What is the primary focus of the Underwriting Operations Manager role at The Mutual Group?

The Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group is primarily responsible for overseeing the operational performance of the underwriting function, focusing on leading the Underwriting Assistant team and optimizing workflows, service delivery, and overall operational productivity.

What kind of experience is required for the Underwriting Operations Manager position?

Candidates should have at least 7 years of experience in insurance operations or underwriting support, with a preference for 2+ years in a leadership or supervisory role. Experience with commercial P&C underwriting, production workflow management, and underwriting systems is also highly valued.

How does The Mutual Group support employee development in this role?

The role involves developing a pipeline into underwriting positions by providing training, shadowing, and onboarding for Underwriting Assistants and Technicians. The company also offers educational assistance and opportunities for career growth within the organization.

What is the work arrangement for the Underwriting Operations Manager position?

Employees living within 30 miles of the TMG home office are expected to work a hybrid or in-office schedule. Initial training may require additional in-office days.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Underwriting Operations Manager?

Key performance indicators include meeting service level agreements (SLAs) for new business, renewals, and endorsements, improving throughput and responsiveness by resolving workflow bottlenecks, maintaining production dashboards, and enhancing agent experience and turnaround times.

How does The Mutual Group ensure compliance and data integrity in underwriting operations?

The role ensures UA documentation meets audit standards, maintains adherence to regulatory and internal governance standards, monitors quality control metrics, implements corrective actions, and partners with leadership to maintain audit readiness.

What is the anticipated salary range for the Underwriting Operations Manager role?

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $105,000 to $160,000 annually, based on experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

What is the company's stance on equal opportunity and accommodations?

The Mutual Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. They recruit, hire, train, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Applicants needing accommodation can contact Talent@themutualgroup.com.

Underwriting Operations Manager

The Mutual Group · Illinois, United States

Hybrid
Full-time
$160,000 / year
Illinois, United States

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Job highlights

Manage underwriting operations and team performance.
Develop Underwriting Assistants and workforce capacity.
Optimize underwriting workflows and service delivery.
Drive process improvements and operational efficiency.
Collaborate cross-functionally for service excellence.

About the role

Underwriting Operations Manager

The Mutual Group is seeking an Operations Manager for its Field Underwriting department. This role is crucial for ensuring the operational performance of the underwriting function, focusing on two key areas: leading and developing the Underwriting Assistant (UA) team, and managing/optimizing workflow, service delivery, and operational productivity.

Key Responsibilities

The Operations Manager will ensure efficient workflow management throughout the underwriting lifecycle, maintain capacity planning, and track service delivery metrics. This role partners closely with the Underwriting Manager to align operational execution with portfolio priorities and production goals, upholding process discipline, service excellence, and continuous improvement.

People Leadership & Workforce Planning

Attract, select, retain, lead, and develop a team of Underwriting Assistants, fostering a pipeline into underwriting roles.
Establish clear performance expectations aligned with service and quality standards.
Provide performance coaching and technical mentorship through routine coaching and audit feedback.
Conduct performance evaluations, focusing on operational execution, workflow effectiveness, decision-making, documentation quality, and productivity, in partnership with Underwriting leadership on technical development.
Develop clear pathways for Underwriting Assistants, Underwriting Technicians, and other operational functions to progress into underwriting roles through training, shadowing, and onboarding.
Develop workforce capacity plans based on volume trends and business needs.

Workflow & Production Management

Oversee underwriting operational performance end-to-end by driving consistent workflows, coaching staff, and improving productivity and capacity utilization.
Ensure service level agreements (SLAs) for new business, renewals, and endorsements are consistently met.
Monitor submission, renewal, and endorsement volumes and manage workload distribution, collaborating with Enterprise Operations.
Identify and resolve workflow bottlenecks to improve throughput and responsiveness.
Maintain production dashboards and operational reporting for underwriting leadership.
Establish feedback loops with Distribution and agency partners to identify service improvement opportunities and enhance agent experience and turnaround times.

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

Standardize underwriting support processes and documentation practices.
Identify automation opportunities and collaborate with systems teams and Product to improve efficiency.
Implement workflow enhancements to reduce expenses and improve turnaround times.
Drive consistency in file documentation and system usage.
Support change management initiatives impacting underwriting operations.

