AVP, High Net Worth – Insurance Operations

Sun Life

AVP, High Net Worth responsible for underwriting excellence and premium client experience at Sun Life. Leading teams in risk assessment, relationship management, and operational transformation.

Posted 6/27/2026full-timeWaterloo • 🇨🇦 CanadaLead💰 CA$140,000 - CA$225,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide senior technical leadership across medical, non-medical, financial, and complex underwriting risk assessment for HNW/UHNW cases.
Lead and develop a high-performing underwriting & new business team, fostering a culture of coaching, mentorship, accountability, and continuous learning.
Champion a premium service model, ensuring a relationship-led, client-centric experience and high-touch end-to-end service, from application entry to policy issue.
Partner closely with Distribution, Pricing, Reinsurance, and New Business teams to ensure a seamless, end-to-end client and advisor experience.
Drive consistency, speed, and clarity in underwriting decision-making, aligned with Sun Life’s risk appetite and market competitiveness.
Act as a senior escalation point for complex or high-profile cases and provide advanced underwriting authority.
Build and maintain strong relationships with advisors, reinsurers, and internal stakeholders to strengthen Sun Life’s position in the HNW market.
Lead, champion and enforce process optimization and innovation initiatives focused on improving client experience and reducing cycle times.
Stay current on industry trends, tax and regulatory changes, and emerging underwriting practices to inform strategic decisions.

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of underwriting experience, with deep expertise in large case and High Net Worth Underwriting
Advanced knowledge of medical, financial, legal, and reinsurance risk assessment.
Strong leadership experience with a proven ability to build, drive and lead high-performing teams.
Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional partners.
Strong business and financial acumen, with an understanding of the impact of underwriting decisions.
Exceptional communication, collaboration, and relationship management skills.
Experience driving operational transformation or service model redesign is an asset.
Bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for Quebec only for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada or worldwide.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family.
Join one of our many Inclusion Networks. These voluntary, employee-led groups are dedicated to creating connection, fostering inclusivity, and building community.
Charitable giving through our You Give, We Give program lets you give back to your community – and in many cases, we’ll match your contributions.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

underwritingrisk assessmentfinancial acumenlarge case underwritingHigh Net Worth underwritingmedical risk assessmentlegal risk assessmentreinsurance risk assessmentoperational transformationservice model redesign

Soft Skills

leadershipcoachingmentorshipaccountabilitycontinuous learningcommunicationcollaborationrelationship managementinfluencingteam building