Manager, Premium Audit

Description Who are we? Western National Insurance Group is a private mutual insurance company with over 120 years of experience serving customers' property-and-casualty insurance needs in the Midwestern, Northwestern, and Southwestern United States. Known as “The Relationship Company®,” we define success as a measure of the relationships we’ve built over time. In everything that we do, we know that delivering a friendly and helpful interaction makes for a better experience for everyone involved. That’s the power of “nice”. At Western National, nice is something we work to bring to every person and organization with whom we partner and serve. Does this opportunity interest you? Western National is seeking a Manager, Premium Audit to join our team! The individual in this role will have the opportunity to lead the daily operations of the premium audit team while ensuring the accurate and timely completion of premium audits. This role combines technical expertise in premium auditing with people leadership, quality assurance oversight, and continuous process improvement to support operational excellence and exceptional customer service. What are the responsibilities and opportunities of this role? Leads, coaches, mentors, and develops a team of premium auditors by providing training, performance feedback, onboarding support, and equitable workload management. Serves as the technical subject matter expert for complex premium audits, classification issues, and regulatory interpretation while communicating industry, legal, and regulatory changes. Identifies trends and recommends process, workflow, and system improvements that enhance efficiency, quality, and compliance. Oversees audit quality by conducting quality reviews, leading quality assurance initiatives, and developing best practices and procedures. Monitors, analyzes, and reports team performance metrics, including accuracy, productivity, and turnaround time, to ensure quality and service expectations are achieved. Assists in resolving billing disputes, audit-related customer concerns, and other escalated situations. Performs or oversees onsite, virtual, and hybrid audits of large and complex commercial accounts, including analysis of financial and operational records and interpretation of complex classification and rating issues. Handles escalated audit discrepancies, customer disputes, and complex audit situations while ensuring compliant audit documentation. Reviews reported state test audit differences, identifies discrepancies, and prepares responses within established deadlines in collaboration with leadership. Partners with underwriting by communicating operational, classification, and exposure changes that may affect account insurability. Collaborates with underwriting, claims, billing, and loss control teams to analyze findings, share information, and support sound underwriting decisions. Communicates audit results and recommendations with policyholders and agency partners. Consistently acts according to our customer experience standards, including responding quickly, maintaining a positive attitude, building rapport, demonstrating empathy, managing the customer’s expectations, using the proper communication channel for the situation, and taking ownership to ensure the customer’s issue is resolved. Performs special projects and other duties as assigned. Requirements What are the must-have qualifications for a candidate? Eight-plus years of premium audit experience. Experience auditing complex commercial accounts. Expert knowledge of premium audit methodologies and regulatory frameworks. Strong understanding of workers’ compensation and/or general liability classifications. Knowledge of insurance industry practices, underwriting concepts, and premium audit standards. Demonstrated leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring, leading change, and influencing cross-functional partners. · Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong relationship-building and customer service skills. Exceptional organizational, time management, prioritization, and attention-to-detail skills. Demonstrated learning agility, sound business judgment, and strategic thinking. Proficiency with audit and policy administration systems and Microsoft Office. Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field, or equivalent experience. What will our ideal candidate have? Professional insurance designations, such as APA, CIPA, CPCU, ARM, or similar. Experience leading quality assurance initiatives and implementing operational improvements. Experience interpreting complex regulatory and classification issues. Ability to build strong partnerships across underwriting, claims, billing, loss control, and agency partners while driving continuous improvement. Compensation overview The targeted hiring range for this role is $104,000 - $143,440 annually. However, the base pay offered may vary depending on the job-related knowledge, skills, credentials, and experience of each candidate as well as other factors such as the scope and location of the role. Candidates looking for compensation outside of the posted range are encouraged to apply and will be considered based on their individual qualifications and/or may be considered for other positions. Culture and Total Rewards Western National has long been known as “The Relationship Company®” and caring for our employees is part of that relationship commitment. We value connectiveness, empowerment, and accountability, and we believe that our employees are our biggest asset. Currently ranked as the 41st largest private company by revenue in Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal), Western National has earned accolades year-over-year as an employer of choice and garnered multiple awards for wellness in the workplace. Western National has also been named a Top Workplace by the Star Tribune for consecutive years. In addition, the Group is consistently recognized as a Ward’s 50 property-and-casualty insurance company for its outstanding financial results. Western National offers full-time employees a significant Total Rewards Package, including: Medical insurance plan options and other standard employee benefits, including dental insurance, vision benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, and more! Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) 401(k) Plan (participants are eligible for 100% matching on the first 6% of their contributions) Wellbeing Program, including onsite fitness studio Paid Time Off – including holiday, vacation, and volunteer 100% company-paid tuition reimbursement for approved job-relevant coursework and access to The Institutes (Risk and insurance education) Paid parental leave Bonus opportunities Western National believes in supporting balance between work and life by providing a flexible work environment, which includes a variety of hybrid and remote work arrangements designed to balance individual, job, department, and company needs. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Western National provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.