New Business Manager - Life Insurance

About the role

MassMutual Great Lakes is looking for a New Business Manager to lead our New Business Consultants and move life, annuity, disability, and long-term care cases from application to issue. You’ll be the go-to underwriting resource for our career and brokerage advisors, working closely with the Senior Vice President, Operations and the Director of Advanced Case Solutions & Brokerage.

If you know life underwriting inside and out and enjoy building strong teams and better processes, this is your chance to make a real impact.

Key Responsibilities

New Business & Underwriting - Life, Annuities, Disability, and Long-Term Care

• Lead, mentor and empower New Business Consultants to serve as Advisor advocates with the Home Office to provide the best offer for the end client and resolve complex case concerns.
• Proactively managing Other Than Applied For (OTAF) offers, assessing additional requirement requests, and maintaining ownership of assigned cases.
• Lead and contribute to initiatives aimed at optimizing operational efficiency and enhancing the overall advisor experience through improved workflows, system utilization, and documented procedures.
• Oversee all new business cases to ensure clear ownership, timely processing, active follow-up, and consistent service standards across the team.
• Monitor case volume, aging, cycle times, processing accuracy, and workflow bottlenecks; review results regularly and implement corrective actions.
• Balance Consultant workloads, establish individual accountability, coach team performance, and evaluate staffing and training needs.
• Maintain and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs); identify recurring submission errors and workflow inefficiencies and implement practical improvements to advisor service.
• Team accountability for the following processes and service standards:
  • Review and process applications within 24 hours, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with submission requirements.
  • Communicate promptly with advisors on corrections, status updates, submission requirements, and clear next steps; resolve or escalate advisor concerns.
  • Manage medical requirements, policy assembly, and document submissions within set timelines, coordinating with carriers, Home Office, and large-case support as needed.
  • Maintain real-time updates in the Client Management System throughout underwriting and processing, including assigned owner, case status, next action, and follow-up date.
• Follow up daily on pending or Not In Good Order business; coordinate with underwriters and case managers to resolve outstanding requirements and prevent delays.
• Enhance new Advisors' field underwriting expertise through tailored individual coaching and group training sessions, including guidance on recurring submission errors.

Design Center Support - Advisors and Brokers

• Collaborate with the Director of Advanced Case Solutions & Brokerage as a resource on navigating the underwriting process and advisor experience.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in new business processing.
• Team leadership experience in a former role.
• Strong understanding of medical impairments.
• Solid knowledge of life and annuity products and case design concepts.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and navigates multiple systems with ease.

Preferred Qualifications

• Disability income and long-term care new business experience.
• Career agency, BGA, or carrier new business experience (MassMutual a plus).
• Industry designations such as FLMI, ACS, or ALU, or progress toward one.

How You Work

• A strong commitment to quality and exceptional attention to detail.
• A clear and proactive communicator, capable of collaborating across functions and roles.
• A dedicated team player with a positive, caring attitude and a client-first mindset.
• A passion for research, problem-solving, and continuous improvement, paired with outstanding organizational and time management skills.
• Open and committed to professional development, including obtaining any preferred licenses or registrations needed for growth within the firm.

Our Core Values

• Excellence in Everything – Strives to be the first and only resource others turn to.
• Servant Leadership – Leads by prioritizing the needs and success of others.
• Innovation – Proactively creates better solutions rather than waiting for them.
• Reliability – Delivers on every commitment without exception.
• Mindset of Abundance – Focuses on growth through the elevation and success of others.

Compensation and Benefits

Our competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits are designed to support your lifestyle, health, and future.

• Comprehensive benefits package, including Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Paid Time Off: 15 days per year.
• Life and Disability Plans (optional).
• 401(k) with up to a 4% match.