Compliance, Controls & Data Integrity

Ensure UA documentation meets audit standards.
Maintain adherence to regulatory requirements and internal governance standards.
Monitor quality control metrics and implement corrective actions.
Partner with Underwriting leadership to maintain audit readiness.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Underwriting Managers as a peer leader to align operational capacity, workflow execution, and service performance with priorities.
Coordinate with Underwriting, Sales, Enterprise Operations, Underwriting Technicians, Customer Service, Product, Claims, Finance, and IT.
Serve as operational liaison for agency service concerns related to processing.
Track operational improvements resulting from agent feedback.
Actively seek, analyze, and act on agent feedback to improve operational service delivery.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Insurance, Operations Management, Finance, or related field preferred.
7+ years of experience in insurance operations, underwriting support, or related functional area.
2+ years leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
Demonstrated experience managing production workflows and service standards.
Experience with commercial P&C underwriting operations preferred.
Strong understanding of underwriting life cycle and policy processing workflows.
Proficiency in underwriting systems and reporting tools.
Experience analyzing production metrics and operational KPIs.
Process improvement or Lean/Six Sigma exposure preferred.
Strong operational and organizational leadership capability.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a high-volume environment.
Analytical mindset with focus on efficiency and performance metrics.
Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Strong coaching and talent development ability.

Pay Range

Anticipated Hiring Range: $105,000 - $160,000 annual base salary

Benefits

The Mutual Group offers a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salary, incentive plans, 401(K) with company match, life and disability insurance, medical, dental, and vision plans, wellness incentives, generous PTO, flexible work schedules, and educational assistance.

Key Skills/Competency

Underwriting Operations Management
People Leadership
Workflow Optimization
Service Delivery
Process Improvement
Performance Coaching
Capacity Planning
Operational Productivity
Team Development
Insurance Operations

Skills & topics

Underwriting Operations Manager
Insurance Operations
Underwriting
Operations Management
Workflow Management
Service Delivery
Team Leadership
Process Optimization
Capacity Planning
Performance Management
P&C Insurance
Operational Efficiency
Continuous Improvement
Customer Service
Sales Support
Finance
IT
Claims
Product Development
Business Administration
Lean Six Sigma
KPI Analysis
Talent Development
Workforce Planning
Regulatory Compliance
Audit Standards
Agent Relations
Commercial Insurance
Policy Processing
Underwriting Systems
Reporting Tools
Cross-functional Collaboration
Coaching
Organizational Leadership
Problem-solving
Analytical Skills
Communication Skills
Interpersonal Skills
High-volume Environment
Competing Priorities
Incentive Plans
401K
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Wellness Programs
Paid Time Off
Flexible Work Schedule
Educational Assistance
E-Verify
Background Check

How to get hired

Tailor your resume: Highlight 7+ years in insurance operations, 2+ years leadership, and specific underwriting workflow management experience.
Showcase process improvement skills: Emphasize experience with Lean/Six Sigma, workflow optimization, and driving efficiency in operational metrics.
Quantify achievements: Use data to demonstrate success in meeting SLAs, improving turnaround times, and managing production KPIs.
Prepare for behavioral questions: Be ready to discuss your leadership, coaching, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
Research The Mutual Group: Understand their values, focus on service excellence, and how this role contributes to their operational goals.

Technical preparation

Master underwriting systems and reporting tools.,Analyze production metrics and operational KPIs.,Familiarize with Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.,Understand P&C underwriting lifecycles.

Behavioral questions

Describe leading and developing an operational team.,How do you optimize workflows and improve efficiency?,Share an example of driving continuous improvement.,How do you handle competing priorities in a high-volume setting?

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary focus of the Underwriting Operations Manager role at The Mutual Group?: The Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group is primarily responsible for overseeing the operational performance of the underwriting function, focusing on leading the Underwriting Assistant team and optimizing workflows, service delivery, and overall operational productivity.
What kind of experience is required for the Underwriting Operations Manager position?: Candidates should have at least 7 years of experience in insurance operations or underwriting support, with a preference for 2+ years in a leadership or supervisory role. Experience with commercial P&C underwriting, production workflow management, and underwriting systems is also highly valued.
How does The Mutual Group support employee development in this role?: The role involves developing a pipeline into underwriting positions by providing training, shadowing, and onboarding for Underwriting Assistants and Technicians. The company also offers educational assistance and opportunities for career growth within the organization.
What is the work arrangement for the Underwriting Operations Manager position?: Employees living within 30 miles of the TMG home office are expected to work a hybrid or in-office schedule. Initial training may require additional in-office days.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Underwriting Operations Manager?: Key performance indicators include meeting service level agreements (SLAs) for new business, renewals, and endorsements, improving throughput and responsiveness by resolving workflow bottlenecks, maintaining production dashboards, and enhancing agent experience and turnaround times.
How does The Mutual Group ensure compliance and data integrity in underwriting operations?: The role ensures UA documentation meets audit standards, maintains adherence to regulatory and internal governance standards, monitors quality control metrics, implements corrective actions, and partners with leadership to maintain audit readiness.
What is the anticipated salary range for the Underwriting Operations Manager role?: The anticipated hiring range for this position is $105,000 to $160,000 annually, based on experience, qualifications, and geographic location.
What is the company's stance on equal opportunity and accommodations?: The Mutual Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. They recruit, hire, train, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Applicants needing accommodation can contact Talent@themutualgroup.com.