Life & Annuity Actuarial Illustrations Project Manager

Guardian is seeking an Actuarial Illustrations Project Manager to join the Individual Life and Annuity Product Illustrations Team. Working with a team of professionals, you will complete plans to implement new life and annuity products, features, and enhancements in Guardian’s innovative, critically important illustration system, the Guardian Proposal System (GPS). You will be responsible for translating life & annuity actuarial product descriptions into detailed and comprehensive illustration system specifications, developing quality assurance testing tools, and completing test plans to ensure quality product implementations in support of our goal to grow market share in our life and annuity business. You will also assist the Head of Life & Annuity Illustrations in defining project scope, developing project & resource allocation plans, and providing direction to analysts and testers. At Guardian, “We do the right thing”; “We believe people count”; “We courageously shape our future together”; and “We go above and beyond for the people we serve”. We demonstrate our core values by acting with accountability, leading with the consumer at the center, committing to collaborate, communicating transparently, and connecting with empathy & compassion.

• A self-starter who is fueled by collaboration with teammates, product creators, and software developers, and someone who can transform conceptual thinking into executable insights

• Able to interface effectively between business customers and technical teams

• Comfortable collaborating and working in groups, but also able to work independently with limited direction

• Highly diligent and able to manage multiple assignments and priorities simultaneously while in various phases of development

• Able to adapt to changing business priorities and environments

• Someone who has a strong customer focus and who delivers on commitments with a sense of urgency

• Capable of learning and working in a hybrid work environment with geographically dispersed teammates and business partners

Support the implementation of new life & annuity products, features, and enhancements in the illustration system by:

• Collaborating with colleagues in Product Development, Actuarial, Compliance, IT, and Policy Administration/Operations, as well as with our illustration software vendor (iPipeline/WELIS) in both the planning and implementation phases

• Assisting the Head of Life & Annuity Illustrations in defining project scope, developing project & resource allocation plans, providing direction & consultation to analysts and testers

• Translating complex actuarial product requirements and/or high-level end-user requirements into detailed illustration system specifications for product calculations

• Developing, modifying, and employing Excel based tools to verify the accuracy of illustration calculations

• Creating detailed numerical examples to assist the software development team (third party vendor) in delivering quality code

• Developing, reviewing, & contributing to the documentation and execution of detailed test plans to ensure that illustration calculations align with product requirements and end user needs

• Identifying, reporting, and reconciling system defects on a timely basis

• Coordinating User Acceptance Testing with our business customers and obtaining their sign-offs on software deliverables

• Evolving the team’s standard processes for requirements documentation & system testing

• Regularly communicating status on current projects and initiatives

• Participating in the after-business hours' testing of our software production deployments (approximately 6 times per year)

Serve our internal and external customers by:

• Troubleshooting complex technical problems with product calculations and/or rates with a sense of urgency

• Providing production support for inquiries / problems surfaced by end-users

• Serving as a back-up to the Illustrations Project Managers and other teammates

• Providing cross training and knowledge sharing to ensure the team’s continuous growth & development

• Performing ad hoc calculations for illustrations requiring manual workarounds for requests beyond the system’s current functionality

• Distilling complex illustration processing to non-technical field or colleague audience

Serve as a liaison between the illustration team and other analysts and/or project managers from the various life and annuity policy administration systems by:

• Advising cross-functional teams on project impacts to their systems due to interdependencies and restrictions with the illustration system

• Coordinating, implementing, & testing complex illustration system changes required due to new policy administrative practices or systems

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the life insurance & annuity industry as a senior business systems analyst and quality assurance tester, with a high level of expertise in life and/or annuity illustration systems and/or policy administration systems

• Life and annuity taxation experience, including TAMRA/MEC considerations

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including experience developing quality assurance testing tools for life and/or annuity product calculations

• Bachelor’s degree in Math, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Information Technology, Finance, or equivalent business experience

• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, problem-solving, communication, & organizational skills

• Experience writing business systems requirements and performing quality assurance testing

• Excellent time management skills and the ability to contribute to multiple complex projects simultaneously

• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a hybrid environment

• The ASA - Associate, Society of Actuaries – designation

• Project Management and/or People Management experience preferred

• Advanced Markets Sales experience, a plus

• The primary location for this position is either Bethlehem, PA or Hudson Yards, NYC, with flexibility to work remotely 2 days per week.

• Required to work in-office 3 days per week

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected].

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.