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Director, Business Insights

Addison, TX; Montpelier, VT

Come join one of America’s fastest-growing insurance companies. Since 1848, National Life Group has aimed to keep our promises, providing families with stability in good times and in bad. Throughout that history, we have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures.

Our mission extends beyond the insurance and annuities policies that we offer. We strive to make the world a better place through our grants from our charitable foundation, paid volunteer time for our employees, environmentally sustainable and healthy workplaces, and events that promote the work of nonprofits in our own backyard.

We foster a collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and encourage our associates to live our values: Do good. Be good. Make good.

Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Role Summary

We are seeking a visionary and strategic leader to head our analytics function, responsible for transforming data into actionable insights that drive business performance across life & annuity operations. This role will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive analytics strategy that enhances decision-making, mitigates risk, improves operational efficiency, and strengthens our competitive position.

The ideal candidate will act as a key liaison between analytics and business stakeholders, ensuring team efforts are aligned with organizational goals. They will champion a data-driven culture by crafting compelling data narratives and advancing data literacy across life & annuity operations.

With a strong strategic lens, this role will identify critical business drivers, forecast emerging trends, and support high-impact decisions through advanced modeling and scenario planning. The successful candidate will collaborate cross-functionally to enhance our data infrastructure and governance, while leading, mentoring, and growing a high-performing analytics team. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact at both a strategic and operational level.

This position currently offers an onsite work schedule, with the expectation that you are in the office four (4) days per week during onsite core days.  Our current onsite core days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  The work schedule type and core days are subject to change with advance notification and manager discretion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Analytics Strategy: Lead and execute an analytics strategy that defines how life & annuity operations will use data and analytics to drive decision-making, improve efficiency, reduce risk, enhance customer experience, and gain competitive advantage. Successful execution of the strategy will be measured not by the number of reports and dashboards created but by the extent to which leaders are able to see through new eyes in terms of how they manage the business and drive improved business performance within life & annuity operations.
  • Strategic Influence: Identify performance drivers, anticipate trends, identify risks and guide life & annuity operations by delivering complex models/solutions that support scenario planning and allow for an objective assessment of strategic decisions. Serve as a thought partner for business leaders providing advice and counsel on managing by the metrics.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Develop a deep understanding of business needs in close collaboration with senior business leaders. Leverage prior experience acting as a player coach to seed new ideas. Focus team efforts on finding creative solutions to complex problems such as capacity planning. Spearhead the creation of advanced reports and user-friendly analytics solutions that guide decision making.
  • Data Driven Culture: Empower stakeholders to take specific action by crafting compelling data narratives that unveil hidden truths. Develop a strategy to teach and promote data literacy across life & annuity operations.
  • Capability Building: Collaborate with data engineering and data governance to drive continuous improvement focused on enhancing data continuity, accuracy, and value. Support enterprise efforts to democratize Gen AI by identifying and executing on approved use cases relevant to life & annuity operations.
  • Team Leadership & Development: Elevate the analytical capabilities of the team through coaching, mentoring, and demonstrating more advanced analytical solutions. Develop associates into player coaches who can guide leadership in managing by the metrics.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or a related quantitative field
  • 8+ years of experience in data analytics, actuarial analysis, or business intelligence, with at least 4 years in the life insurance or broader financial services industry
  • Deep understanding of life & annuity products, underwriting, claims, risk management, and customer lifecycle dynamics
  • 3+ years in a management or strategic leadership role, leading analytics teams and cross-functional initiatives
  • Proficiency in analytics and statistical programming tools, experience with data visualization platforms predictive modeling software
  • Demonstrated ability to use data to drive insights around profitability, risk mitigation, and customer value in an insurance context
  • Strong track record of building, mentoring, and managing high-performing analytical teams
  • Excellent communication and data storytelling skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and bridge the gap between technical and business stakeholders
  • Passion for cultivating a data-driven culture and promoting data literacy within a traditional industry environment

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g., Data Science, Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or Business Analytics) or an MBA with a strong focus on analytics.
  • Experience with advanced modeling techniques including predictive analytics, machine learning, or AI applied to life insurance use cases (e.g., underwriting automation, claims fraud detection, customer churn prediction).

Benefits

Base Pay Range.  The base pay range for this position is the range National Life reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors, including: prior experience and job-related knowledge; education, training and certificates; current business needs; and market factors.  The final salary or hourly wages offered may be outside of this range based on other reasons and individual circumstances.

Additional Compensation and Benefits. The total compensation package for this position may also include a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. If hired, the employee will be in an "at-will position" and National Life reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

National Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled.

Salary Pay Range

$123,750 - $181,500 USD

National Life Group® is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, Montpelier, VT – founded in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, TX – chartered in 1955, and their affiliates. Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York. Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser affiliate of National Life Insurance Company. All other entities are independent of the companies of National Life Group.

Fortune 1000 status is based on the consolidated financial results of all National Life Group companies.

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National Life Group

1 National Life Dr

Montpelier, VT 05604

 

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