Director, Analytics & AI (Information Technology)

Who We Are: 

At PEMCO we're all about people – our customers, our employees, and the community.  We're a mutual insurance company owned by our Northwest policyholders.  We provide auto, home, renters, and boat coverage. Recently, Forbes named PEMCO as #1 in Auto Insurance in 2024 based on customer survey feedback. We are consistently recognized for our outstanding customer service, employee expertise, community partnerships, and social impact programs.

Our social impact programs motivate high achievement by youth in education; build stronger and greener communities; and increase safety at home, on the road, and at play. We're committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and to fostering an inspiring and inclusive workplace. These efforts create and cultivate an environment that builds fairness and understanding, encourages collaboration and flexibility, and celebrates all the ways in which we're different and the same – enabling all individuals to achieve their full potential.

Why We Need You:

PEMCO has a dynamic, challenging, and rare opportunity for a Director, Analytics & AI to join our community. In this role, you will be responsible for spearheading the development and execution of AI-driven initiatives. This position will concentrate on harnessing AI, machine learning (ML), and analytics to optimize business operations, enhance underwriting precision, improve claims management, and boost profitability. The Director will lead a team of data scientists, AI engineers, and BI analysts, collaborating with underwriting, actuarial, claims, and IT departments to deliver data-driven insights and solutions that enhance business performance.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Oversee the implementation of AI solutions for predictive analytics, risk modeling, and customer insights, ensuring these tools are integrated into decision-making processes.
• Manage department budget and resources responsibly.
• Manage a team of direct [and indirect] reports, with performance management and development responsibilities.
• Lead innovation initiatives by deploying advanced AI technologies such as natural language processing (NLP), predictive modeling, and machine learning algorithms.
• Implement governance frameworks for the ethical use of AI, ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI-driven decisions; ensure maintenance of thorough documentation for AI/ML models and solutions to ensure they meet audit and regulatory standards and comply with state insurance laws.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact opportunities for architecting solutions that meet the needs of analytics, reporting, data science, LLM, and other consumers of the AI/ML platform to improve business performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Establish and supervise the implementation of AI risk management policies and procedures including coordination with various departments to ensure regular and properly documented AI risk assessments and management of a tracking system for monitoring AI-related risks across different projects and operations.
• Drive automation efforts for routine tasks (e.g., claims adjudication and policy administration) to enhance operational efficiency.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive AI and analytics strategy that supports key property and casualty (P&C) functions, including underwriting, pricing, risk modeling, and claims management.
• Design and implement self-service data analytics and AI use cases for business users while promoting a culture of innovation and collaboration; support use cases by ensuring data pipelines meet AI/ML requirements.
• Create a roadmap for integrating AI/ML models and analytics tools into existing workflows, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders across underwriting, claims, actuarial, and IT teams to develop data-driven solutions for business challenges; work closely with the Chief Data & Analytics Officer (CDAO) to ensure AI initiatives align with broader organizational goals.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering leadership to maintain data pipelines and infrastructure that support AI/ML models, ensuring scalability and data integrity.
• Broaden the use of diverse data by incorporating external data sources, such as weather patterns, telematics, and socio-economic indicators, to improve risk assessment and pricing models.
• Demonstrate behaviors consistent with PEMCO's policies, values, code of ethics and business conduct.
• Authentically support the PEMCO Brand and constantly are on the lookout for top talent to join us to achieve our Mission to Worry Less and Live More.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring:

