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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy and quality of underwriting in a dynamic, hybrid work environment.
- Company: Join Vitality, a top-rated workplace committed to health and sustainability.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, bonus schemes, and an award-winning health insurance plan.
- Why this job: Be part of a forward-thinking team that values innovation and personal growth.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in Life Insurance Underwriting and strong people management skills required.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are at our core; we welcome all backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
About The Role
Team – Underwriting & Claims - Life
Working Pattern - Hybrid – 2 days per week in the Vitality London Office. Full time, 37.5 hours per week. We are happy to discuss flexible working!
Top 3 skills needed for this role:
- Excellent communication, influencing & people management skills
- Proven track record of innovation and development of underwriting
- Excellent working knowledge of regulatory procedures/requirements within the Protection industry
What this role is all about:
The Head of Underwriting Quality is responsible for the strategy, development, management and monitoring of referred-business underwriting philosophy and quality. This includes responsibility for managing, analysing, innovating and reporting on: evidence used for underwriting; underwriter accreditation, underwriting QA, post-issue sampling; reinsurance audits and retrospective claims underwriting. The purpose of the role is to ensure that underwriting at VitalityLife provides a robust risk control in an efficient, forward-thinking and customer-friendly way.
Key Actions:
- Define, articulate and pursue the delivery of the underwriting strategy as it relates to referred-business underwriting quality and philosophy.
- Manage the underwriting QA function to maintain underwriting quality and adherence to philosophy in line with reinsurance agreements and underwriting manuals.
- Manage the framework and process for the granting of operational underwriting authorities.
- Manage the post-issue underwriting sampling & reporting processes to manage misrepresentation & process risks.
- Manage reinsurer underwriting relationships – changes to manual underwriting philosophy, oversight of reinsurer audit programme, reporting of post-issue sampling and internal underwriting QA, input to reinsurance tenders, reporting of operational risk.
- Manage the medical evidence strategy and sourcing for underwriting.
- Work in conjunction with underwriting operations to see that best practice is maintained (e.g. adhering to philosophy, the minimising of excess medical evidence, tele-underwriting).
- Ensure the Underwriting Intranet site is up to date as a single point of reference for underwriting philosophy, providing clarity for underwriters.
- Work closely with the underwriting automation team to ensure philosophy is aligned across both.
- Work with business heads and risk teams to investigate and prevent any processes giving rise to operational underwriting risk– help the business understand the risk and drive solutions.
- Provide retrospective underwriting opinions for claims. Report on the referrals and share results with internal stakeholders.
- Discuss and advise on singular, bespoke underwriting risks presented by Operations/Distribution.
- Manage strategic and quality interactions with reinsurers, actuarial & data science teams, distribution quality management, claims and product development/marketing.
What do you need to thrive?
- High energy, bias for actions and strong self-motivation.
- Analytical with ability to use data and analytics to inform strategy and decisions.
- Extensive experience within a Life Insurance Underwriting role at a senior level.
- Exposure to reinsurance market.
- Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information.
- Open to innovation, use of data science to solve problems.
- Excellent people management & influencing skills.
So, what’s in it for you?
- Bonus Schemes – A bonus that regularly rewards you for your performance
- A pension of up to 12%– We will match your contributions up to 6% of your salary
- Our award-winning Vitality health insurance – With its own set of rewards and benefits
- Life Assurance – Four times annual salary
These are just some of the many perks that we offer! To view the extensive range of benefits we offer, please visit our careers page. Fantastic Benefits. Exciting rewards. Great career opportunities!
If you are successful in your application and join us at Vitality, this is our promise to you, we will:
- Help you to be the healthiest you’ve ever been.
- Create an environment that embraces you as you are and enables you to be your best self.
- Give you flexibility on how, where and when you work.
- Help you advance your career by playing you to your strengths.
- Give you a voice to help our business grow and make Vitality a great place to be.
- Give you the space to try, fail and learn.
- Provide a healthy balance of challenge and support.
- Recognise and reward you with a competitive salary and amazing benefits.
- Be there for you when you need us.
- Provide opportunities for you to be a force for good in society.
We commit to all these things because we want you to feel that you belong, and are supported to be happy and healthy.
About The Company
We’re really excited to announce that we have recently been awarded "Top 10 Best Places To Work" in The Sunday Times Awards 2024!
Diversity & Inclusion
At Vitality, we’re committed to diversity and inclusion because it’s good for our employees, for our business, and for society. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Vitality’s approach to sustainability
Vitality is a business that drives positive change. We reward people for making and sustaining healthier choices. But healthy people also need a healthy environment. To learn more please visit our Careers page.
If we are fortunate in receiving a high volume of quality applications we may need to close this vacancy early.
Head of Underwriting Quality employer: Vitality
Contact Detail:
Vitality Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Underwriting Quality
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the life insurance and underwriting sectors. Attend industry events or webinars to connect with potential colleagues and leaders at Vitality. This can give you insights into the company culture and the specific challenges they face.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and innovations in underwriting, especially those related to data science and analytics. Being able to discuss these topics during interviews will demonstrate your proactive approach and alignment with the company's forward-thinking philosophy.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to showcase your experience in managing teams and influencing stakeholders. Think of specific examples where you've successfully led initiatives or improved processes in underwriting, as this role heavily relies on strong people management skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Vitality's current underwriting practices and their approach to risk management. Understanding their philosophy will allow you to tailor your discussions and show how your vision aligns with theirs, making you a more attractive candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Underwriting Quality
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in underwriting, particularly any leadership roles. Emphasise your communication and people management skills, as well as your track record of innovation in the underwriting process.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, clearly articulate your understanding of the underwriting philosophy and quality management. Mention specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to manage and innovate within the underwriting space.
Showcase Relevant Skills: Highlight your analytical skills and experience with data-driven decision-making. Discuss how you have used data analytics in previous roles to inform strategy and improve underwriting processes.
Research the Company: Familiarise yourself with Vitality's values and their approach to underwriting. Understanding their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and sustainability will help you align your application with their corporate culture.
How to prepare for a job interview at Vitality
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As the role requires excellent communication and influencing skills, be prepared to demonstrate how you've effectively communicated complex ideas in previous roles. Use specific examples that highlight your ability to engage with different stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Abilities
The position demands strong analytical skills, so come ready to discuss how you've used data to inform decisions in underwriting. Prepare to share instances where your analytical insights led to innovative solutions or improvements in processes.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Regulatory Procedures
Since a solid understanding of regulatory requirements is crucial, brush up on the latest regulations within the Protection industry. Be ready to discuss how you have navigated these regulations in past roles and how you would apply this knowledge at Vitality.
✨Prepare for People Management Questions
Given the emphasis on people management, think about your leadership style and how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Be prepared to discuss specific challenges you've faced and how you motivated your team to achieve their goals.
