AVP of Claims, Fraud & Financial Crimes – Life, Health & Annuities

Why USAA?
At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families.
Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values – honesty, integrity, loyalty and service – define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful.
We are proud to support active-duty military spouses. USAA roles may offer remote or hybrid flexibility for active-duty military spouses consistent with applicable policy and business needs.
The Opportunity
USAA Life Insurance Company is seeking an accomplished and transformational insurance leader to serve as its next AVP of Claims, Fraud & Financial Crimes, a newly elevated leadership role responsible for shaping the future of claims administration and financial crime prevention across the Life, Health, and Annuity businesses.
Reporting directly to the Vice President of LifeCo Operations, this executive will lead the teams responsible for Claims and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), with end-to-end accountability for claims administration, complex claim adjudication, fraud prevention and investigation, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), financial crimes, and the operational controls that protect USAA Life Company and its members.
Claims represents one of the most important moments in the relationship between an insurer and its policyholders. This leader will be responsible for ensuring that claims are handled with speed, accuracy, empathy, and integrity, delivering on USAA's promise to members while maintaining the rigorous controls required to protect the financial strength and reputation of the organization. The mandate spans routine claims through highly complex and contestable matters requiring deeper investigation, medical record review, fraud assessment, legal interpretation, and regulatory expertise.
The opportunity extends well beyond administering claims. This executive will lead the continued evolution of USAA Life's fraud detection, investigation, AML, and financial crimes capabilities, bringing greater sophistication to how emerging risks are identified, assessed, investigated, and mitigated. The leader will strengthen the connection between Claims and SIU while leveraging data, analytics, technology, and process improvement to identify suspicious activity earlier, improve investigative effectiveness, and make sound, consistent decisions.
Equally important, the executive in this role will establish the operating strategies, governance, performance disciplines, and controls required to deliver exceptional outcomes across Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and Annuities. Partnering closely with Operations, Legal, Compliance, Enterprise Risk, Product Management, and Technology, this leader will continuously strengthen claims processes while balancing member experience, regulatory obligations, fraud prevention, operational efficiency, and financial stewardship.
For an accomplished insurance executive, this is a unique opportunity to lead at the intersection of claims, customer experience, risk, and financial crime prevention. The successful leader will inherit experienced teams while having the mandate to elevate their capabilities, modernize how claims and investigations are managed, and ensure USAA continues to deliver for members when they need the organization most.
Additional Overview
The AVP, Claims, Fraud & Financial Crimes is responsible for leading the execution, oversight, and continuous improvement of USAA Life Company's claims administration, fraud prevention, anti-money laundering (AML), and financial crimes programs across Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and Annuity products. This leader oversees claim operations, complex claim adjudication, fraud risk management activities, regulatory compliance, and operational controls to ensure claims are processed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The role partners closely with Operations, Legal, Compliance, Enterprise Risk, Product Management, and Technology teams to deliver exceptional member experiences while protecting the financial integrity and reputation of USAA Life Company. The AVP champions operational excellence, risk management, process improvement, and data-driven decision-making while leading teams responsible for claims governance, fraud detection and investigation, financial crime prevention, and member-centric claims resolution practices.
Location
USAA offers a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position can be based in one of the following locations: San Antonio, TX; Charlotte, NC; Phoenix, AZ. Relocation assistance is available for this position.
What You'll Do
Claims Operations & Governance
Lead the execution and continual enhancement of claims programs, policies, procedures, and operational practices across Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and Annuity products.
Ensure claims processes balance member advocacy, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and financial stewardship.
Oversee the investigation, evaluation, adjudication, and resolution of complex, contestable, and sensitive claims.
Maintain governance frameworks, operational controls, and quality standards to ensure consistency and accuracy of claims decisions.
Identify opportunities to improve claims processes, service delivery, and member outcomes through process optimization and technology enablement.
Complex Claims Oversight
Provide leadership and decision authority for the most complex, high-risk, contestable, and high-value claims, including settlements exceeding established authority limits.
Partner with Legal, Medical, Compliance, and Risk stakeholders to evaluate claims involving elevated legal, regulatory, financial, or reputational risk.
Review emerging claims trends and operational metrics to identify opportunities for improved outcomes and risk mitigation.
Ensure timely and fair claim resolution while maintaining adherence to regulatory requirements and internal standards.
Fraud & Financial Crimes Management
Lead fraud prevention, detection, investigation, and reporting programs supporting Life Company products and services.
Oversee fraud governance, monitoring activities, investigative processes, and case management practices designed to protect members and the organization from financial loss.
Drive implementation of fraud risk management strategies and control frameworks that address operational, business, and financial risks.
Partner with Enterprise Fraud, Compliance, Legal, and Risk Management teams to strengthen fraud prevention capabilities and ensure regulatory compliance.
Monitor emerging fraud threats, industry trends, and evolving financial crime risks and develop recommendations to enhance program effectiveness.
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & Compliance
Serve as the primary Life Company leader responsible for execution and oversight of AML programs and related regulatory requirements.
Ensure compliance with applicable Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), AML, fraud, and insurance regulatory requirements.
Partner with Enterprise Compliance, Legal, and Risk partners to implement AML policies, standards, and controls within Life Company operations.
Maintain awareness of regulatory developments impacting claims, fraud, AML, and financial crimes programs.
Support regulatory examinations, audits, and reviews and ensures timely remediation of identified issues.
Risk Management & Regulatory Support
Identify, assess, monitor, and escalate operational, regulatory, compliance, and reputational risks associated with claims and fraud activities.
Collaborate with business partners to implement effective risk mitigation strategies and sustainable control environments.
Support interactions with state insurance departments, regulatory agencies, external auditors, and internal governance forums.
Ensure operational practices remain aligned with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies.
Data Analytics & Process Excellence
Utilize operational metrics, analytics, and performance data to improve claims outcomes, fraud detection effectiveness, member satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on enhancing quality, productivity, compliance, and service delivery.
Partner with Technology and Operations teams to implement automation, workflow improvements, and innovative solutions that improve organizational performance.
Establish and monitor performance indicators that support effective management of claims and fraud operations.
Leadership & Talent Development
Lead, develop, and inspire high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and career development.
Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous learning.
Build organizational capabilities needed to support business growth, evolving risks, and increasing regulatory expectations.
Oversee workforce planning, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives for assigned teams.
What You Have