Group Underwriter - Team-Lead

First Canadian is a national organization and we are experiencing unprecedented growth!

We aim to hire bright, hard-working people who share our values. We seek employees who are committed to learning, career growth, and opportunity. We take pride in being an organization that our employees support long-term. We believe in our employees and celebrate their success by asking for employee opinions and feedback so that we continue to be a Great Place to Work.

We award our team with the following:

• Off work 1 hour early on Fridays.
• Earned Time-Off Program and vacation.
• Group Retirement Savings Plan with employer match.
• On-site gym.
• Educational assistance and career development.
• Employee benefits.
• Health and Wellness spending account.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Employee discount programs.
• A Culture Team dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and employee programs.
• Employee recognition and appreciation events.
• French is not required for this role but is an asset, an uplift of 5% is applied after the probationary period for qualified professional level French bilingualism (both spoken and written).

Check out our company page for all the information on why we believe First Canadian is an employer of choice!

If you are motivated to succeed by helping people, then this is the opportunity for you!

The Underwriter, Team Lead – Group Benefits is a key leadership role within our growing Group Benefits team, based in Downtown Edmonton and reporting to the Director and Actuary – Group Benefits. This role is responsible for applying underwriting best practices to evaluate, rate, and negotiate pricing for both new and existing group benefits clients.

As a subject matter expert, the Underwriter, Team Lead will guide underwriting decisions and will collaborate closely with the sales team to ensure competitive and sustainable solutions. This role will also provide coaching, mentorship, and strategic support to sales partners while staying informed on industry trends and legislative changes that influence the group benefits landscape.

The annual compensation range for this role is $60,000 - $85,000.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Evaluate, price, propose rates and strategies for group insurance products: Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, STD, LTD, Extended Healthcare and Dental.
• Perform underwriting functions associated with manual and experience rating.
• Analyze information on industry, past claim history and trends, financial conditions, demographics, legislative changes, policy provisions and other standard criteria to calculate renewal rates.
• Manage assigned workload to meet internal productivity and project timelines.
• Understand and communicate region-specific sales strategies and trends to inform sales processes.
• Determines level of risk based on established underwriting guidelines and business risk tolerance levels.
• Negotiates with key stakeholders regarding plan design, deviations, expenses, price, rate guarantees and rate increase capping to attain new business and renew existing business.
• Provides recommendations to manage risk while meeting clients’ needs.
• Supports the identification and development of best practices workflows and procedures.
• Maintains knowledge of industry related information, including mental health and wellness initiatives, economic changes, provincial drug plans and updates to legislation.
• Provides guidance, training and mentorship to sales partners and the team regarding quotes, renewals, and related procedures.
• Ensures timely and accurate financial tracking.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Economics, Actuarial Sciences, or an equivalent field is required.
• 3 to 5 years of related underwriting experience in the insurance or group benefits industry is required.
• Experience in supervisory capacity is an asset.
• Strong background in data-driven decision-making, underwriting analytics, and portfolio management is required.
• Experience with complex risk assessment, policy pricing, is an asset.
• Experience with regulatory compliance in underwriting in multiple provinces or at a national level is an asset.
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation, Group Benefits Associate (GBA), or Fellow Life Management Institute (FLMI) designation, or equivalent is an asset.
• Advanced skill with Microsoft Office (Word/Excel) is required.
• Relocation to the Edmonton area is required as the role is full-time in-person. 
• Fluent in English with proven competencies in verbal and written communication is required.
• Fluent in French with proven competencies in verbal and written communication is an asset.
• Successful completion of a credit check, criminal background check, education verification, and employment reference checks is required before employment.

Thank you for considering our organization.

 There will be a French and English assessment as a part of the recruitment process for eligible bilingual candidates.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. Accommodations are available upon request.