What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead Disability Underwriter position at MassMutual?
The Opportunity
This role will primarily lead and support the modernization of MassMutual’s Disability Income underwriting manual, including evaluation, redesign, and ongoing maintenance of evidence-based medical underwriting guidelines. This is a high-impact, strategic role shaping the future of DI underwriting at MassMutual and an opportunity to build next-generation underwriting guidelines that will support digital transformation and long-term risk performance. Ideal candidate will be a highly experienced Disability Underwriter.
This position is not generally attainable by all incumbents.
The Team
You'll join a collaborative and forward-thinking team of underwriters from various backgrounds and product expertise, who are motivated to shape the underwriting landscape at MassMutual. As a team, we demonstrate accountability, agility, a dedication to being inclusive, a strong business acumen, and show courage and professionalism when advocating for a particular project or presenting a healthy challenge to the status quo.
The Impact
MassMutual offers the opportunity to do meaningful work within a purpose-driven organization that values long-term impact over short-term outcomes. In this role, you can expect:
If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.
California residents: For detailed information about your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), please visit our California Consumer Privacy Act Disclosures page.
This role will primarily lead and support the modernization of MassMutual’s Disability Income underwriting manual, including evaluation, redesign, and ongoing maintenance of evidence-based medical underwriting guidelines. This is a high-impact, strategic role shaping the future of DI underwriting at MassMutual and an opportunity to build next-generation underwriting guidelines that will support digital transformation and long-term risk performance. Ideal candidate will be a highly experienced Disability Underwriter.
This position is not generally attainable by all incumbents.
The Team
You'll join a collaborative and forward-thinking team of underwriters from various backgrounds and product expertise, who are motivated to shape the underwriting landscape at MassMutual. As a team, we demonstrate accountability, agility, a dedication to being inclusive, a strong business acumen, and show courage and professionalism when advocating for a particular project or presenting a healthy challenge to the status quo.
The Impact
- Lead the modernization and ongoing evolution of MassMutual’s Disability Income medical underwriting manual, ensuring it remains innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with business objectives.
- Develop and maintain medical underwriting guidelines using clinical research, claims experience, emerging trends, and industry best practices.
- Partner with Claims, Pricing, Medical Directors, Compliance, and Product teams to ensure underwriting guidance is competitive, effective, and appropriately aligned with risk objectives.
- Translate complex medical, actuarial, and claims insights into clear, actionable underwriting guidance that promotes consistent risk assessment and decision-making.
- Assess current underwriting frameworks and identify opportunities to improve guideline structure, usability, consistency, and scalability.
- Support the development of digital and automated underwriting capabilities, including rules-based decisioning tools, knowledge bases, and future underwriting technologies.
- Champion the adoption of new underwriting practices through training, change management, and ongoing engagement with underwriting teams.
- Serve as a subject matter expert and strategic partner to underwriting leadership, helping strengthen risk governance, underwriting quality, and profitable growth.
- 10 years of relevant work experience in DI Insurance Underwriting
- Experience with research and writing guidelines
- Mastery knowledge of individual DI insurance practices, underwriting standards, and operations
- Demonstrated ability to research and interpret medical literature and translate into underwriting action
- Must have an established approval limit without second signature
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Have an established approval limit
- Industry exams/designations completed, e.g., ALU 101, 201, 202, LOMA, ALMI, FMLI, ALU, FALU, DIA, DIF, RHU, CLU
- Direct experience developing or maintaining medical underwriting manuals or formal guideline frameworks
- Familiarity with impairment-based underwriting frameworks and clinical risk stratification
- Experience supporting automated / digital underwriting rule implementation
MassMutual offers the opportunity to do meaningful work within a purpose-driven organization that values long-term impact over short-term outcomes. In this role, you can expect:
- Clear areas of ownership and accountability, with work that connects directly to company and customer outcomes
- A collaborative environment where perspectives are welcomed
- Access to learning, development, and internal networks that support continuous growth and skill-building over time
- Employee-led communities and forums that foster connection, learning, and inclusion across the organization
- A culture grounded in integrity, responsibility, and stewardship—supported by a company with a strong legacy and a future-focused mindset
If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.
California residents: For detailed information about your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), please visit our California Consumer Privacy Act Disclosures page.