Description
The Head of Individual Disability Pricing and Risk is a senior actuarial leader responsible for pricing, risk management, and overall risk strategy for individual disability products in target markets. The role drives pricing innovation through robust actuarial models, evaluates risk across underwriting, claims, and external market factors, and ensures alignment with enterprise risk tolerance and profitability goals. Partnering closely with underwriting, product, and distribution, this leader supports growth initiatives, advances business and market strategies, and leads special market programs such as guaranteed issue offerings. The role also strengthens pricing governance and audit readiness while mentoring a high-performing team of actuaries and analysts.
- Pricing Strategy & Actuarial Innovation - Owns core pricing responsibilities, including development and refinement of actuarial models, margin adequacy, pricing assumptions, and profitability analysis to support competitive and sustainable individual disability products.
- Risk Management & Underwriting Integration - Evaluates portfolio risk across underwriting guidelines, application-level decisions, claims experience, and external market factors; partners with underwriting to assess risk impacts and ensure alignment with enterprise risk tolerance and regulatory standards.
- Product Strategy & Cross-Functional Leadership - Acts as a key partner to Product Management, influencing product design, strategy, and lifecycle decisions; translates complex data into actionable insights for senior leadership and leads cross-functional initiatives across product, underwriting, and distribution.
- Distribution Support & Special Market Programs - Supports growth objectives through risk-based market strategies, including guaranteed issue and residency programs; collaborates with distribution and financial representatives to expand disability insurance reach within the Guardian distribution network.
- Governance, Talent Development & Operational Excellence - Champions pricing governance, documentation, audit readiness, and continuous improvement while mentoring and developing a high-performing team of actuaries and analysts, and fostering a culture of analytical rigor and collaboration.
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience in pricing and risk management within the disability insurance industry, preferably within individual products
- Strong analytical skills, including proficiency with actuarial modeling tools and data visualization platforms
- Solid financial acumen and understanding of profitability drivers
- Knowledge of insurance regulatory requirements and compliance standards
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
- This is a Hybrid role that requires onsite presence in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
