Definition of Department and Function
The Underwriting and New Business Department is the focal point for managing all risk underwriting activities, policy issuance, policy adjustments, and other New Business-related operations.
The Department is responsible for ensuring quality, accuracy, compliance, and turnaround time throughout the entire operational processing lifecycle.
The Department works closely with Sales, Product, IT, Operations, Claims, Customer Service, and other functional units to support business growth, new product development, and enhanced customer experience.
The Department plays a critical role in standardizing processes, controlling operational risks, and driving continuous improvement in insurance operations.
Position Objective
To lead the strategy and overall governance of Underwriting and New Business activities, ensuring a balance between business growth, risk control, and service quality.
To develop and execute the Department's directions, plans, and operational priorities in alignment with the company's business objectives and growth strategy.
To ensure underwriting, policy issuance, and operational processes are run efficiently, consistently, in compliance, and with scalability.
To develop team capability, build an effective working environment, and establish a long-term succession foundation for the Department.
Duties and Responsibilities
3.1 Strategy and Operational Planning
Develop the strategic direction, action plans, and key priorities for the Underwriting and New Business Department in line with each stage of the company's development.
Translate business objectives into concrete operational plans, ensuring the Department meets growth, service quality, and risk control requirements.
Monitor execution effectiveness, assess outcomes, and adjust plans when necessary to ensure agility and operational efficiency.
3.2 Operational Governance and Quality Control
Manage and oversee all underwriting, policy issuance, policy adjustment, and New Business case processing activities, ensuring they are performed to standard, on time, and in compliance.
Establish, review, and improve operational processes, policies, and guidelines to enhance efficiency and minimize errors.
Track key operational metrics, analyze trends, identify bottlenecks, and propose appropriate improvement solutions.
Ensure consistent application of processes, standards, and internal controls across the entire Department.
3.3 Product Development and Cross-functional Collaboration
Collaborate with Product, IT, Sales, Legal, Compliance, and relevant stakeholders in designing, developing, and launching new insurance products.
Participate in assessing the operational, process, and system feasibility of new products, new distribution channels, or business process changes.
Act as the key liaison with IT to build, enhance, and optimize systems supporting underwriting, new business, policy issuance, and related operational needs.
Resolve cross-functional issues arising during business implementation, ensuring smooth and effective collaboration.
3.4 People Management and Organizational Development
Build the organizational structure and define roles and responsibilities within the Department in line with the company's operating model and growth scale.
Recruit, develop, coach, and retain key talent; build succession capability for critical managerial and specialist positions.
Set objectives, monitor performance, and evaluate team results; ensure accountability, proactiveness, and execution effectiveness.
Foster a professional, collaborative, compliant, and continuous-improvement-oriented culture across the Department.
3.5 Reporting, Risk Governance, and Continuous Improvement
Provide periodic reports to the Executive Management and relevant stakeholders on operational performance, underwriting quality, issuance rate, turnaround time, and key issues.
Propose and implement corrective actions, process improvements, and resource optimization initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness.
Ensure the Department's activities are aligned with internal policies, compliance requirements, and the company's risk governance direction.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Company or line manager.
Qualifications
Requirements
Bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in Insurance, Finance, Banking, Economics, Business Administration, or related fields.
At least 12–15 years of experience in life insurance, including many years in senior management roles in underwriting, new business, policy administration, or related operations.
Strong knowledge of insurance underwriting, policy issuance, operational process management, risk control, and insurance product development.
Experience working with technology systems supporting insurance operations, process improvement, automation, or digital transformation is a strong advantage.
Proven ability to lead large teams, build organizational capability, develop talent, and manage performance effectively.
Strategic mindset with strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in a high-pressure environment.
Strong cross-functional coordination and influence skills, with excellent communication with management, business, operations, and internal partners.
Strong cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills, with effective communication across management, business, operations, and internal stakeholders.
Ability to build processes, operational standards, and drive compliance across the organization.
Proficient in English in a professional working environment; candidates who can read technical and business documents and communicate with regional or group stakeholders are preferred.
Highly responsible, result-oriented, careful, integrity-driven, and committed to service quality.