Director, Biometric Research

You desire impactful work.

You’re
RGA ready

RGA is a purpose-driven organization working to solve today’s challenges through innovation and collaboration. A Fortune 200 Company and listed among its World’s Most Admired Companies, we’re the only global reinsurance company to focus primarily on life- and health-related solutions. Join our multinational team of intelligent, motivated, and collaborative people, and help us make financial protection accessible to all.

This role is a key element of RGA’s activities in the biometric and longevity space – one of the organization’s top growth areas globally – by developing and expanding expertise in the areas of mortality and longevity research, mortality improvement trends, basis setting and mortality/longevity reinsurance.

This role is part of the global Enterprise Pricing (EP) team. The role has a global remit and will be expected to work closely across many levels in multiple geographies, local teams, and local and global research teams.

The role will report to the Research Pillar lead within the Biometric Pricing Assumptions team.

• Take a leading role in research to enable understanding of biometric and mortality risks across multiple international markets, with a focus on basis development (most importantly mortality improvements and trends);
• Develop and expand expertise in modelling mortality and mortality improvements; and keep an active interest in emerging trends and concepts for longevity and mortality models as well as research and fresh thinking from other internal teams, the wider industry and actuarial bodies;
• Take a leading role in the sourcing, evaluation, interpretation, and communication of various types of data pertaining to key drivers of mortality outcomes;
• Use personal connections to industry research groups to access, ascertain and influence market thinking, keeping close to the latest developments in mortality and longevity research, ensuring that the team remains well connected to these;
• Support Business Development teams with their efforts to develop various market propositions, including through participation at presentations and webinars and producing thought leadership materials; and supplying the Business Development team with relevant, timely, impactful knowledge, expertise and insights on longevity/mortality research and assumptions;
• Support and provide input into the team’s global efforts in improving and expanding longevity and mortality basis development and research methods across the company;
• Build relationships with local and global research teams to support knowledge sharing, improve consistency in basis setting and influence the wider mortality and longevity research agenda within RGA;
• Support the Research Pillar lead in the communication of team initiatives, outcomes of mortality and longevity research and basis enhancements to Senior Management, Pricing and Business Development, to raise the profile and increase the impact of the team;
• Propose and develop thought leadership materials and publish and present to external audiences;
• Work with the Pricing, Business Development teams and Senior Management to identify future market needs;
• Lead peer reviews of the work produced by the EP team, local Research teams or Pricing teams;
• Support other internal stakeholders with an interest in mortality research, including the valuation or capital teams on ad‑hoc projects or by sharing details regarding specific bases;
• Lead on/assist with special projects and research and development as required;

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Maths, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Finance, or related field
• 6+ years life (re) insurance, pensions, or related experience
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience longevity / re(insurance) / research / consultancy
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of assumption setting in the longevity or mortality space (i.e. protection product‑linked assumptions), with strong experience of developing mortality trend assumptions
• Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, Society of Actuaries, or equivalent actuarial qualification

Preferred:

• Advanced knowledge of longevity and/or annuity…