Manager, Medical Underwriting

Location Designation: Fully Remote
New York Life's Group Membership Association Division (GMAD) seeks an experienced individual to join the Medical Underwriting team.
The Team Manager is responsible for the management and professional development of the Underwriters reporting to them. They are expected to ensure that team production and quality standards are met, identifying and maximizing any efficiencies and opportunities for process improvements. The Manager may carry a small caseload and often reviews cases with their direct reports. They are expected to evaluate an applicant's overall risk profile, not simply summing the total from individual risk factors.
The Manager must have an expert knowledge of medical terminology, and an awareness of how various medical impairments interact and affect individual mortality and morbidity risk. They must be a sought-out resource on the team, and in the department and company. They also work closely with approximately 40 administrators and will encounter a higher degree of interaction with our most prominent and largest cases. They are expected to have excellent communication and relationship management skills.
The Manager is responsible for ensuring appropriate handling of underwriting applications and for ensuring appropriate summarization of contestable claim reviews. They collaborate closely with our administrators and several other areas to lend their expertise and input, and engage in the reviews of forms, projects, testing of new technologies and the onboarding of new clients. They review and discuss workflows, age and amount requirements and ensure the correct set ups are completed in our underwriting system.
The Team Manager will be required to establish and monitor production standards, time service, and quality standards, and will have extensive interactions with clients and coworkers at various levels and executive management. They are recognized as experts in the field of underwriting and are expected to have a breadth of knowledge of company operations.
What You'll Do:

• Ensure the Underwriting Team accurately and efficiently classifies the mortality and morbidity risk for proposed insureds based on both medical and nonmedical information on cases.
• Monitor workloads and assign daily work and case assignments fairly across the team, ensuring account specific requirements and expertise is considered, to maximize efficiency.
• Measure, and provide feedback to team members on quality, quantity, and customer service to ensure that appropriate underwriting decisions are made in a timely manner and to aid in the professional development of underwriting personnel.
• Conduct hiring, training, performance management and personnel evaluations.
• Effectively manage remote Underwriters, encouraging positive engagement.
• Hold one on one meetings and team meetings regularly to share information and develop teamwork and promote consistency.
• Responsible for the performance and development of team members by coaching and mentoring them to assist them in reaching their full potential.
• Provide case reviews and second signatures, manage escalated case reviews and appeals.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of our administrative systems, product rules, underwriting guidelines and medical factors impacting mortality and morbidity.
• Ensure training materials and process/workflow documents are up-to-date and held in a central team location.
• Ensure accurate guidelines and group specific requirements are in our workflow system, and that information outside of those sources that are specific to our groups is held in a central, shared team location.
• Represent the underwriting division and lead projects and conduct research to evaluate new ideas and impact of changes.
• Function as expert resource for our Quick Decision business, proactively identifying trends and changes needed in the workflow and product to yield better outcomes.
• Oversee and provide thorough training for new and existing team members.
• Complete Underwriting team quality reviews.
• Support the development of new products and workflow and participate in discussion meetings and test new innovations and technologies.
• Participate in the development and strategy execution to expedite and enhance the underwriting experience, while ensuring quality decisions.
• Anticipate internal and external business challenges and/or regulatory issues and recommend process, product, or service improvements.
• Play a key role in projects, processes, and vendor management.
• Communicate complex ideas in detail to influence and persuade colleagues and management to consider a different point of view.
• Uphold the level of work ethic and standards expected of a Manager in the department.
• Participate in on-going medical, financial, and soft-skill training.
• Meet annual continuing education requirements.
• Attend select company and industry meetings as needed.

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 10+ years' Underwriting experience
• Prior Management experience preferred
• Technical knowledge and expertise in the areas of Life and Disability Income underwriting
• Excellent oral and written communication, customer service, and people skills
• Proven ability to work well with others, excellent teamwork, and strong work ethic

• Leadership and team building skills using a positive and proactive approach
• Relationship building skills, working cooperating with internal and external customers
• Experience with accelerated underwriting processes, rules engines, and using alternate vendor sources and data in underwriting
• Superior organization skills with strong attention to detail

• Proficiency in Microsoft tools
• Experience with AI tools - a plus
• Familiarity with reporting tools - a plus
• Underwriting designations - a plus

#LI - EM1
#LI - REMOTE
Pay Transparency
Salary Range: $100,000-$130,000
Overtime eligible: Exempt
Discretionary bonus eligible: Yes
Sales bonus eligible: No
Actual base salary will be determined based on several factors but not limited to individual's experience, skills, qualifications, and job location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition to base salary, employees may also be eligible to participate in an incentive program.
Company Overview
At New York Life, our 180-year legacy of purpose and integrity fuels our future. As we evolve into a more technology-, data-, and AI-enabled organization, we remain grounded in the values that drive lasting impact.
Our diverse business portfolio creates opportunities to make a difference across industries and communities-inviting bold thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and purpose-driven innovation. Here, you'll find the rare balance of long-standing stability and forward momentum, supported by an inclusive team that honors tradition while embracing progress.
As a Fortune 100 mutual company, we offer a place to grow your skills, contribute to meaningful work, and deliver solutions that matter. Your ideas drive what's next, and your growth powers it.
Our Benefits
We provide a full package of benefits for employees - and have unique offerings for a modern workforce, including leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs. Based on feedback from our employees, we continue to refine and add benefits to our offering, so that you can flourish both inside and outside of work.Click hereto discover more about our comprehensive benefit options or visit our NYL Benefits Site.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At New York Life, fostering an inclusive workplace is fundamental to who we are and how we serve our communities. We have a longstanding commitment to creating an environment where individuals can contribute their best and succeed together. This foundation is rooted in our core values of humanity and integrity, ensuring that every employee feels valued and supported. By embracing a broad range of perspectives and experiences, we achieve greater success and fulfill our promise of providing financial security and peace of mind to families across all communities. Click here to learn more about New York Life's leadership in this space.
Recognized as one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies, New York Life is committed to improving local communities through a culture of employee giving and volunteerism, supported by the Foundation. We're proud that due to our mutuality, we operate in the best interests of our policy owners. To learn more about career opportunities at New York Life, please visit the Careers page of www.NewYorkLife.com.
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Job Requisition ID: 92527