Full-Time
Vice President Underwriting
Multiple Teams
Updated on 9/3/2026
Standard Insurance
1,001-5,000 employees
Disability, life, retirement, investment insurance provider
Compensation Overview
$211.3k - $357.5k/yr
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship
Remote in USA + 1 more
More locations: Portland, OR, USA
Remote
Bachelor's
 Insurance (1) |
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- A bachelor's degree in Business, Mathematics, or a related field is required.
- A minimum of twelve to fifteen years of progressive experience in the group insurance or financial services industries is required.
- At least seven years of progressively responsible management experience is required.
- Experience partnering across organizations to achieve business results is required.
- A strong background in workplace benefits, life, absence, and disability products is required.
- Advanced planning, facilitation, and leadership skills are required.
- Advanced knowledge of underwriting policies and strategies, contract provisions, negotiations, sales strategies, and alternate funding techniques is required.
- Lead the Employee Benefits underwriting organization by owning the Life, Absence and Disability underwriting strategy, risk management, and operations.
- Ensure appropriate pricing, plan design, and overall risk selection to drive profitable growth, strong persistency, and sustainable financial outcomes.
- Manage the entire customer lifecycle and implement consistent underwriting strategies and practices.
- Invest in and develop the Life, Absence and Disability Underwriting department to maintain a culture of high performance, accountability, and innovation across teams.
- Build a high-performing leadership bench, develop future underwriting talent, strengthen succession plans, and foster accountability, innovation, and collaboration.
- Collaborate with Sales to produce industry-leading underwriting results and create a competitive advantage.
- Partner with cross-functional teams in Actuarial, Compliance, Legal, Client Management, Information Technology, Strategy, Artificial Intelligence Applications, Claims, and Customer Service.
- Innovate and implement tools and processes that improve efficiency and compliance with metrics.
- Ensure a sustainable future through a focus on compliance and ethical standards and solutions.
- Monitor industry trends and integrate new technologies to improve underwriting accuracy and efficiency.
- Serve as a senior member of the Life, Absence and Disability executive team, helping shape enterprise strategy and represent underwriting in key business decisions.
- Influence Sales, Actuarial, Claims, Finance, Technology, and other enterprise partners to align underwriting priorities with profitable growth, customer experience, and long-term strategic objectives.
- An advanced degree is preferred.
- At least ten years of progressively responsible group underwriting experience is preferred.
- Experience with complex national accounts business is preferred.
Standard Insurance provides disability, life insurance, retirement plans, and investment products for individuals, families, and small businesses. It offers workplace benefits and services to help employees stay at work or return to work, including mental health and wellness support. The company differentiates itself with a proactive, whole-person approach to disability, focusing on mental health, substance abuse, and personalized, employer-tailored solutions. Its goal is to protect financial security for customers while improving the workplace experience and supporting communities through financial and volunteer efforts.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Portland, Oregon
Founded
1998
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- April 2026 Thrive Plus FIA broadens annuity distribution through Ignite Partners.
- April 2026 Bengaluru GCC expands AI engineering, cloud, and insurance operations.
- April 2026 Portland Workplace Possibilities center deepens accommodation selling and employer relationships.
What critics are saying
- April 2026 annuity sale to Pacific Guardian Life strips diversification by early 2027.
- Bengaluru GCC and vendor-to-in-house migration raise execution risk through 2026.
- Lincoln Financial and MetLife pressure finalist wins in $10 million-plus retirement plans.
What makes Standard Insurance unique
- Since 1906, The Standard has kept AM Best A since 1928.
- Its whole-person disability model combines clinical accommodation, return-to-work, and employer support.
- January 2026 integrated American Heritage voluntary benefits into a broader workplace suite.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Performance Bonus
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Sick Leave
Employee Referral Bonus
Company News
Magnifact has deployed its AgentVizion API Services platform at The Standard, connecting Financial Independence Group as the carrier's inaugural distribution partner through the Insured Retirement Institute's Digital First for Annuities Application Status and Activity Status APIs. The platform enables advisors and operations teams to receive standardized, real-time updates throughout the pending annuity lifecycle. They can track cases from application receipt through underwriting and policy issuance directly within their own systems without logging into a separate carrier portal. Because the implementation uses open IRI standards rather than proprietary interfaces, The Standard can onboard future distribution partners using the same integration framework, reducing implementation effort whilst creating a scalable digital ecosystem. The deployment marks a shift from manual case enquiries and proprietary integrations towards open, interoperable connectivity in the insurance industry.
