Vice President of Underwriting

Ready to help us transform healthcare? Bring your true colors to blue. 

The Organization

At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com), our mission is to show up for everyone like they are the only one. As a not-for-profit health plan, our 4,000 associates deliver on that mission every day – guiding members to the exceptional care they deserve – affordably, equitably, and seamlessly.

Our vibrant culture is built on five core values: be the example, be kind, be curious, be courageous, and be community focused – everyday. We see these values reflected in our diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work, a vital part of our culture and our strategy. We are a driving force in creating an inclusive environment where all associates feel valued, respected and empowered across all levels of the organization to contribute their unique perspectives. Our efforts have been recognized by Forbes as one of ‘America’s Best Employers’. We’ve also been named one of the ‘Best Places to Work for LGTBQ+’ for the ninth consecutive year. 

Headquartered in Boston for more than 87 years with approximately $9.8 billion in premium revenue, we stand committed to supporting our employer customers, community and more than 3 million members in Massachusetts and across the country. We do this by developing market-leading benefit plans (medical, pharmacy, dental and vision), and key partnerships to help ease the burden of rising health care costs and improve the quality of care and experience for every member. In fact, in 2024, we were named one of the top health care plans in the nation by NCQA for quality and member experience.

We continue to innovate and lead the way on the most important issues in health care – health equity, mental health, women’s health, and value-based care – a focus Blue Cross pioneered that incentivizes providers to reduce health disparities across historically marginalized groups.  We are one of the first plans in the nation to introduce pay-for-equity contracts to measure and improve equity outcomes, engaging nearly every health care organization in Massachusetts in our health equity work.  

BCBSMA is also a leader in corporate citizenship. We have been recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation by the Points of Light Foundation for five years in a row and as the ‘National Healthcare Sector Leader’ in 2024.  Our corporate citizenship approach is rooted in health justice, fueled by investing nearly $15 million annually in financial grants, volunteer hours, and in-kind support to more than 460 non-profits advocating for health justice and systemic solutions to health inequities. Through our partnerships with civic and community leaders, we focus on overcoming the immediate barriers that prevent our community from achieving physical, mental, and emotional wellness, while working to dismantle their root causes. Our work comes to life through community investments, volunteerism, advocacy, and capacity building, and we’re proud to support our employees’ engagement in the community. In 2023, 88% of our employees participated in our corporate volunteering, contributing over 22,000 volunteer hours in support of nonprofit partners across Massachusetts. 

The Role  

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, a member of the Company’s executive leadership team, our Vice President of Underwriting will lead and oversee the underwriting function, ensuring strategic alignment with business goals and risk management objectives.  The successful candidate will be a results-oriented leader who can effectively lead underwriting teams to strategically support and manage risk effectively, develop and maintain underwriting guidelines, policies and procedures, and establish pricing models and methodologies based on risk assessment and market conditions.   

The successful candidate, who will lead a group of 30+ underwriting professionals, will have proven experience in recruiting, managing, and mentoring highly effective, innovative and collaborative teams. The successful candidate will work closely and collaboratively with the Chief Financial Officer and key peer stakeholders across actuarial, treasury, finance, sales and legal departments to optimize risk selection and policy pricing strategies, while serving a wide range of internal clients including the Chief Executive Officer and other members of the executive team, business and functional unit leaders.

This role requires a dynamic leader with proven expertise in underwriting strategy, team leadership and collaboration across organizational levels.

Key accountabilities for the role include:

• Lead and oversee the underwriting process for individual and group health plans

• Review complex medical applications, analyzing medical history, and assessing risk factors to determine coverage eligibility and premium levels

• Ensure adherence to all state and federal regulation requirements regarding health insurance underwriting

• Conduct and monitor audits to maintain underwriting quality and accuracy  

• Monitor industry trends and adapt underwriting practices to evolving regulations

• Identify and address potential compliance issues

• Partner closely with actuarial teams to assess risk and establish competitive pricing

• Collaborate with sales teams to provide underwriting support that address customer needs and support growth initiatives

• Communicate underwriting decisions effectively to brokers and policyholders

Key Competencies

• Shaping strategy: Ability to develop, manage and implement thoughtful underwriting strategies to achieve business goals, with a proven track record of providing strategic analysis and counsel to executive leaders in complex environments.
• Execution-oriented: Demonstrated ability to execute effectively for high-impact and demonstrated outcomes.
• Leading teams: Strong track record of leading, managing, and inspiring teams, including recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent.
• Influencing collaboratively: Exceptional ability to influence and engage internal and external stakeholders.

Personal Characteristics

• Strong commitment to the Company’s mission and values
• Strong attention to detail and ability to deliver high-quality results
• “Player-coach” mindset, with the ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on support
• Strong interpersonal skills to build healthy, collaborative, and trusting relationships across the Company.
• Self-motivated problem-solver and a curious thinker
• Strong executive presence with excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required (healthcare, business, mathematics or statistics preferred)
• 10+ years in underwriting experience, with significant leadership roles
• Deep expertise in health insurance underwriting principles and practices – particularly in medical, pharma and stop loss (FI and ASC)
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in underwriting tools and data analysis 
• Proven success in leading high-performing teams in dynamic environments
• Agile and nimble with an ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines
• Healthcare experience is preferred, but not required.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or any characteristics protected by law.

Minimum Education Requirements:

High school degree or equivalent required unless otherwise noted above

LocationBostonTime TypeFull time

Salary Range: $292,611.81 - $366,960.00

The job posting range is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting.  We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future.  An employee’s pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs and affordability.

This job is also eligible for variable pay.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401(k), and a suite of well-being benefits to eligible employees.

Note:  No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

WHY Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA?

We understand that the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can  prevent  amazing candidates coming our way, so please don’t hesitate to apply. We’d love to hear from you. You might be just what we need for this role or possibly another one at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all thrive, contribute, and be brilliant. We encourage you to bring us your true colors, , your perspectives, and your experiences. It’s in our differences that we will remain relentless in our pursuit to transform healthcare for ALL.

As an employer, we are committed to investing in your development and providing the necessary resources to enable your success. Learn how we are dedicated to creating an inclusive and rewarding workplace that promotes excellence and provides opportunities for employees to forge their unique career path by visiting our Company Culture page. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, we’d love to hear from you. You can also join our Talent Community to stay “in the know” on all things Blue.

At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, we believe in wellness and that work/life balance is a key part of associate wellbeing. For more information on how we work and support that work/life balance visit our "How We Work" Page.