Job Description: Life Underwriting Manager

Employment Type: Full time Location Type: Fully Remote Compensation Grade: G4 #LI-LP1

Position Overview

Are you passionate about being part of a team that delivers extraordinary care to help individuals and businesses prepare for and protect their retirement? If so, then Nationwide Financial could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

This is a fully remote position that will manage approximately 12-13 life underwriters.

Job Description Summary

Our underwriters work hard to provide the exceptional customer experience for which Nationwide is known. Actively engaging with our firms and financial professionals to get to know their clients and their needs builds our understanding of the market, what is needed to win business and put our best offer out first.

If you thrive working autonomously, making decisions on a variety of impactful issues and continuing to grow, we want to know more about you! As a Manager, you'll lead the day-to-day operations for the Life Underwriting team within Nationwide Financials’ Life New Business organization. The team is responsible for mortality risk assessment and protecting Nationwide against sooner than expected mortality expenses as well as morbidity risk management for long term care insurance. You’ll lead the team responsible to approve, modify, or decline applications through an underwriting assessment including evaluation of medical history, occupational hazards, financial background, insurable interest and other relevant information. The business mix consists mostly of universal life, term, long term care and variable universal life. The team handles the largest, highly sophisticated cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Culture:
  • Leads and provides oversight to team roles and responsibilities while creating a highly engaged culture.
  • Acts as a forward-facing representative, handling customer satisfaction, interaction quality, and relationships.
  • Focuses on maintaining strong relationships both internally and externally.
• Operational Excellence:
  • Establishes practices for quality, production standards, and relationship management.
  • Ensures delivery on customer requests and schedules to adhere to compliance guidelines.
• Project Management & Improvement:
  • Participates in, sponsors, or owns major projects, leading activities and staff.
  • Provides guidance to supporting departments on team operations.
  • Assists in identifying and establishing relationship management guidelines and operational improvements that advance service delivery aligned with industry and regulatory requirements.
  • Projects often include industry-wide committees and involvement of key internal and external partners.
• Talent Development & Performance Management:
  • Hires qualified and highly engaged underwriters.
  • Drives a culture of coaching and feedback for personal and professional guidance.
  • Develops talent within the organization for succession planning.
  • Handles all performance management tasks and related functions for the team.
  • Ensures associates are current and knowledgeable of the industry, competition, and regulatory environment.
  • Promotes industry training and involvement in related organizations.
• Client & Sales Relationship Management:
  • Owns service relationships requiring a high level of technical expertise, where high-touch, highly satisfied relationships are crucial for client and asset retention.
  • Helps build and strengthen relationships through presentations, intermediaries, and/or direct contact.
  • Partners closely with Sales to ensure overall satisfaction with Nationwide.
  • Develops staff to find ways to deepen Nationwide relationships and build additional sales opportunities for Sales partners.
• Service Delivery & Issue Resolution:
  • Supervises activities to ensure clients are served timely and meet/exceed quality standards.
  • Responds to and resolves service issues and calls from Sales, firms, producers, and customers.
  • Works with internal/external partners to ensure resolution.
  • Works with various back-office and internal departments to advocate for their relationships.