Underwriting Operations Manager
The Mutual Group · Minnesota, United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $160,000 / year
- Minnesota, United States
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Job highlights
- Lead underwriting operations and assistant team.
- Optimize workflow, service, and productivity.
- Ensure SLA adherence and capacity planning.
- Drive process improvements and compliance.
- Collaborate cross-functionally for operational excellence.
About the role
About the Role
As the Operations Manager, Underwriting, you will be instrumental in driving the operational performance of the underwriting function. This role focuses on two key areas: leading and developing the Underwriting Assistant (UA) team, and managing and optimizing workflow, service delivery, and operational productivity across the entire underwriting operation. You will ensure efficient and consistent workflow management throughout the underwriting lifecycle, and maintain capacity planning and service delivery metrics for underwriting leadership. Partnering closely with the Underwriting Manager, you will align operational execution with portfolio priorities and production goals while upholding process discipline, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
Key Accountabilities
People Leadership & Workforce Planning
- Attract, select, retain, lead, and develop a team of Underwriting Assistants, fostering a strong pipeline into underwriting roles.
- Establish clear performance expectations aligned with service and quality standards.
- Provide performance coaching and technical mentorship to Underwriting Assistants through routine coaching and audit feedback.
- Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching focused on operational execution, workflow effectiveness, decision-making, documentation quality, and productivity, in partnership with Underwriting leadership on technical underwriting development.
- Develop clear pathways for Underwriting Assistants, Underwriting Technicians, and other operational functions to progress into underwriting roles, including 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 on execution and documentation, 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 to support underwriting leadership.
- Establish feedback loops with Distribution and agency partners to identify service improvement opportunities and implement operational changes that enhance agent experience and turnaround times.
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
- Standardize underwriting support processes and documentation practices.
- Identify automation opportunities and partner 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 in underwriting files meets audit standards.
- Maintain adherence to regulatory requirements and internal governance standards.
- Monitor quality control metrics and implement corrective action as needed.
- 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 portfolio and production priorities.
- Coordinate with Underwriting, Sales, Enterprise Operations, Underwriting Technicians and Customer Service, Product, Claims, Finance, and IT to support underwriting workflow needs.
- Serve as the operational liaison for agency service concerns related to submission, renewal, and endorsement processing.
- Track operational improvements resulting from agent feedback, including turnaround time, documentation quality, and service performance.
- Actively seek, analyze, and act on agent feedback to improve operational service delivery and responsiveness.
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 a related functional area.
- 2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing production workflows and service standards.
- Experience with commercial P&C underwriting operations preferred.
- Strong understanding of the underwriting lifecycle 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 a focus on efficiency and performance metrics.
- Effective communication, cross-functional collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong coaching and talent development ability.
Pay Range
Anticipated Hiring Range: $105,000 - $160,000 annual base salary depending on experience, qualifications, and geographic location.
Benefits
The Mutual Group offers a robust benefits suite for full-time regular employees, including:
- Competitive base salary plus incentive plans for eligible team members.
- 401(K) retirement plan with a company match of up to 6% of eligible salary.
- Free basic life and AD&D, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance.
- Medical, dental, and vision plans.
- Wellness incentives.
- Generous time off program (personal, holiday, volunteer paid time off).
- Flexible work schedules and hybrid/remote options for eligible positions.
- Educational assistance.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Mutual Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.
Key skills/competency
- Underwriting Operations Management
- Team Leadership and Development
- Workflow Optimization
- Process Improvement
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Operational Productivity
- Capacity Planning
- Performance Coaching
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Insurance Operations
Skills & topics
- Underwriting Operations Manager
- Operations Management
- Insurance Operations
- Underwriting
- Team Leadership
- Workflow Management
- Process Improvement
- Service Delivery
- Capacity Planning
- Performance Metrics
- Commercial P&C
- Lean Six Sigma
- 401K
- Hybrid Work
- Management
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your experience in insurance operations, underwriting support, leadership, and workflow management. Quantify achievements using metrics like improved efficiency or reduced turnaround times.
- Showcase your leadership: Emphasize your experience in team development, coaching, performance management, and workforce planning, especially within an insurance or operational context.
- Demonstrate operational expertise: Detail your experience with production workflows, service standards, process optimization, and using underwriting systems and reporting tools. Mention any Lean/Six Sigma exposure.
- Research TMG's values: Understand The Mutual Group's commitment to operational excellence, employee development, and equal opportunity. Align your application and interview responses with their mission and values.
- Prepare for behavioral questions: Be ready to discuss how you handle competing priorities, resolve bottlenecks, foster team development, and collaborate across departments.
Technical preparation
Master underwriting systems and reporting tools.,Understand policy processing workflows.,Analyze production metrics and KPIs.,Familiarize with Lean/Six Sigma concepts.
Behavioral questions
Describe leading and developing a team.,How do you optimize operational workflows?,How do you manage competing priorities?,How do you ensure SLA adherence?
Frequently asked questions
- What are the primary responsibilities of an Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group?
- The Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group is responsible for the operational performance of the underwriting function. This includes leading and developing the Underwriting Assistant team, and managing and optimizing workflow, service delivery, and operational productivity across the underwriting operation. Key accountabilities also involve ensuring efficient workflow management, capacity planning, service delivery metrics, process optimization, and compliance.
- What qualifications are preferred for the Underwriting Operations Manager role at The Mutual Group?
- Preferred qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, 7+ years of experience in insurance operations or underwriting support, and 2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience. Experience with commercial P&C underwriting, proficiency in underwriting systems, and exposure to process improvement methodologies like Lean/Six Sigma are also advantageous.
- What is the expected work arrangement for this Underwriting Operations Manager position?
- Employees residing within 30 miles of The Mutual Group's home office are expected to adhere to a hybrid or in-office schedule. An initial training period may require more frequent in-office attendance.
- How does The Mutual Group support the professional development of its Underwriting Assistants?
- The Mutual Group focuses on developing Underwriting Assistants through clear performance expectations, coaching, technical mentorship, and performance evaluations. The Operations Manager partners with Underwriting leadership to create clear pathways for career progression into underwriting roles, including training and shadowing opportunities.
- What kind of benefits does The Mutual Group offer to its full-time employees?
- The Mutual Group provides a comprehensive benefits package, including a competitive base salary with potential incentives, a 401(K) with company match, various insurance coverages (life, disability, health, dental, vision), wellness incentives, generous paid time off, flexible work schedules, and educational assistance.
- How can I highlight my operational management skills for this Underwriting Operations Manager role?
- To highlight your operational management skills, focus on quantifiable achievements in your resume and during interviews. Detail your experience in managing production workflows, improving service level agreements (SLAs), identifying and resolving bottlenecks, and implementing process improvements that enhance efficiency and reduce costs within an insurance or underwriting context.