• B.A. or B.S. degree or equivalent work experience (Computer Science, Data Science, Business, or other related field)
• Master's degree in information technology or MBA is preferred
• 8+ years of experience in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics is required
• 6+ years of experience leading and managing a team of professionals in fast-paced, data-driven environments is required
• Experience in the property and casualty insurance industry
• Skilled with CI/CD pipelines & MLops is required
• Communicator: The ability to communicate clearly and informatively, verbally and in writing, with colleagues, customers, and the community in both technical and non-technical professional language is required
• Analytical and data-driven: Thinks analytically; a structured thinker who can put complex ideas into clear frameworks; uses data to conduct root cause analysis and develops high quality, consumable, and consistent metrics that drive strategic objectives and priorities is required
• Exposure to technologies such as DBT or Apache Airflow is required
• Comfortable with at least one NoSQL database (MongoDB, ElasticSearch, CosmosDB, etc.) is required
• Team builder: Establishes positive connections with others, solves problems and manages new ideas, and works collaboratively to bring people and culture-first solutions to deliver results is required
• Problem Solver: Ability to analyze, diagnose and resolve complex unstructured problems quickly, efficiently, and collaboratively is required
• Business Environment: Has a thorough understanding of our industry, the relevant business landscape, trends in growth and insurance environments; the ability to spot early indicators of change and apply strategies to adapt quickly is required
• Organizational Savvy: Interfaces cross-functionally with both technical depth and business savvy. Understands company goals and objectives; thinks critically about business challenges and resolutions. Demonstrates keen listening and observation skills is required
• Highly Analytical: Is passionate about working with disparate datasets bringing data together to answer business questions. Collaborates to create, manage, and translate data to meaningful insights. Can work with external vendors to integrate data for analysis; knows how to build efficient and scalable infrastructure and data models is required
• Compliance: Knowledge and understanding of relevant laws, rules, and regulations is required
• MS Office: Skilled proficiency in MS Office is required
• Leadership & Managing Others: Establishes and communicates a compelling and inspiring vision, creates winning strategies and plans, ensures team goals are aligned with company goals; develops both self and others is required
• Working knowledge of containerization, specifically Dockerizing APIs is required
• Strong expertise in AI/ML algorithms, statistical analysis, and analytics tools, with proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) is required
• In-depth understanding of P&C insurance processes (underwriting, claims, risk management), actuarial models, catastrophe modeling, and regulatory requirements is required
• Robust skill in real-time data streaming, expertise in graph knowledge bases, and familiarity with AI Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures is preferred
• Familiarity with insurance-specific systems (e.g., Guidewire, Duck Creek) and integrating AI solutions into these platforms is preferred
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., data lakes, Spark, object store) is preferred

What We Value:

In fostering a culture where everyone thrives, PEMCO embodies a set of core traits that guide our collective efforts. These traits include:

• Make Agile Decisions: Define desired outcomes. Use a consistent, inclusive approach. Drive decisions with a sense of urgency. Pivot decisions quickly as supported by data
• Build Trust: Listen to understand and use direct and open communication. Engage in healthy debate with mutual respect. Find solutions and move forward together
• Own Results: Commit to desired outcomes. Define and achieve success metrics. Anticipate and mitigate risks, and always have a plan B. Take accountability for and learn from outcomes. 
• Empower Execution: Take action to drive desired outcomes. Act with initiative, mastery, and purpose
• Explore Fearlessly: Make swift, iterative progress through testing and learning, create a safe place to fail fast and learn from mistakes, and continuously improve.
• Value People: Appreciate and care about unique experiences and perspectives Respect the dignity of others and have empathy for people Authentically and meaningfully support and recognize people in real time.

These traits form the bedrock of our commitment to caring deeply for each other, our customers, and our community. As you become a part of PEMCO, your contribution will further enrich our success story, where the power of these shared values propels us forward.

Compensation:

Compensation decisions are determined based on an individual's qualifications, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Target Pay Range: $216,941-$265,151.

Full Pay Range: $180,784-$301,307.

Benefits:

Regular part-time PEMCO employees working at least 24 hours per week and regular full-time PEMCO employees are eligible to elect coverage under medical, dental, and vision plans for themselves and their eligible family members with generous employer premium cost shares. In addition, as a benefits-eligible employee, you are:

• covered by employer-paid basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance policies as well as long- and short-term disability benefit coverages.
• eligible to participate in PEMCO's 401(k) plan which includes a generous employer match (2 for 1 on the first 6% employee pre-tax and/or Roth deferral, up to federal maximums). 

PEMCO provides the following paid leave programs for benefits-eligible employees in their first year of PEMCO employment:

• Vacation accrues at a rate of 10 days for new hires, and increases based on a schedule to a maximum annual accrual of 25 days based on tenure.
• Granted four (4) personal days immediately upon hire.
• Paid holidays for the eight (8) holidays observed by PEMCO throughout the calendar year.
• Granted up to ten (10) days of sick leave immediately upon hire (pro-rated based on hire date and full-time/part-time status), which is approximately 28 hours more per year than the Washington state-required accrual.
• In addition, PEMCO provides paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, and employee volunteering in the community.

Other miscellaneous benefit programs offered by PEMCO include:

• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Education Assistance Program after one year of service
• Scholarship program for children of PEMCO employees after one year of service
• Employee Assistance Program
• Well-being program
• Discretionary taxable gifts and gift cards
• And other Perks & Benefits including discounts on computer software and hardware, cell phone plans, and rental cars

Other compensation depending on role, contributions, and performance may include:

• Discretionary bonuses
• Tiered sales commissions and/or incentives (from 5-25% of employee's monthly sales)
• Employee referral bonuses
• Shift differential pay

Equal Employment Opportunity:

At PEMCO, we celebrate and support our differences. We know employing a team rich in diverse thoughts, experiences, and opinions allows our employees, our products and our community to flourish. PEMCO is honored to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are dedicated to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) 
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)