The Standard names James Schugel national sales consultant, Finals & Deal Strategy for Retirement Plans. August 5, 2026 PORTLAND, Ore. - Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) welcomes James Schugel as a national sales consultant, Finals and Deal Strategy. In this role, Schugel will support The Standard's retirement plan sales efforts for plans with $10 million or more in assets by helping deliver strategies, tools and consultative resources to advisors and clients in this growing market segment. Schugel brings 11 years of financial services and retirement industry experience to The Standard. His background includes partnering with retirement sales teams on finalist presentations, online demonstrations and positioning of product, consulting and education capabilities throughout the sales process. Before joining The Standard, Schugel served as senior product and solution consultant at Lincoln Financial. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Saint Louis University and holds FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses. Schugel also earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor(R) and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist(R) designations. "James brings valuable retirement plan experience and a strong understanding of how to support advisors and clients throughout the sales process," said Jason Burlie, head of Retirement Plan Sales at The Standard. "His expertise will help us strengthen our finalist strategy and continue delivering tools and consultative resources advisors need to serve this important market segment." About The Standard. Established in 1906, The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. Standard is a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individual customers. Its products include group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, voluntary and supplemental benefits, absence management and paid family leave services, retirement plans products and services and annuities for employers and individual customers. For more information about The Standard, visit standard.com and follow Standard on LinkedIn and Instagram. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. StanCorp Equities, Inc., member FINRA, wholesales a group annuity contract issued by Standard Insurance Company and a mutual fund trust platform for retirement plans. Standard Retirement Services, Inc., provides financial recordkeeping and plan administration services. Investment advisory services are provided by StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor. StanCorp Equities, Inc., Standard Insurance Company, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., are subsidiaries of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and all are Oregon corporations. Contact. The Standard Melissa Wilmot 971.403.6984 Send a message
Straight from the source: Thames Water and The Standard podcast tackles river health. Wednesday 29 July 2026 A new podcast series dives into the health of its rivers, produced by The Standard in association with Thames Water The six-part series, 'Thames Unfiltered', journeys along the River Thames from its source to the sea, to explore the past, present and future of one of Britain's most vital natural assets. The series, presented by acclaimed business journalist and author Lucy Tobin, examines the Thames as both a symbol and a lifeline for London, reflecting the city's environmental history from periods of severe pollution to significant recovery. It also revisits defining moments such as the Great Stink of 1858, when untreated sewage and industrial waste overwhelmed the Thames during a hot summer, creating an unbearable smell that brought parts of London to a standstill and forced the government to invest in a modern sewer system. The resulting infrastructure, designed by engineer Joseph Bazalgette, redirected waste away from central London and marked a turning point in improving public health. Today, the river faces renewed scrutiny amid mounting pressures from climate change, population growth and increasing demand for freshwater. The series brings together a compelling range of voices, from those living breathing and working on the Thames, professors and academics in ecology, experts at Thames Water alongside some of the industry's biggest critics each offering contrasting perspectives on the Thames today. The series also features Sir Peter Bazalgette, the great, great grandson of Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, whose legacy continues to shape the story of the Thames today. Tessa Fayers, director of waste and bioresources at Thames Water, said: "Newsworks Limited is incredibly proud to have collaborated with The Standard on Thames Unfiltered, a series that brings together expert voices and compelling stories to explore the state of the River Thames, the challenges it faces, and the part Newsworks Limited all have to play in its future. "The health of its rivers is a complex issue. Through this series, Newsworks Limited will share knowledge in a fully transparent way to help people better understand the factors affecting river health. Newsworks Limited will also explore why protecting the Thames matters to communities, wildlife and future generations. That means confronting criticism and answering the difficult questions people want to ask. "By engaging openly with a range of perspectives and acknowledging the challenges Newsworks Limited face, Newsworks Limited hope to encourage informed discussion and build a deeper understanding of what it will take to improve the health of the Thames. "Blending storytelling, expert insight and on-the-ground reporting, Thames Unfiltered explores the science, history and infrastructure that sustain the river. It also investigates the network of stakeholders and decision-makers shaping its future." Lucy Tobin, journalist and host of Thames Unfiltered, said: "The best part of working on Thames Unfiltered was visiting the unseen river - standing inside the industrial-chic 'poo palace' that is Abbey Mills Pumping Station, and seeing how Victorian engineering still keeps London moving today. The Thames is the lifeblood of this city, but its water system is creaking under the pressure of a surging population and systemic failures by its custodians. "The river is full of surprises: I never expected to find harbour seals and porpoises, or learn that it's supposed to be the murky colour of builders' tea. Thames Unfiltered is the story of a river brought back to life after being declared biologically dead in 1957, but also a wake-up call about how seriously pollution and climate change are threatening the Thames' future. "By addressing critical questions about the river's health and long-term sustainability, the series aims to highlight the challenges ahead."
