Associate Vice President, Suitability Review

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

The AVP, Suitability Review, leads the team responsible for evaluating and supporting suitability decisions across ESI. This highly visible role brings together sound judgment, regulatory discipline, operational leadership, and people development to ensure suitability reviews are completed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with applicable requirements.

Success in this role requires building a highly capable and engaged team that demonstrates critical problem solving/prevention in suitability review. The leader ensures that all work is processed timely, accurately and in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and Company requirements.  Additionally, the leader ensures that stakeholders are kept pro-actively informed during the process and that decisions are communicated in an effective manner. This leader will cultivate a culture of continuous learning and process improvement and will inspire the department to expand their teams’ capabilities.  The successful candidate will empower their leaders and associates and build trust with them to deliver on the promise our company represents.  This role will report to the Senior Vice President, ESI Operations.

Roles and Responsibilities 

• Provide vision, strategic planning insight and thoughtful solutioning expertise for the enterprise and functional group in a collaborative and positively differentiating way
• Support the development of direct reports by fostering and supporting career development, motivating, engaging and capitalizing on employee strengths
• Oversee the ESI Suitability Review unit, including responsibility for ensuring the firm’s Written Supervisory Procedures are followed regarding the review and acceptance of new accounts and daily transactions.
• Build cross-functional partnerships with other business units and teams throughout the organization, including Distribution, Compliance, Legal, Technology, CIG, ESI New Business, ESI Brokerage, to deliver on business results and manage risk.
• Establish a highly effective and highly engaged team, with positive morale
• Work in partnership with members of ESI senior leadership team to ensure priorities are clear and are in line with business strategies 
• Provides direction on issue resolution and coaches on complex decisions with a bias towards root cause analysis
• Prioritize, manage and oversee technology and other projects to improve departmental efficiency. Work closely with technology and service vendors to ensure requirements and service standards and are met.
• Direct the amendment and creation of ESI forms related to new business and ongoing transactions, necessary to demonstrate compliance with rules, regulations and Company policies.
• Serve as a point of escalation for jumbo cases, complex suitability issues and field conflict situations. Serve as back-up for the review and principal approval of new accounts and transactions, as necessary.
• Work closely with internal and external auditors to provide requested documentation and support as requested.

Job Requirements 

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 10+ years of industry experience in Suitability and Broker-Dealer Operations.
• Current/active FINRA Series 7, 24, and 53 required. Series 63,65/66 preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years in a leadership role, operational and/or customer service experience management preferred
• A high level of attention to detail and strong people skills
• Must be able to manage competing demands while being extremely adaptable and flexible
• Must have excellent professional presentation and interpersonal skills, and the ability to interact and engage all levels of management/leadership
• Must be able to pass a background check 

At National Life Group, we view AI as an enabler of human potential. We use AI to help us work smarter, serve more clients, and keep our promises, while remaining a relationship-driven business where our people are our greatest strength.

All applicants are expected to:

• Leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of their work.
• Stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways of working.
• Exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content.
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life's AI guiding principles.
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention, and intellectual property.

Benefits

• Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!

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$110,625—$162,250 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