Product Development & Implementation Manager
Kemper is one of the nation's leading specialized insurers. Our success is a direct reflection of the talented and diverse people who make a positive difference in the lives of our customers every day. We believe a high-performing culture, valuable opportunities for personal development and professional challenge, and a healthy work-life balance can be highly motivating and productive. Kemper's products and services are making a real difference to our customers, who have unique and evolving needs. By joining our team, you are helping to provide an experience to our stakeholders that delivers on our promises.
The Product Development & Implementation Manager is responsible for both the design and ongoing management of insurance products and the execution of product changes and new product launches. This role bridges product strategy and operational execution by translating actuarial pricing intent and competitive insights into well-defined product specifications and ensuring those designs are accurately implemented across systems and processes. The role supervises Product Analysts and plays a central role in managing product availability and portfolio positioning. In close partnership with the AVP, Product & Pricing and pricing actuaries, this position evaluates competitive research, market data, and performance insights to recommend product design enhancements and portfolio actions. This role will lead cross-functional implementation efforts to ensure products, pricing, rules, forms, and systems are aligned, compliant, and operationally ready.
Position Responsibilities:
- Lead execution of product implementations, including new product launches, product enhancements, and pricing changes.
- Create detailed product specifications in partnership with pricing actuaries by combining pricing assumptions and actuarial intent with product design details, features, and rules.
- Own product availability management, including evaluating competitive research, market insights, and performance data.
- Develop recommendations for managing and optimizing the product portfolio.
- Supervise and develop Product Analysts, providing direction, coaching, performance management, and technical guidance.
- Coordinate system configuration and updates across pricing, underwriting, and policy administration platforms to support product design.
- Ensure product forms, rates, underwriting rules, and system logic align with approved product specifications and regulatory requirements.
- Partner with underwriting, IT, compliance, and operations teams to plan, execute, and validate product changes.
- Oversee testing, validation, and reconciliation activities to confirm accurate system behavior to support product design both prior to and after implementation.
- Identify and resolve implementation issues, escalating risks or delays as appropriate to ensure timely delivery.
- Support regulatory filings and implementation readiness by ensuring system outputs align with filed and approved product materials.
- Maintain product documentation, implementation artifacts, and audit-ready records supporting product changes.
- Contribute to continuous improvement of product governance, design processes, and implementation execution.
- Additional duties as assigned.
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in business, finance, actuarial science, mathematics, or a related field.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in insurance product development, pricing, product implementation, actuarial support, or related functions.
- Demonstrated experience in product design and development, including translating pricing assumptions and actuarial intent into product specifications, features, and rules.
- Experience managing or supporting product portfolios, including evaluating competitive research, market data, and performance insights to inform product availability and design decisions.
- Prior experience supervising or leading analysts or project teams.
- Strong understanding of insurance product structures, pricing concepts, underwriting rules and regulatory requirements.
- Experience translating product and pricing requirements into system configurations, and business specifications.
- Proven experience translating product and pricing requirements into business and system requirements across pricing, underwriting, and policy administration platforms.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating complex, cross-functional initiatives involving actuarial, underwriting, IT, and operations.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to balance product strategy, execution rigor, and delivery timelines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate product intent, requirements, and risks clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Sponsorship is not accepted for this opportunity.
- This is a remote role and can be worked from any US-based home.
The range for this position is $99,000 to $164,800. When determining candidate offers, we consider experience, skills, education, certifications, and geographic location among other factors. This job is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus and Kemper benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, 401k, etc.)
Kemper is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We are committed to supporting diversity and equality across our organization and we work diligently to maintain a workplace free from discrimination.
Kemper does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Kemper and Kemper will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.
Kemper will never request personal information, such as your social security number or banking information, via text or email. Additionally, Kemper does not use external messaging applications like WireApp or Skype to communicate with candidates. If you receive such a message, delete it.
Kemper at a Glance: The Kemper family of companies is one of the nation's leading specialized insurers. With approximately $12 billion in assets, Kemper is improving the world of insurance by providing affordable and easy-to-use personalized solutions to individuals, families and businesses through its Kemper Auto and Kemper Life brands. Kemper serves over 4.6 million policies, is represented by approximately 24,200 agents and brokers, and has approximately 7,500 associates dedicated to meeting the ever-changing needs of its customers.
Our employees enjoy great benefits:
- Qualify for your choice of health and dental plans within your first month.
- Save for your future with robust 401(k) match, Health Spending Accounts and various retirement plans.
- Learn and Grow with our Tuition Assistance Program, paid certifications and continuing education programs.
- Contribute to your community through United Way and volunteer programs.
- Balance your life with generous paid time off and business casual dress.
- Get employee discounts for shopping, dining and travel through Kemper Perks.