Life Service & Underwriting Director
Life Service & Underwriting Director

Life Service & Underwriting Director

Bournemouth Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead transformational change in life underwriting processes and oversee various teams.
  • Company: Join Vitality, a forward-thinking company focused on health and innovation.
  • Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, bonus schemes, and award-winning health insurance.
  • Why this job: Be part of a culture that values innovation, personal growth, and social impact.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in life underwriting leadership with strong change management experience required.
  • Other info: Hybrid working model with travel opportunities to South Africa.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

Job Description

About The RoleTeam – Adviser Service Life – Leadership TeamWorking Pattern – Hybrid – 2 days per week in the Vitality Bournemouth or London (min of one one day a week expected to work within our Bournemouth) with regular travel to South Africa. Full time hours.We are happy to discuss flexible working!Top 3 skills needed for this role:
  • Underwriting experience in Life
  • Transformational change delivery experience 
  • Driving operational excellence (processes/improvements/strategic steerage) 

What this role is all about:The Life Underwriting Director will play a pivotal role in managing and driving transformational change across our underwriting processes. This role will oversee the underwriting, nurses, concierge, and new business teams from quote to cover, ensuring the seamless integration and efficiency of operations. Do you have a proven track record in life underwriting and evidence of leading transformation change projects? The idea candidate will also need to have strong leadership skills, and a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.The role will drive the adviser service strategy and lead the delivery of consistent World Class service to our Intermediaries across Vitality Life. This includes dealing both directly with members and intermediaries and will sit on the Life Exco and deputise for the Group Retention & Adviser Service Director in other key Excos.Key Actions

  • Define the strategy and plan for Life Adviser Service Operations in alignment with the overall business strategy and goals.
  • Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities for team members
  • Create a high performance culture where people have the freedom and desire to develop and aspirations to over achieve.
  • Drive and implement transformational change initiatives to optimize underwriting & service processes.
  • Develop and execute strategies to improve efficiency, accuracy, and customer experience.
  • Delivery of technology solutions to meet changing broker, franchise and employer requirements and provide optimal simplicity in engaging with the business.
  • Engaging with a significant change programme and driving change in the business by ensuring that the team are empowered to identify.
  • Oversee the end-to-end underwriting process, from quote to cover. Ensure adherence to underwriting guidelines, risk assessment protocols, and regulatory requirements.
  • Working collaboratively with all other Operational Division Heads on matters of innovation, efficiency and the quality of the Customer experience being the main priority.
  • Establish Management Information and KPI’s, analyse data to determine operational effectiveness and areas for improvement.
  • Engage with internal and external stakeholders to understand needs and deliver exceptional service.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, brokers, and other partners.
  • Identify and implement innovative solutions to enhance underwriting efficiency and accuracy.
  • Deliver efficiency and effectiveness targets, focusing on automation and customer experience.

What do you need to thrive?

  • Evidence of working at senior levels and sales teams 
  • Private Medical, Life or Insurance experience
  • Excellent leadership attributes
  • An understanding of how to build, motivate and mature call centre teams
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills.
  • Excellent communication, coaching and feedback skills
  • Substantial experience in life underwriting, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
  • Proven experience in managing transformational change initiatives.
  • Strong understanding of underwriting processes, risk assessment, and regulatory requirements.
  • Evidence of supporting the delivery of large system change, specially to drive process and customer benefit
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Insurance, or a related field (advanced degree preferred)
  • Ability to think strategically and drive innovation.

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.

Life Service & Underwriting Director employer: Vitality

At Vitality, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and continuous improvement. With a hybrid working model based in Bournemouth and London, we provide our employees with flexibility, competitive benefits including a generous pension scheme and award-winning health insurance, and ample opportunities for professional growth. Join us to be part of a team that values your contributions and supports your journey towards making a meaningful impact in the life insurance sector.
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Contact Detail:

Vitality Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Life Service & Underwriting Director

✨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 in the field. This can help you gain insights into the company culture and expectations.

✨Tip Number 2

Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and technologies in underwriting processes. Being knowledgeable about innovations in the field will demonstrate your commitment to driving operational excellence and transformational change.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've led transformational change in previous roles. Highlighting your experience with process improvements and operational efficiency will show that you have the skills needed for this position.

✨Tip Number 4

Research Vitality's values and mission. Understanding their approach to customer service and innovation will allow you to align your responses during interviews, showcasing how you can contribute to their goals.

We think you need these skills to ace Life Service & Underwriting Director

Life Underwriting Experience
Transformational Change Management
Operational Excellence
Leadership Skills
Strategic Planning
Process Improvement
Risk Assessment Knowledge
Regulatory Compliance Understanding
Data Analysis and KPI Development
Stakeholder Engagement
Customer Experience Enhancement
Coaching and Mentoring
Communication Skills
Team Building and Motivation
Project Management
Technology Solution Delivery

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your underwriting experience in life insurance and any transformational change projects you've led. Use specific examples to demonstrate your leadership skills and operational excellence.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for innovation and continuous improvement. Discuss how your experience aligns with the role's requirements and how you can contribute to driving the adviser service strategy.

Highlight Relevant Skills: Emphasise your planning, organisational, and communication skills. Mention your ability to build and motivate teams, as well as your understanding of underwriting processes and regulatory requirements.

Showcase Your Achievements: Include quantifiable achievements in your application that demonstrate your success in managing transformational change initiatives and improving customer experience. This will help you stand out as a strong candidate.

How to prepare for a job interview at Vitality

✨Showcase Your Underwriting Expertise

Make sure to highlight your extensive experience in life underwriting during the interview. Be prepared to discuss specific cases where you successfully managed underwriting processes and how you ensured compliance with guidelines and regulations.

✨Demonstrate Change Management Skills

Since the role involves driving transformational change, come equipped with examples of past projects where you led change initiatives. Discuss the strategies you employed and the outcomes achieved, focusing on how you overcame challenges.

✨Emphasise Leadership Qualities

This position requires strong leadership skills, so be ready to talk about your experience in mentoring and developing teams. Share instances where you fostered a high-performance culture and motivated team members to exceed their goals.

✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions

The role involves defining strategies for Life Adviser Service Operations. Prepare to discuss your approach to strategic planning and how you align operational goals with broader business objectives. Think about how you can contribute to enhancing customer experience through innovative solutions.

Life Service & Underwriting Director
Vitality
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  • Life Service & Underwriting Director

    Bournemouth
    Full-Time
    43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-07-15

  • V

    Vitality

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