Senior Product Owner, New Business Underwriting

Why Join Guardian Life?

At Guardian Life, we're more than an insurance company—we're a purpose-driven organization committed to inspiring well-being for our colleagues, customers, and communities. As a Fortune 500 company with over 160 years of history, Guardian Life offers unparalleled stability, innovation, and growth opportunities in the insurance and financial services industry. Join our dynamic team in Boston and be part of transformative projects in new business underwriting that leverage cutting-edge data, AI, and agile methodologies.

Our hybrid work model provides flexibility with 3+ days per week in our state-of-the-art offices in Boston, MA, Bethlehem, PA, Hudson Yards, NYC, or Holmdel, NJ. Enjoy a culture of high ethical standards, diverse colleagues, skill-building programs, leadership development, and philanthropic initiatives. Whether you're advancing your career in product ownership, underwriting technology, or insurance innovation, Guardian empowers you to thrive professionally and personally.

Role Description

The Senior Product Owner – New Business Underwriting plays a pivotal role in maximizing product value by leading the feature vision and managing the team backlog in close collaboration with Tech Leads. Reporting to product leadership, you'll bridge the gap between the Product Manager's strategy and the development team's execution. This position ensures that underwriting products align with business goals, customer needs, and regulatory standards in the fast-evolving insurance landscape.

Working within agile squads, you'll translate high-level epics into actionable user stories, prioritize features, and drive solution delivery for new business underwriting systems. With a focus on data-driven decision-making, AI integration, and process optimization, you'll contribute to Guardian's mission of delivering seamless, efficient underwriting experiences that accelerate policy issuance and enhance risk assessment.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Translate product vision and strategy into a prioritized team backlog, including detailed user stories with acceptance criteria, tasks, and alignment to epics and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with Product Managers to identify, prioritize, and implement process improvements in underwriting workflows, tracking progress via OKRs and communicating updates to stakeholders.
• Define, sequence, and manage product features and requirements in the backlog, ensuring business alignment, compliance with data/AI standards, and optimal customer experience.
• Partner with Tech Leads to maintain the product roadmap, backlog grooming, and sprint planning for underwriting platforms.
• Break down complex data requirements into actionable backlog items, overseeing timely delivery of high-quality functionality.
• Engage with data scientists and AI subject matter experts (SMEs) to uphold standards across applications, including rating engines and risk models.
• Lead go-to-market readiness, reviewing release plans with Product Delivery Managers (PDMs) and coordinating stakeholder sign-offs.
• Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) for issues, drive continuous improvement, and foster cross-functional teamwork in an agile environment.

Required Skills

Guardian Life seeks candidates with proven expertise in agile product ownership and insurance domain knowledge:

• Objectives and Key Results (OKR) management
• Product Requirements Definition
• Product Backlog Management
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Solution Delivery & Agile Practices
• Product Roadmap Development
• Data & AI Standards Compliance
• Business Process Improvement
• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Communication
• Underwriting or Rating System Experience (Preferred)

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5-7+ years in product management, product ownership, or related roles within insurance, fintech, or tech environments.
• Demonstrated success in driving product roadmaps, integrating customer research, and ensuring data/AI governance.
• Strong background in product journey mapping, OKR frameworks, and working with cross-functional teams including developers, designers, and business stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, multitasking, and deadline management skills; experience in rating/underwriting preferred.

Compensation Overview

The base salary range for this Senior Product Owner role is $118,980.00 - $195,465.00 annually, depending on experience, education, and qualifications. This good-faith estimate reflects pay for the primary Boston location. Total compensation may include annual incentives, sales bonuses, or other performance-based rewards. Guardian Life offers competitive pay to attract top talent in product management and insurance technology.

Benefits

Guardian’s comprehensive benefits package supports your well-being and career growth:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance with generous employer contributions.
• 401(k) retirement savings with company match.
• Paid time off, parental leave, and flexible hybrid scheduling.
• Professional development, tuition reimbursement, and leadership training.
• Wellness programs, employee assistance, and mental health resources.
• Philanthropic matching and community involvement opportunities.

Explore full details at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Guardian is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. We provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities, pregnancy, and more. Apply today to shape the future of underwriting at Guardian Life!