The posting
At Symetra, we're continuing to transform the future of life insurance underwriting through innovation, technology, and data-driven decision making. As AVP, Digital Underwriting & Innovation, you'll play a key leadership role in shaping our underwriting strategy, advancing digital capabilities, and driving initiatives that deliver a faster, easier, smarter experience for customers, partners, and employees.
About the role
In this role, you will be responsible for driving the strategy, development, and execution of digital underwriting capabilities across the life insurance business. You will drive innovation through automation, AI, underwriting technology, and data analytics while partnering across Underwriting, Product, Actuarial, Technology, Operations, and Compliance. Success in this role requires a blend of underwriting expertise, strategic thinking, and people leadership to modernize the underwriting experience, improve operational effectiveness, and support Symetra's long-term growth objectives.
What You will Do
- Help define and execute Symetra's digital underwriting strategy, advancing automation, accelerated underwriting, and decisioning capabilities.
- Own and evolve underwriting rules engines, digital workflows, and underwriting technology platforms to improve efficiency, accuracy, and partner experience.
- Identify and implement innovative solutions leveraging AI, predictive analytics, emerging data sources, and automation technologies.
- Lead underwriting research, pilot programs, and experimentation efforts to evaluate new approaches to risk assessment and customer experience.
- Partner across Product, Actuarial, Technology, Distribution, Operations, Legal, and Compliance to deliver strategic underwriting initiatives.
- Lead and develop a team of life underwriting professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Build relationships with key industry partners, vendors, and reinsurers while staying informed on market trends and emerging capabilities.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Chief Underwriter, helping shape the future of Symetra's underwriting philosophy, strategy, and competitive position.
What Success Looks Like
- Accelerated underwriting adoption increases while maintaining sound mortality outcomes.
- Digital underwriting capabilities deliver a faster, more seamless partner and customer experience.
- Underwriting automation and decisioning tools drive measurable improvements in efficiency and scalability.
- Innovation initiatives translate into practical solutions that strengthen Symetra's competitive position.
- Teams are engaged, growing, and recognized as leaders in underwriting transformation.
Why Work at Symetra
Here’s what some of our employees have to say about why they work at Symetra:
“If you're looking for a place to call home, grow professionally and personally and most importantly, be yourself, Symetra is the right fit.” - Daniel P., Director Underwriting
“I feel welcome and included at Symetra every day and I really believe you can be you at Symetra." - Megan H., Deputy Chief Compliance Officer
What we offer you
Benefits and Perks
We don’t take a “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to our employees. Our programs are designed to make your life better both at work and at home.
- Flexible full-time or hybrid telecommuting arrangements
- Plan for your future with our 401(k) plan and take advantage of immediate vesting and company matching up to 6%
- Paid time away including vacation and sick time, flex days and ten paid holidays
- Give back to your community and double your impact through our company matching
- Want more details? Check out our Symetra Benefits Overview
Compensation
Salary Range: $128,700 - $214,600 plus eligibility for annual bonus program and long-term incentive plan
Who You Are
- 15+ years of progressive experience in life insurance underwriting, including leadership of underwriting operations, strategy, and innovation initiatives.
- Deep expertise in underwriting, digital underwriting strategy, and underwriting technology transformation.
- Proven experience developing and optimizing automated underwriting frameworks, rules engines, and decisioning platforms.
- Demonstrated success leveraging emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, to improve underwriting efficiency, accuracy, and customer experience.
- Strong strategic mindset with the ability to develop and execute departmental and business strategies aligned to organizational objectives.
- Experience leading large-scale change initiatives and driving adoption across teams and business functions.
- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to distill complex information into clear recommendations for senior and executive leadership.
- Strong collaboration and relationship management skills, with a track record of partnering effectively across operations, technology, product, risk, and compliance teams.
- Thorough understanding of regulatory and compliance considerations within the life insurance industry.
- Proven people leadership experience, including leading leaders, developing talent, succession planning, coaching, and organizational development.
- Professional designations such as FALU, CLU, and/or FLMI preferred.
- Experience engaging with external industry partners, vendors, reinsurers, and distribution organizations.
- Recognized as a thought leader in underwriting innovation, digital transformation, and operational excellence.
- Bachelor's degree preferred. High school diploma required.
- Ability to travel occasionally to meet the needs of the business.
Travel:
Required Training & Professional Development All newly hired people leaders with direct reports are required to complete a comprehensive leadership development program within their first year. This program includes both virtual and in-person training. The in-person sessions will take place at Symetra’s corporate headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Symetra covers all travel and accommodation expenses.
Reasonable Accommodations Symetra is committed to providing equitable access to all job-related responsibilities, including required travel. If reasonable accommodations are needed for travel, Symetra’s HR department will work to provide appropriate solutions in alignment with individual needs and company policies.
We empower inclusion At Symetra, we aspire to be the most inclusive insurance company in the country. We're building a place where every employee feels valued, respected, and has opportunities to contribute.
Inclusion is about recognizing our assumptions, considering multiple perspective, and removing barriers. We accept and celebrate diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives, because lifting each other up fuels thought and builds a stronger, more innovative company. We invite you to learn more about our efforts here.
Creating a world where more people have access to financial freedom Symetra is a national financial services company dedicated to helping people achieve their financial goals and feel confident about the future. In our daily work, we're guided by the principles of Value, Transparency and Sustainability. This means we provide products and services people need at a competitive price, we communicate clearly and openly so people understand what they're buying, and we design products--and operate our company--to stand the test of time. We're committed to showing up for our communities, lifting up our employees, and standing up for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Join our team and help us create a world where more people have access to financial freedom.
For more information about our careers visit: https://symetra.eightfold.ai/careers
Work Authorization Employer work visa sponsorship and support are not provided for this role. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at hire and must maintain authorization to work in the United States throughout their employment with our company.
Please review Symetra's Remote Network Minimum Requirements:
As a remote-first organization with a cameras-on culture, reliable internet connectivity is important to how we connect, collaborate, and serve our customers. To support a positive experience for both employees and customers, Symetra has the following standards for employees' internet connection:
- Minimum Internet Speed:100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, in alignment with the FCC's definition of "broadband."
- Internet Type:Fiber, Cable (e.g., Comcast, Spectrum), or DSL.
- Not Permissible:Satellite (e.g., Starlink), cellular broadband (hotspot or otherwise), any other wireless technology, or wired dial-up.
When applying to jobs at Symetra you'll be asked to test your internet speed and confirm that your internet connection meets or exceeds Symetra's standard as outlined above.
Identity Verification
Symetra is committed to fair and secure hiring practices. For all roles, candidates will be required (after the initial phone screen) to be on video for all interviews. Symetra will take affirmative steps at key points in the process to verify that a candidate is not seeking employment fraudulently, e.g. through use of a false identity.
Failure to comply with verification procedures may result in:
- Disqualification from the recruitment process
- Withdrawal of a job offer
- Termination of employment and other criminal and/or civil remedies, if fraud is discovered
