Underwriting Operations Manager
The Mutual Group · Arizona, United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $160,000 / year
- Arizona, United States
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Job highlights
- Manage underwriting operations and team performance.
- Lead and develop Underwriting Assistants.
- Optimize workflows and service delivery.
- Drive process improvement and efficiency.
- Collaborate across departments for seamless operations.
About the role
Underwriting Operations Manager
The Mutual Group is seeking an experienced Operations Manager for its Field Underwriting department. This role is pivotal in ensuring the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the underwriting function.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership and development for the Underwriting Assistant (UA) team.
- Manage and optimize workflow, service delivery, and operational productivity.
- Ensure efficient and consistent workflow management throughout the underwriting lifecycle.
- Maintain capacity planning and service delivery metrics for underwriting leadership.
- Partner with the Underwriting Manager to align operational execution with portfolio priorities and production goals.
- Drive process discipline, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
People Leadership & Workforce Planning:
- Attract, select, retain, lead, and develop Underwriting Assistants, building 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, decision-making, documentation, and productivity.
- Partner with Underwriting leadership on technical underwriting development and clear career progression pathways.
- Develop workforce capacity plans based on volume trends and business needs.
Workflow & Production Management:
- Own underwriting operational performance end-to-end, driving consistent workflows and improving productivity.
- Ensure service level agreements (SLAs) for new business, renewals, and endorsements are met.
- Monitor submission, renewal, and endorsement volumes and manage workload distribution.
- Identify and resolve workflow bottlenecks to improve throughput and responsiveness.
- Maintain production dashboards and operational reporting.
- Establish feedback loops with agency partners to enhance agent experience and turnaround times.
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement:
- Standardize underwriting support processes and documentation.
- Identify automation opportunities and partner with systems teams.
- Implement workflow enhancements to reduce expenses and improve turnaround times.
- Drive consistency in file documentation and system usage.
- Support change management initiatives.
Compliance, Controls & Data Integrity:
- Ensure UA documentation meets audit standards.
- Maintain adherence to regulatory requirements and internal governance.
- Monitor quality control metrics and implement corrective actions.
- Partner with Underwriting leadership to maintain audit readiness.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Partner with Underwriting Managers to align operational capacity, workflow, and service performance.
- Coordinate with various departments including Underwriting, Sales, Enterprise Operations, Claims, Finance, and IT.
- Serve as an operational liaison for agency service concerns.
- Track operational improvements based on agent feedback.
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 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 and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Strong coaching and talent development ability.
Work Arrangement:
Employees living within 30 miles of the TMG home office are expected to follow a hybrid or in-office schedule. Initial training may require additional in-office days.
Pay Range:
Anticipated Hiring Range: $105,000 - $160,000 annual base salary depending on experience, qualifications, and geographic location.
Key skills/competency:
- Underwriting Operations
- People Leadership
- Workflow Management
- Service Delivery
- Operational Productivity
- Process Optimization
- Team Development
- Performance Coaching
- Capacity Planning
- Insurance Operations
Skills & topics
- Underwriting Operations Manager
- Insurance Operations
- Workflow Management
- Service Delivery
- Team Leadership
- Process Optimization
- Underwriting Assistants
- Capacity Planning
- Performance Management
- Commercial P&C Underwriting
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight 7+ years of insurance operations/underwriting experience and 2+ years of leadership. Emphasize workflow management and P&C underwriting.
- Showcase your skills: Quantify achievements in operational productivity, SLA adherence, and process optimization. Mention Lean/Six Sigma if applicable.
- Demonstrate leadership: Provide examples of developing teams, coaching staff, and managing performance in a high-volume environment.
- Address hybrid work: If local, acknowledge understanding of hybrid/in-office expectations for training and ongoing work.
- Prepare for interviews: Be ready to discuss your approach to workflow bottlenecks, service improvements, and cross-functional collaboration at The Mutual Group.
Technical preparation
Master underwriting systems and reporting tools.,Analyze production metrics and KPIs.,Familiarize with Lean/Six Sigma concepts.,Understand commercial P&C underwriting lifecycle.
Behavioral questions
Describe leading a team to meet SLAs.,How have you optimized operational workflows?,Share an example of developing talent.,How do you handle competing priorities?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the hybrid work policy for the Underwriting Operations Manager role at The Mutual Group?
- Employees residing within 30 miles of The Mutual Group's home office are expected to adhere to a hybrid or in-office work schedule for the Underwriting Operations Manager position. Initial training phases may necessitate increased on-site presence.
- What is the salary range for the Underwriting Operations Manager position?
- The anticipated hiring range for the Underwriting Operations Manager role at The Mutual Group is $105,000 to $160,000 annually, with the final salary determined by factors such as experience, qualifications, and geographic location.
- What specific experience is required for the Underwriting Operations Manager role?
- The Underwriting Operations Manager role requires at least 7 years of experience in insurance operations, underwriting support, or a related field, along with 2 years of leadership or supervisory experience. Experience with commercial P&C underwriting operations and managing production workflows is also preferred.
- What are the primary accountabilities of the Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group?
- The primary accountabilities for the Underwriting Operations Manager at The Mutual Group include leading and developing the Underwriting Assistant team, managing and optimizing workflow, service delivery, and operational productivity, ensuring consistent workflow management, and maintaining capacity planning and service delivery metrics.
- What kind of benefits does The Mutual Group offer to full-time employees?
- The Mutual Group offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees, including competitive base salary with potential incentive plans, a 401(K) with company match, company-paid life and disability insurance, medical, dental, and vision plans, wellness incentives, generous paid time off, educational assistance, and flexible work arrangements for eligible positions.
- Does The Mutual Group offer opportunities for career growth for Underwriting Assistants?
- Yes, The Mutual Group actively supports career growth. The Underwriting Operations Manager partners with Underwriting leadership to develop clear pathways, including training and shadowing, for Underwriting Assistants to progress into underwriting roles.
- How does The Mutual Group ensure compliance and data integrity in underwriting operations?
- The Mutual Group ensures compliance and data integrity by verifying that UA documentation meets audit standards, maintaining adherence to regulatory requirements and internal governance, monitoring quality control metrics, implementing corrective actions, and partnering with Underwriting leadership for audit readiness.
- What is the role of the Underwriting Operations Manager in process optimization?
- The Underwriting Operations Manager is responsible for standardizing underwriting support processes, identifying automation opportunities, implementing workflow enhancements to reduce expenses and improve turnaround times, driving consistency in documentation and system usage, and supporting change management initiatives impacting underwriting operations.