AVP, Head of Underwriting & Shared Services

AVP Underwriting - UO05AE

We're determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.

Reporting to the VP, Head of Group Reinsurance Plus, this is a strategic, high-visibility leadership role shaping the future of GRP Underwriting.

The Assistant Vice President, Head of Underwriting & Shared Services is a senior leadership role in Group Reinsurance Plus (GRP) accountable for setting the strategic direction, performance standards, and operational excellence of GRP's Underwriting and Shared Services organization. This leader oversees teams responsible for underwriting the full GRP product portfolio including Life, Disability and Supplemental Health products and ensures disciplined risk management, profitable growth, and delivery of best-in-class underwriting services to GRP's reinsurance clients.

As a key member of the GRP leadership team, the AVP sets the tone for culture, engagement, talent development, and execution excellence across the Underwriting and Shared Services functions. For a leader ready to expand their scope, drive transformation, and help define what's next for GRP, this is a chance to step into a role where your contributions will be seen, valued, and felt across the business.

About Group Reinsurance Plus: GRP helps insurance carriers grow their business in the group benefits marketplace with our market leading private label products & services and reinsurance risk protection solutions. Our private label services include product development, claims, actuarial, underwriting, policy issuance and marketing support.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Performance

• Establish and execute the underwriting and shared services vision and strategy for GRP.
• Deliver GRP operating plan commitments tied to premium, sales, persistency, pricing and expense performance.
• Monitor underwriting results and GRP scorecard metrics; proactively identify gaps and drive corrective actions through analytics and predictive modeling.
• Represent GRP with intermediaries and clients to elevate GRP brand reputation and strengthen strategic partnerships through development of win-win partnership solutions.
• Build and execute Underwriting & Shared Services strategic business plan with clear objectives, timelines and accountabilities to ensure delivery of commitments.

Underwriting Excellence & Governance

• Oversee presale, new business, and renewal underwriting to ensure compliance with guidelines, authority limits, and pricing protocols.
• Provide executive level guidance on complex risk decisions, pricing strategy, and block management across all product lines.

Quality, Best Practices and Learning

• Oversee the quality management (QM) program to elevate consistency, accuracy and underwriting discipline.
• Advance underwriting best practices and knowledge management initiatives that enhance speed, transparency and decision quality.
• Oversee client and underwriting learning education programs that build technical expertise, ensure consistent application of the guidelines and support underwriter readiness at all levels.

Transformation, Innovation & Efficiency

• Incorporate emerging trends, market intelligence, and customer insights to drive underwriting, product and process innovation.
• Lead or sponsor strategic transformation initiatives to modernize underwriting programs, advance business intelligence, simplify processes, and enhance client experience.
• Partner with GRP SLT to shape market positioning, growth initiatives, and competitive differentiation.
• Build strong relationships with Employee Benefits underwriting and shared services leaders to leverage enterprise knowledge and innovation to advance GRP capabilities and expertise.

Leadership, Culture & Talent Development

• Build and lead a high-performing, future-ready organization through workforce planning, organizational design, talent development, and succession planning.
• Inspire teams with clear vision, transparent communication, and a commitment to operational and cultural excellence
• Ensure strong operating routines are in place that maximize collaborraion, productivity, engagement and achievement of performance goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or professional designation preferred.
• 10+ years of underwriting experience in group life and disability products; reinsurance experience strongly preferred.
• Proven leadership in managing underwriting teams and cross-functional business initiatives.
• Demonstrated executive presence and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Expertise in underwriting governance, pricing protocols, and quality management.
• Exceptional presentation, communication, collaboration, negotiation, change management and relationship management skills.
• Willingness to travel as required (up to 20%)

Position can be filled Hybrid or Remote. Location: This position is ideally based in Hartford, CT, or in a major strategic office location such as Alpharetta, GA or Lake Mary, FL.

Compensation

The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition. The annualized base pay range for this role is:

$164,800 - $247,200

Equal Opportunity Employer/Sex/Race/Color/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age