Director, Product & Underwriting Innovation

Director, Product & Underwriting Innovation

Toronto, ONT, Canada and 1 more

Definity is the parent company to some of Canada’s most long-standing and innovative insurance brands, including Economical Insurance, Sonnet Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, and Petline Insurance. Our ambition is to be one of Canada’s leading and most innovative property and casualty insurers. We can’t do that without our people, so we embrace and encourage a culture that’s collaborative, ambitious, rewarding, and empowering.

We offer a flexible, hybrid work experience where employees work from the office and virtually depending on the type of work they are doing and who they are working with. Bring your true self and be a part of our journey. It’s better here.

The Opportunity

The Director, Product & Underwriting Innovation is a forward-thinking leader responsible for identifying, developing, and launching new products, services, and underwriting methodologies that will help define the future of our business. The Director will own the product & underwriting innovation pipeline from strategic planning and roadmap development to launch, ongoing management, and profitability. Drive increased and optimized underwriting sophistication through an innovation lens, leveraging advanced analytics and third ‑ party vendors to enhance risk segmentation and decisioning, enabling more efficient execution and scalable, profitable growth. The Director will lead a small, agile team to build a robust innovation pipeline, taking novel ideas from concept through to market launch. This individual will be the central force driving a culture of innovation, ensuring our product & underwriting portfolio remains relevant, competitive, and positioned for future growth, including the targeting of new or emerging growth markets.

What to Expect

• New Product & Underwriting Development & Incubation: Lead the end-to-end development lifecycle for new products and underwriting mechanisms, from initial ideation and concept validation to pilot program design and execution. Champion a "test and learn" approach, using pilot results and data to iterate on product design and go-to-market strategy. Oversee the operational and technical integration required to successfully launch new products into the market.
• Product & Underwriting Innovation & Optimization: Continuously scan the P&C landscape to identify and analyze emerging trends, Insurtech advancements, and new business models. Develop and maintain a strategic innovation roadmap and a pipeline of new product & underwriting concepts for Personal Insurance. Build compelling business cases for new product & underwriting investments, securing buy-in and resources from senior leadership.
• Customer Experience & Retention Initatives: Champion appropriate CX-led initiatives, including mobile app campaigns and proactive customer and employee education to ensure successful rollout and adoption of new innovation concepts. Analyze customer feedback and behavioral data to identify and implement key levers to improve retention and customer lifetime value.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration: Partner with leaders across multiple areas, including Underwriting, Pricing, Technology, CX, Claims, and Marketing to ensure alignment and support for innovation initiatives. Act as the primary evangelist for new product & underwriting concepts within the organization, effectively communicating their value and strategic importance.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, or a related field. An MBA or Actuarial background is considered an asset.
• 10+ years of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry, with a significant focus on personal lines. 5+ years of direct experience in product management, product development, or underwriting. 3+ years of formal people leadership experience, with proven success in leading and developing high-performing teams. Proven experience in developing and launching successful insurance products, with a track record of driving key metrics like acquisition and retention.
• Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) or Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) designation is preferred.
• Deep understanding of the Canadian personal insurance market, including both broker and direct channels, with specific knowledge of the Ontario and Quebec market dynamics.
• Strong knowledge of underwriting principles, product pricing, and customer segmentation.
• Deep curiosity and knowledge of emerging trends, technologies, and business models impacting the P&C industry.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategy
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and pilot programs from conception to implementation.
• The ability to work effectively and influence across product, pricing, data management, analytics, claims, distribution, and technology teams by translating underwriting risk insights into pragmatic product design decisions that balance growth, profitability, and customer value.

Salary Range: $134,300 - $184,300

Actual salary for the role may vary depending on work location of the successful candidate and other factors including but not limited to, skills, education, experience, working conditions and the local labour market.

This position is being posted to fill an existing vacancy.

Interested in this role, but don’t meet every requirement? We encourage you to apply! We know from experience that a candidate doesn’t need 100% of the qualifications listed to bring incredible value to our team. We’re actively seeking diverse backgrounds and perspectives to help us make insurance better. At Definity, inclusion, diversity, and equity aren’t just “nice to have” — they’re essential to our success.

What’s in it for you?

• Company share ownership program
• Incentive Program - Eligible employees may participate in various incentive plans which are paid out at the discretion of the company and subject to individual and company performance.
• Pension and savings programs, with company-matched RRSP contributions
• Paid volunteer days and company matching on charitable donations
• Educational resources, tuition assistance, and paid time off to study for exams
• Focus on inclusion with employee groups, support for gender affirmation surgery, access to BIPOC counsellors, access to programs for working parents
• Wellness and recognition programs
• Discounts on products and services

Go ahead and expect a lot — you deserve it.

It’s better here — but don’t take our word for it. Definity was named by Great Place to Work® as one of the Best Workplaces™ in Canada for women, for youth, and for inclusion.

Our inclusive work environment welcomes diversity and supports accessibility. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know by View email address on ca.talent.com.

This role requires successful clearance of background checks (including criminal checks and leadership references).

#LI-Hybrid

• Job Identification 9135
• Job Category Underwriting and Insurance Operations