At Equitable, we believe work should be a place where you feel supported, inspired, and empowered to grow. In our caring and collaborative environment, your curiosity is encouraged, your passion is recognized, and your contributions truly matter. Together, we create meaningful impact, for our clients, our communities, and each other.
The Opportunity: At Equitable, we believe great things happen when we work together. We’re a Canadian mutual company driven by purpose - putting people first and helping Canadians protect today and prepare for tomorrow. If you’re passionate about making a difference and growing your career in an inclusive and collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you. Our culture is built on care, passion and curiosity. We put people above all else, strive to be our best and welcome new ideas to deliver positive outcomes. We are looking for an Underwriter to join our Group Underwriting team! The position is critical to our success. Join one of the region’s top employers and be part of something that truly makes a difference.
As a Senior Group Underwriter, you will play a key role in driving profitable growth and client retention through the risk assessment, analysis, pricing, and formal responses to requests for quote for both new and renewal business across all complexity levels, including alternate funding arrangements. You will be responsible for adhering to Equitable’s underwriting philosophy, processes, pricing methodologies, and proposal production standards while consistently meeting or exceeding established quality and productivity metrics. In addition, you will provide training and coaching to Group Underwriters, support divisional initiatives, and contribute to the continuous improvement of underwriting processes and documentation.
Work Arrangements: This is a hybrid role. You will work in our office in Waterloo, ON a minimum of two (2) assigned, consecutive days every other week, plus a fifth (5th) assigned day per month. You are welcome to work from the office more than the minimum requirement, and there may be some roles that are required to work in our office more than the minimum requirement.
What you’ll do:
- Complete risk assessment, analysis, pricing, and formal proposal responses for new business opportunities across all complexity levels, including large and complex cases.
- Conduct annual renewals for existing Group benefits clients, including reviewing risk, analyzing experience and profitability, determining appropriate pricing, and generating renewal reports.
- Evaluate and respond to requests for alternate funding arrangements while ensuring adherence to established underwriting practices.
- Review and assess requests for alternate costings on existing business and provide recommendations based on risk and profitability analysis.
- Generate accurate and comprehensive underwriting proposals that meet company standards and established service level requirements.
- Make informed decisions on case-specific Administrative and Claim Exception requests that include an element of risk, in accordance with documented processes.
- Track and achieve published quality and quantity performance standards while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
- Provide coaching, and knowledge-sharing support for Underwriting team members.
- Support Group benefits training initiatives for Group Underwriters, new service team members, and Group Marketing Managers.
- Maintain and update process documentation and the Group Underwriting Manual while identifying and addressing opportunities for operational improvement and risk mitigation.
What you’ll bring:
- College or University degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3-5 years of Group benefits knowledge and experience, including solid knowledge of group products, risk assessment, and pricing methodologies.
- Strong understanding of Group benefits underwriting principles and practices.
- Proven ability to assess risk, analyze complex data, and make sound underwriting decisions.
- Strong analytical thinking and innovative problem-solving skills.
- Excellent decision-making abilities with the confidence to manage complex underwriting situations.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and consistently meet challenging deadlines.
- Strong knowledge of the Group benefits marketplace, including industry trends and competitive factors.
- Experience providing training, coaching, or mentoring to colleagues and supporting knowledge development initiatives.
- Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (GBA) designation is considered an asset.
- Commitment to following established processes and procedures while identifying potential gaps, omissions, or activities that could expose the organization to unnecessary operational risk.
What’s in it for you:
- Career Growth: Regular learning sessions and development opportunities
- Total Rewards: Incentive pay, annual salary reviews, employer-paid benefits and pension matching
- Time Away: Competitive vacation plus one paid volunteer day each year
- Flexibility: Healthy work-life balance with employee wellness always top of mind, complemented by a “dress for your day” approach
As part of the recruitment process, candidates may be asked to complete an assessment.
At Equitable, we’re committed to fair pay and an inclusive, accessible hiring experience. If you need accommodations or alternative formats at any stage, just reach out to us at
[email protected]. We’re happy to help.
Your base pay will be based on your skills, qualifications, experience and education. In addition to your salary, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual incentive award tied to business performance, plus a wide range of competitive benefits.
If you’re selected to move forward, our Talent Acquisition team will walk you through all the details of our total rewards program, so you know exactly what’s included.
Reports To: Manager, Group Underwriting
Department: Group Underwriting
Term: Permanent Full-Time
This position is open and we are excited to find the right person to join our team.
As part of the recruitment process, you will need to go through background screening, as per our company policy.
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