Operations Support Technician - Underwriting

Penn National Insurance has a great opportunity to join our team as an Underwriting Operations Support Technician. This is a hybrid position reporting to our office in Harrisburg, PA.

 

The Underwriting Operations Support Technician tests all internally developed or purchased third-party software and/or services to ensure compliance with company standards and requirements.

The position is also responsible for insurance department rate, form and rule filings, as well as notifying agents, the branch offices and third-party vendors of changes/approvals pertaining to rate and form filings

 

COMPETENCIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE UNDERWRITING OPERATIONS SUPPORT TECHNICIAN

 

Team Building   

Training

• Provides one-on-one or formal training with processing or underwriting business clients and agents on existing system functionality.
• Trains less experienced staff and new employees on new activities as assigned.

 

Attention to Details        

Testing

• For basic or routine systems changes for assigned systems, develops test matrices, test plans and test cases that support various test environments.   
• Performs positive and negative tests on test cases according to test plan in various test environments.  Verifies that actual test results match expected test case results.
• Documents discrepancies using automating tracking systems and communicates results to Systems Analysts and Information Technology Department.
• At the direction of the Department Manager, Project Manager or Systems Analysts, develops test matrices, creates test cases, and enters test cases for non-routine or more complex systems changes.
• Performs miscellaneous clerical duties as assigned.

 

Troubleshooting and Problem Resolution

• Provides application help desk and incoming call support. Researches issues to identify specific problems.  Within scope of knowledge and assigned applications, independently works to resolve basic or routine problems and develops a course of action for correction.
• Reviews system-generated error logs and balancing reports. Researches routine system errors for assigned applications and independently works to resolve basic or routine problems and develops a course of action for correction.
• When production issues occur, provides input on how issues may be resolved.

 

Quality Orientation

Systems Maintenance

• Independently updates rates, stats and form changes in the various automated underwriting and processing systems used to produce test, model and production policies, including premium charges and policy output.

 

Research

• Within scope of knowledge, gathers and researches systems information from various sources and uses that information to develop basic or routine business requirements or change requests.
• Researches data quality issues upon request from the EDW Team.

 

(One or more Operations Support Technician staff in Underwriting Operations may be primarily assigned to the following essential duties and responsibilities):

• Responsible for all insurance department rate and form filings, as well as notifying agents, the branch offices and third-party vendors of changes/approvals pertaining to rate and form filings.
• Responsible for the analysis of insurance department, bureau or other regulatory circulars, to include a working knowledge of applicable policy coverages, rating, rating rules, rate filings and rate development, individual state requirements for filing purposes, applicable state statutes and underwriting rules.
• Provides technical support to the branch offices on rates, rules, rating procedures and forms.
• Responsible for updating/developing technical manuals (rating and core skills) that accompany rate, rule or underwriting guidelines; and ensuring their timely implementation.
• Responsible for using the electronic filing system (SERFF), including monitoring insurance department questions, objections and approvals, and providing status reports on multi-state filing activities.
• Responsible for updating Company internal and external Web sites for forms, exception pages, and Job Aids.
• Researches and monitors regulatory web services such as Authentic Web, Oden, Compliance ware, FMCSA, etc.  for compliance with cancellation, nonrenewal and other policy provision statutes.

 

Planning and Organizing

Documentation

• Updates or modifies systems documentation including, but not limited to: business or systems requirements, change requests, workbooks, test matrices, test cases, and report layouts.  Documentation is used by programmers/developers to program changes to production systems.
• Updates systems reference and user training manuals and Job Aids.
• Develops training material or Job Aids for minor system entry procedures.
• Provides input on agency and office communications.
• Posts updates to KeyWeb and PennConnect.

 

Positive Approach

Client Interaction

• Follows direction or guidance provided by Manager or Department Analysts, for assigned basic or routine business requirements or change requests, interacts with Home Office Underwriting Staff to clarify and confirm project expectations; seeks understanding of upcoming requests; and when production issues occur, provides input on how issues may be resolved.
• Interacts with IT, processing and underwriting offices, CCC, agents and vendors to clarify requirements and resolve production problems for their assigned systems. 
• Incoming support requests (calls / emails from service offices and agents) – regularly assigned to department Help Desk and email folders for assigned system.

 

Applied Learning

• Participates in self-development to maintain the currency necessary to perform the duties of the position.

 

Performs various projects requested or assigned by the reporting manager(s) noted above.

 

CORPORATE CORE COMPETENCIES OF THE UNDERWRITING OPERATIONS SUPPORT TECHNICIAN

 

Effectively Communicates and Connects          

• Communicates clearly and concisely.
• Prepares written communications that adhere to department standards.
• Attentively listens and asks clarifying questions.
• Builds positive relationships within the workplace.

 

Customer Focused        

• Develops and maintains knowledge about the needs of customers and how the team provides value.
• Aware of customer risks and when to escalate risks.
• Identify and utilize the appropriate resources to solve customer problems.
• Accelerates follow-up and action to resolve issues.

 

Talent Development Mindset    

• Brainstorms ideas for technical and/or professional development.
• Works with supervisor to identify relevant development opportunities and shadowing opportunities, including technical skill building and professional skill enhancement.
• Acts on opportunities to recognize colleagues for a job well done.

 

Demonstrates Adaptability

• Seeks to understand others' needs and perspectives, especially those different from own.
• Open to learning about new and challenging ideas to drive the success of the work in which involved.
• Learns how to be flexible to accommodate deliverables and prioritize work effectively.

 

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE UNDERWRITING OPERATIONS SUPPORT TECHNICIAN

 

Education/Credentials

• Associates degree required or 2 years comparable work experience required
• Continuing education and self-improvement in insurance related courses such as IIA, CPCU, etc. preferred

 

Experience        

• Prior manual rating experience, with ability to rate one or more major line of business.
• Prior experience with insurance department filings, as well as preparation of rate pages and manuals preferred

 

Technical/Professional Knowledge        

• Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Demonstrated multitasking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated customer service skills
• Demonstrated verbal and written skills
• Working knowledge of applicable policy coverages, rating, rating rules, rate filings and rate development, individual state requirements for filing purposes, applicable state statutes and underwriting rules;
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of property and casualty automated systems used internally and/or vendor systems used by external clients for multiple lines of business
• Demonstrated ability to manually rate all transactions for one or more lines of business.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret manual rating rules and apply that knowledge
• Good proof-reading skills