work and live to your fullest.

• Above-market salary - Branch is a data-driven company, so we do the math on salaries, too. If you get an offer from Branch, you can expect compensation that hits above the mark.
• Pay equity and transparency - Our pay isn’t just market-driven, it’s equitable. We let experience and performance drive your success, never your gender, race, orientation, or beliefs.
• Remote-first (with perks) - Work from where you’re most comfortable. We’ll take care of your work from home set-up and monthly internet. We also have a Columbus headquarters if you’d like to join us in an office.
• Flexible YouTime - We don’t just let you control your own time off. We actually encourage you to use it. After your first year at Branch, we’ll give you $1000 toward your next vacation.
• Employee stock options - You’re not just an employee. If you’re full-time, you’re also a part-owner. You’ll have stock options so you can invest in the company you’re helping to grow.
• Medical, vision, dental - Get all the coverage you need for a healthy, happy life.
• 401k and contribution matching - Invest in your future. Branch helps you get to retirement on time with a portion of your contributions matched each month.

What To Expect

In light of recent hiring scams across the United States, here’s what the process will look like with Branch (so you know it’s us):

• Please apply to open positions directly through our site. If you don’t see it here, then it shouldn’t exist on another job board. If you’re ever unsure about the legitimacy of a Branch job posting found on another site, please check the listings here to verify.
• If you're selected to move onto the next phase of the hiring process, a member of our Branch talent team will reach out to you directly from the email domain @ourbranch.com to guide you through our process.
• The process will include a number of interviews, which will all happen either over the phone or on video calls.
• We will never ask for personal payment or require you to purchase equipment during our interview process. Always be sure to protect your personal information.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

At Branch, we are deeply committed to community. Branch is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants and/or employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to the individual’s age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Compensation Range: $168K - $240K