Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Symetra is a national financial services company dedicated to helping people achieve their financial goals. The Vice President, Product & Economics for the Individual Life Division is responsible for leading product strategy, portfolio direction, and economic decision-making to ensure alignment with growth ambitions and risk management.
Responsibilities
• Set ILD’s product strategy and portfolio direction across life insurance offerings
• Establish clear decision criteria, economic framing, and strategic priorities for product initiatives
• Own product oversight and product decisions through the Product Committee, ensuring disciplined evaluation, alignment, and timely handling of critical issues as needed
• Lead via senior functional product leaders who manage day-to-day execution and committee cadence
• Shape ILD strategy and investment tradeoffs through rigorous economic vetting, scenario analysis, and strategic recommendations
• Partner across actuarial, underwriting, distribution, and finance to integrate product direction with ILD’s strategic goals and operational capacity
• Provide senior economic judgment on profitability, customer behavior, risk, capital sensitivity, and reinsurance
• Guide complex, high impact initiatives where structure matters (e.g., large-case designs, premium financing, executive benefits, BOLI/COLI)
• Partner with Actuarial and Reinsurance leaders to evaluate risk-transfer strategies and long-term value implications
• Oversee market intelligence and competitive assessment activities
• Translate market signals, customer insights, and distribution dynamics into clear product actions and positioning recommendations
• Align product strategy to distribution needs through close partnership with Sales and Business Development
• Engage selectively with external counterparties (e.g., reinsurers, strategic partners) on initiatives where product economics and structuring require senior level judgment
• Support key strategic negotiations in partnership with cross-functional leaders
• Strengthen ILD’s use of data, analytics, and emerging capabilities (including AI) to drive data-driven decision-making
• Find opportunities to modernize product workflows and improve decision speed and operational efficiency
• Communicate complex product, economic, and strategic topics clearly to executive audiences
• Serve as a strategic thought partner across ILD and contribute to division wide priorities and investment decisions
Skills
• 15+ years of experience in the life insurance industry with senior leadership roles in product strategy, product development, product management, or similar domains required
• Deep understanding of life insurance product economics and key tradeoffs
• Experienced in influencing through senior functional leaders and delivering complex initiatives end to end
• Strong executive presence with the ability to synthesize complex concepts and influence senior partners
• Comfort engaging selective external partners (e.g., reinsurers) and supporting strategic negotiations
• Ability to travel as needed
• Background in actuarial science (FSA/ASA), corporate strategy, or advisory roles a plus
Benefits
• Flexible full-time or hybrid telecommuting arrangements
• Plan for your future with our 401(k) plan and take advantage of immediate vesting and company matching up to 6%
• Paid time away including vacation and sick time, flex days and ten paid holidays
• Give back to your community and double your impact through our company matching
Company Overview
• Symetra is a financial service company that provides retirement, employee benefits, group life, and disability insurance. It was founded in 1957, and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, USA, with a workforce of 1001-5000 employees. Its website is http://www.symetra.com.