Chief Operations Officer

Job Description:
A life insurance carrier is seeking a visionary and results-oriented Chief Operations Officer (COO) to lead the modernization and transformation of its life insurance and annuity operations. As a key member of the executive management team, the COO will be responsible for driving operational excellence, advancing digital capabilities and positioning the organization for sustainable growth nationwide. The COO will oversee critical functions, including marketing, IT, new business, post-issue administration, fraternal activities and the call center, and will ensure all areas operate with integration, efficiency and scalability across the enterprise. This leader will spearhead system upgrades and digital transformation initiatives to create a modern operational framework that supports both member and agent experiences. Beyond operational modernization, the COO will play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s growth strategy and expanding its national presence. Serving as a cultural ambassador, the COO will model servant leadership, align transformation efforts with the company’s mission and values, and build a high-performance organization that balances innovation with the society’s long-standing heritage of service. This is a retained search.


Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of operational strategies that drive efficiency, scalability and growth, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic vision.

• Spearhead initiatives to adopt modern technologies and automated workflows (OIPA, WebDocs, Microsoft Dynamics) to improve operational efficiency and enhance member and agent experiences.

• Oversee departmental goals, performance metrics and organizational structures; continually evaluate processes and talent to meet evolving business needs.

• Ensure operational projects are delivered on time and within budget while maintaining regulatory compliance, and managing external vendors and contractors.

• Partner with the CEO, HR, sales and marketing teams to drive talent development, cultivate key relationships with agents and partners, and support organizational growth and culture initiatives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.B.A. preferred)
• Advanced degrees or industry designations in life insurance or annuities (preferred)

• 15+ years of management experience in life insurance and annuity operations, including 10+ years in executive operations leadership roles such as COO or AVP/VP of Operations

• Proven track record leading organizational transformations, operational modernization or digital initiatives within insurance or financial services

• Deep expertise across life insurance and annuity operations, including product development, policy administration, underwriting, claims, call center management, marketing and agency contracting

• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, insurance laws and enterprise risk management

• Hands-on familiarity with key industry technology platforms, including order entry systems, data exchange networks and agent licensing/compliance tools; experience with system implementations or upgrades (preferred)

• Project management experience; PMP certification (preferred)