AVP, Statutory & PFML Product Management

AVP, Statutory and Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) Product Management

The Hartford is seeking an experienced and dynamic product executive to join our team as AVP, Statutory Disability and Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML). This leader will set product strategy, ensure regulatory compliance, and deliver strong financial and operational results across state-mandated programs.

You will lead a team in one of Employee Benefits’ most complex and rapidly evolving product areas, partnering with Legal, Compliance, Claims, Actuarial, Underwriting, Operations, Technology, Sales, and TPAs. You will represent The Hartford with regulators and industry groups as PFML expands nationwide. The AVP, Statutory and PFML Product Management will report to the Head of Absence. For candidates near one of our office locations, this role will have a hybrid work arrangement, with the expectation of working three days a week (Tuesday through Thursday), in the office;  remotely based candidates may also be considered.
 

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Ownership

• Own the product lifecycle for Statutory Disability and PFML across active and emerging states, including market entry/exit, benefit changes, renewals, and sunsets.

• Develop and execute multi-year product roadmaps aligned to legislative activity, market demand, and enterprise strategy; ensure product configurations and documents are updated for 14+ state programs (e.g., annual changes, riders, plan documents).

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

• Monitor, interpret, and operationalize state legislation, regulations, and guidance for PFML and statutory disability programs.

• Lead enterprise implementation of new laws and benefit expansions and serve as the primary liaison with state agencies/regulators, ACLI, and trade groups, ensuring timely and accurate compliance.

Cross‑Functional & Enterprise Leadership

• Partner with Claims, Legal, Compliance, Operations, Underwriting, Actuarial, Finance, Technology, Sales, and TPAs to drive product readiness and execution.

• Lead stakeholder forums to align on operating model, impacts, best practices, and customer experience; deliver executive updates on performance, risks, and opportunities.

Financial Performance & Risk Management

• Partner with Actuarial and Finance on pricing, rate filings, forecasting, experience monitoring, and loss ratio performance for existing and new statutory programs.

• Oversee TPA benefit matrices, service agreements, and financial reconciliation practices in support of program performance and risk management.

Operational Readiness & Enablement

• Maintain accurate proposals, PADUs, administrative guides, service agreements, and training materials; drive operational readiness for new states and benefit changes (systems, processes, and training).

• Provide product expertise and complex statutory interpretation support to Sales, brokers, and customers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in absence management and/or statutory benefit programs at a leading insurance carrier.

• Deep expertise in PFML, statutory disability, and other government-mandated benefit programs, including ownership of cross-functional, highly regulated product portfolios.

• Strong understanding of legislative analysis, regulatory compliance, and state filings; experience engaging state regulators, agencies, and trade associations (e.g., ACLI) preferred.

• Proven executive-level communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence without authority and lead through ambiguity.

• Strategic thinker and trusted thought partner; able to translate ambiguous problems into clear priorities, decisions, and execution plans. Proactively shares ideas.

• Experience with multi-state PFML implementations (including private plan administration) and managing TPA partnerships and vendor ecosystems.

• Strong people leadership with disciplined execution in a complex, cross-functional environment.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

• Able and willing to travel as needed, up to ~15% of the time.