Vice President, Chief Underwriter

Job Summary - Vice President, Chief Underwriter

The Chief Underwriter is accountable for the strategic leadership, governance, and execution of underwriting operations across four states in the Great Lakes region. This role oversees all self-funded & fully funded commercial underwriting activities, including new business, renewals, pricing strategy, and portfolio performance, while ensuring consistency with enterprise financial objectives, regulatory requirements, and long‑term growth strategy.

The Chief Underwriter serves as a key enterprise leader, partnering closely with Sales, Actuarial, Finance, Product, and Market Leadership to drive profitable growth, disciplined risk management, and competitive market positioning across the region. The Chief Underwriter will establish and execute regional underwriting strategies aligned with enterprise financial, growth, and risk objectives, ensuring underwriting decisions balance competitiveness, profitability, and sustainability across diverse market dynamics. This leader is also responsible for setting margin targets in alignment with Finance & Actuarial for self-funded & fully-funded lines by market segment. Annual membership and margin forecasting and collaborative partnership with Employer Solutions VPs of Sales and Client Services will be required.

The Chief Underwriter will directly manage, mentor, and lead a team of underwriters and support staff. Responsibilities include but are not limited to effectively interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and counseling employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Strategic management and budget oversight for quoting platforms and vendors; monthly and annual oversight and road map to support all Employer Solutions underwriting and business needs. This leader will support Priority Healths evaluation & investment in modernizing underwriting processes and tools to improve speed to quote, renewal execution, and pricing discipline while supporting growth objectives in a competitive market.

Essential Functions - Vice President, Chief Underwriter

• Develop financial renewals and new business financial proposals for group employers for commercial and Group Medicare markets using a variety of financial arrangements including:
• Community rating
• Modified community rating
• Adjusted experience rating
• Experience rating
• Self-funded and stop loss arrangements
• Renewals must ensure that Priority Health remains competitive in the marketplace while providing income and membership in accordance with organization goals and financial objectives.
• Deliver pricing competitiveness and margin outcomes through disciplined risk selection, rate governance, and portfolio management. Provide analysis and projections, financial management, and case level underwriting of risk business to achieve targeted operating income and membership. Balance growth and profitability goals to attain maximum results.
• Meet with key brokers to assess market trends, develop strategic focus, and adjust market goals as necessary. Assist and participate in negotiations and sales presentations with customers when needed.
• Support product development, including origination and evaluation of new product ideas, and pricing and maintenance of existing products.
• Support Employer Solutions P&L leadership based financial monitoring and reporting inclusive of the strategic oversight of employer insights execution.
• Advance underwriting analytics and performance dashboards that enable portfolio monitoring, root cause analysis, and corrective actions
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Employer Solutions leaders, and key stakeholders of Finance, Analytics and Actuarial.
• Drive modernization of underwriting tools and workflows, including quoting platforms, renewal automation, and reporting enablement
• Actively participates in safety initiatives and risk mitigating measures where appropriate and completes all position and unit safety related competencies and requirements on a timely basis.

Qualifications - VP, Chief Underwriter

• Required Bachelors Degree
• Preferred Masters Degree Business, Accounting or related area
• 10 years of relevant experience leadership experience

Physical Demands - VP, Chief Underwriter

• Pallet to Waist (6" from floor) > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Waist to Waist > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Waist to Chest (below shoulder) > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Waist to Overhead > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Bilateral Carry > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Unilateral Carry > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Pushing Force > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Pulling Force > 5 lbs: Seldom up to 10 lbs
• Sitting: Frequently
• Standing: Occasionally
• Walking: Occasionally
• Forward Bend - Standing: Seldom
• Forward Bend - Sitting: Occasionally
• Trunk Rotation - Standing: Seldom
• Trunk Rotation - Sitting: Occasionally
• Reach - Above Shoulder: Seldom
• Reach - at Shoulder or Below: Seldom
• Handling: Occasionally
• Forceful Grip > 5 lbs: Seldom
• Forceful Pinch > 2 lbs: Seldom
• Finger/Hand Dexterity: Frequently

How Corewell Health cares for you

Comprehensive benefits package to meet your financial, health, and work/life balance goals. Learn more here.

• On-demand pay program powered by Payactiv
• Discounts directory with deals on the things that matter to you, like restaurants, phone plans, spas, and more!
• Optional identity theft protection, home and auto insurance, pet insurance
• Traditional and Roth retirement options with service contribution and match savings
• Eligibility for benefits is determined by employment type and status

Job Details

• Primary Location: SITE - Priority Health - 1241 E BeltlineAve NE - Grand Rapids
• Department Name: Commercial Executive - PH Managed Benefits
• Employment Type: Full time
• Shift: Day (United States of America)
• Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40
• Hours of Work: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Days Worked: Monday to Friday
• Weekend Frequency: N/A

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Corewell Health is committed to providing a safe environment for our team members, patients, visitors, and community. We require a drug-free workplace and require team members to comply with the MMR, Varicella, Tdap, and Influenza vaccine requirement if in an on-site or hybrid workplace category. We are committed to supporting prospective team members who require reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application process, to perform the essential functions of a job, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment due to a disability, pregnancy, or sincerely held religious belief.

Corewell Health grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, genetic information, marital status, height, weight, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected category.

An interconnected, collaborative culture where all are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work, is vital to the health of our organization. As a health system, we advocate for equity as we care for our patients, our communities, and each other. From workshops that develop cultural intelligence, to our inclusion resource groups for people to find community and empowerment at work, we are dedicated to ongoing resources that advance our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. We invite those that share in our commitment to join our team.

You may request assistance in completing the application process by calling 616.486.7447.