What are the responsibilities and job description for the Product Actuary Lead position at Ceres USA?
Company Overview
Westaim and CC Capital have joined forces to strategically transform Westaim from a holding company into a global alternative credit asset manager with a unique, integrated insurance platform, branded as The Westaim Corporation. This partnership supports a long-term vision to deliver innovative, customized financial solutions across alternative credit and insurance, creating scalable growth and meaningful client impact.
Ceres USA Holdings, LLC, part of the insurance platform within The Westaim Corporation strategy, is the parent company of Ceres Life Insurance—a fast-growing, technology-driven annuity carrier startup. Ceres is focused on redefining retirement security by combining modern fintech capabilities, top-tier talent, and strong vendor partnerships to deliver exceptional annuity solutions and digital experiences.
Ceres is deeply committed to a client-centered culture. Through its Digital Contact Center and advisor-facing platforms, the company delivers proactive, personalized, and technology-enabled support that empowers clients and advisors while maintaining the highest standards of trust, security, and regulatory compliance.
Job Summary
The Product Lead will own the end-to-end product strategy for MYGA and Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIAs), including products with living benefit guarantees. In addition, this role will serve as the interim Distribution Relationship Manager, acting as a senior point of contact for key IMOs and distribution partners to ensure continuity, alignment, and strong execution during a transition period.
This leadership role combines product ownership, actuarial rigor, and commercial partnership. The Product Lead will work closely with executive leadership, marketing, sales, finance, risk, and legal teams to deliver competitive, compliant, and profitable products while reinforcing trusted relationships with distribution partners.
Key Responsibilities
Product Strategy & Leadership
Westaim and CC Capital have joined forces to strategically transform Westaim from a holding company into a global alternative credit asset manager with a unique, integrated insurance platform, branded as The Westaim Corporation. This partnership supports a long-term vision to deliver innovative, customized financial solutions across alternative credit and insurance, creating scalable growth and meaningful client impact.
Ceres USA Holdings, LLC, part of the insurance platform within The Westaim Corporation strategy, is the parent company of Ceres Life Insurance—a fast-growing, technology-driven annuity carrier startup. Ceres is focused on redefining retirement security by combining modern fintech capabilities, top-tier talent, and strong vendor partnerships to deliver exceptional annuity solutions and digital experiences.
Ceres is deeply committed to a client-centered culture. Through its Digital Contact Center and advisor-facing platforms, the company delivers proactive, personalized, and technology-enabled support that empowers clients and advisors while maintaining the highest standards of trust, security, and regulatory compliance.
Job Summary
The Product Lead will own the end-to-end product strategy for MYGA and Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIAs), including products with living benefit guarantees. In addition, this role will serve as the interim Distribution Relationship Manager, acting as a senior point of contact for key IMOs and distribution partners to ensure continuity, alignment, and strong execution during a transition period.
This leadership role combines product ownership, actuarial rigor, and commercial partnership. The Product Lead will work closely with executive leadership, marketing, sales, finance, risk, and legal teams to deliver competitive, compliant, and profitable products while reinforcing trusted relationships with distribution partners.
Key Responsibilities
Product Strategy & Leadership
- Own the product vision, roadmap, and portfolio strategy for MYGA and FIA offerings
- Serve as the primary product decision-maker, balancing growth, competitiveness, risk, and capital efficiency
- Provide thought leadership on market trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory developments
- Advise senior leadership on product-related strategic decisions
- Lead product development initiatives from ideation through launch, including:
- Market and distribution feedback integration
- Competitive positioning and feature design
- Pricing strategy, assumption governance, and scenario testing
- Profitability analysis across statutory, GAAP, and tax frameworks
- Oversee actuarial pricing models and infrastructure (SLOPE, Excel, Python)
- Ensure product designs are marketable, scalable, and aligned with distribution needs
- Serve as the interim senior relationship manager for assigned IMOs and key distribution partners
- Act as a trusted, knowledgeable point of contact on product strategy, pricing rationale, and roadmap direction
- Partner with sales leadership to support product positioning, launches, and field communication
- Gather and synthesize distributor feedback to inform product enhancements and prioritization
- Support key meetings, product training sessions, and strategic discussions with distribution partners
- Ensure strong coordination between distribution, product, actuarial, and marketing teams
- Lead actuarial input into product filings, including memoranda, rate submissions, and regulator/auditor responses
- Ensure compliance with actuarial standards, regulatory requirements (e.g., VM-22), and internal governance
- Partner closely with marketing, distribution, finance, risk, ALM, and IT to ensure products are designed, built, and launched in a scalable, operationally sound manner
- Provide product and actuarial leadership to IT and technology teams during system design, configuration, and implementation, including requirements definition, prioritization, and validation of product functionality
- Support system builds activities related to product setup, pricing logic, illustrations, administration, and downstream reporting
- Support reinsurance pricing, structuring, and negotiations when applicable
- Monitor product performance, experience, and emerging trends relative to expectations
- Recommend pricing actions, inforce management strategies, or product adjustments
- Provide oversight on illustrations, competitive intelligence, and inforce analytics
- Mentor and guide actuarial and product team members
- Establish decision frameworks and clear priorities for the product organization
- Elevate actuarial and product insights across the organization through clear, executive-level communication
- FSA (or near-FSA) with deep annuity product pricing and development experience
- 7 years of actuarial experience, including leadership responsibility
- Strong expertise in MYGA and Fixed Indexed Annuities
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and engage credibly with distribution partners
- Advanced experience with actuarial modeling tools (SLOPE, Excel, Python)
- Strong understanding of valuation, capital, and regulatory requirements
- Ability to translate complex technical topics into clear, business-oriented messaging
- Strong judgment, ownership mindset, and executive presence
- Experience working directly with IMOs, advisors, or sales leadership
- Pricing experience for MYGA and FIAs with living or guaranteed benefit riders (e.g., GLWB, GMDB)
- Familiarity with VM-21, VM-22, and C3 Phase II
- Working knowledge of hedging, ALM, and risk management concepts
- Experience supporting product launches, filings, and regulatory discussions
- Exposure to sales illustrations, competitive intelligence tools, or inforce repricing
- Step into a highly visible leadership role with direct impact on both product strategy and distribution success
- Influence near-term growth while shaping the long-term annuity roadmap
- Work closely with executive leadership in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment
- Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, PTO, and strong career growth opportunities