Chief Actuary

Job Description:

Seeking a visionary Chief Actuary to lead all actuarial functions and build the actuarial infrastructure from the ground up for its rapidly growing life and annuity insurance platform. This is a hands-on leadership role for an entrepreneurial actuary who thrives in dynamic environments, enjoys creating processes from scratch, and is motivated by the opportunity to shape the direction of a high-growth business.

This role oversees pricing, valuation, modeling, ALM support, financial reporting, reinsurance analysis, and the development of a high-performing actuarial team.

Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership & Team Building

• Establish and lead the actuarial function for the company, building the frameworks, governance, and processes required for a modern life & annuity insurer/reinsurer.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop an actuarial team spanning pricing, valuation, modeling, risk, and reporting.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, CFO, CRO, Head of Reinsurance, and Head of Distribution.
• Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to improve efficiency, adopt modern modeling tools, and create scalable processes.

Pricing & Product Development

• Lead pricing for all life & annuity products, including MYGA, FIA, fixed-rate annuities, term life, and preneed/other life products.
• Conduct profitability testing, experience studies, sensitivity analysis, and competitive reviews.
• Partner closely with distribution and product teams to design products that align with market needs and company risk appetite.
• Develop pricing governance, documentation, and approval frameworks.

Valuation, Reserving & Financial Reporting

• Oversee statutory, GAAP, and tax valuation for life and annuity blocks.
• Lead adoption and ongoing compliance with LDTI and principle-based reserving (PBR).
• Ensure high-quality actuarial exhibits for quarterly and annual statements, audit support, and regulatory filings.
• Provide actuarial analysis for rating agencies, regulators, and internal stakeholders.

Modeling & Projections

• Build and maintain actuarial projection and valuation models.
• Lead cash flow testing, scenario analysis, stress testing, and capital projections.
• Support asset-liability management and investment strategy with actuarial insights.

Reinsurance & Capital Management

• Analyze and structure reinsurance treaties (flow and block).
• Support negotiations on ceding commission, collateral, capital relief, and treaty terms.
• Model the impact of each reinsurance transaction on earnings, reserves, capital, and liquidity.
• Work closely with the investment and capital teams on surplus notes, RBC strategy, and capital allocation.

Risk Management & Governance

• Develop and maintain actuarial policies, controls, and documentation aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Support enterprise risk management, including assumptions governance, mortality/lapse studies, and risk appetite frameworks.
• Provide actuarial input for ORSA, ALM, economic capital, and scenario testing.

Regulatory, Rating Agency & External Stakeholder Interaction

• Serve as the actuarial lead in discussions with state insurance departments, auditors, reinsurers, and rating agencies.
• Prepare actuarial materials for AM Best, including capital models, stress scenarios, and business plan support.

Qualifications:

• FSA designation (or near-FSA with significant experience).
• Significant experience in life & annuity pricing, valuation, and/or reinsurance.
• Proven ability to build or modernize actuarial teams and processes.
• Strong modeling experience (AXIS preferred, but other platforms welcome).
• Ability to operate hands-on while also thinking strategically and building scalable structures.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort in fast-moving, evolving environments.
• Clear communication skills and ability to explain complex actuarial concepts to non-actuaries.