The Head and the Heart to headline Children's Cancer Association's 2026 gala. Live From the Heart benefit concert supports free JoyRx programs for hospitalized children impacted by serious illness. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Portland, OR - [July 15, 2026] - Children's Cancer Association (CCA) is proud to announce that Charity Rose Thielen and Matt Gervais, of the multi-Platinum indie-folk band The Head and the Heart, will headline the organization's annual Live from the Heart gala, presented by The Standard, on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon. The benefit concert will feature a simplified and intimate performance, bringing together community leaders, philanthropists, and supporters for an unforgettable evening celebrating the transformative power of joy for seriously ill children and their families. Proceeds from the event directly support Children's Cancer Association's free JoyRx Music(R), JoyRx Mentorship(R), and JoyRx Nature(R) programs, which serve children, teens, and families facing cancer and hospitalization across the Pacific Northwest and the nation.
The Standard and Pacific Guardian Life announce entry into agreement to transition individual annuities business. Business Wire PORTLAND, Ore. & HONOLULU-(BUSINESS WIRE)- Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) and Pacific Guardian Life announced today a definitive agreement under which The Standard will transition its individual annuities business to Pacific Guardian Life. The Standard and Pacific Guardian Life are both members of the global Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company family. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Pacific Guardian Life, founded in 1961, is Hawai'i's largest life insurance company and the leading carrier of Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), as well as a nationwide distributor of fixed annuity products. The Standard is a top workplace benefits provider in the U.S. "This transaction with our affiliate Pacific Guardian Life uniquely accelerates the business strategy and strategic focus of each company," said Dan McMillan, President and CEO of The Standard. "From the perspective of The Standard, it allows for added investment and focus on accelerating growth in our core workplace benefits businesses." "We are excited to bring this scale and the talented employees of The Standard to our annuities operation," said Nobutaka Yagi, Board Chair, President and CEO of Pacific Guardian Life. "This transaction will significantly broaden our portfolio of annuity products and distribution network." Upon closing, Pacific Guardian Life will acquire The Standard's individual annuities business, including annuities employees, operations and distribution partnerships. The Standard will retain its closed block of in-force annuities, which will be serviced by the same teams transitioning to Pacific Guardian Life. After closing, Pacific Guardian Life will continue to sell new individual annuities under The Standard brand for a period of time before transitioning to their own brand. About The Standard The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. In business since 1906, The Rosenthal Agency, Inc. is a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individuals. Its products include group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, voluntary and supplemental benefits, absence management and paid family leave services, retirement plans products and services and individual annuities. For more information about The Standard, visit standard.com and follow The Rosenthal Agency, Inc. on LinkedIn. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, StanCorp Mortgage Investors, StanCorp Investment Advisers, StanCorp Real Estate, StanCorp Equities and American Heritage Life Insurance Company. About Pacific Guardian Life Founded in 1961, Pacific Guardian Life provides comprehensive insurance solutions designed to benefit both employers and employees. Its products include individual life, Temporary Disability Insurance, individual annuity products and the origination and servicing of commercial mortgage loans. Its services are tailored to meet the evolving needs of modern workplaces, ensuring that your insurance coverage grows seamlessly alongside your company. For more information about Pacific Guardian Life, visit pacificguardian.com. Pacific Guardian Life Teddi Anderson TLC PR (808) 535-9099 [email protected] Advisor news. Annuity news. Health/Employee benefits news.