2024 ImpACT Conference Call for Proposals

Skill-based Learning

Skill-based learning categories were created as an overlay to the current PD Curriculum to complement topic specific views of the curriculum. The categories identified highlight areas of skill development in various fields of actuarial work with the goal of helping SOA PD offerings meet the full range of member needs.

Data Science, Data Analysis and Predictive Analytics

• Extract and transform information from databases.
• Identify data sources.
• Understand and inform database design as it pertains to actuarial work.
• Test, validate and clean data for use in analysis.
• Identify and explain conclusions that emerge from data analysis.
• Demonstrate superior analytical skills; the ability to take large amounts of complex information and synthesize it into something meaningful.
• Have working knowledge of Excel, database, and statistical analysis language.
• Provide data analyses that support management decisions.
• Understand common uses of new or emerging analytical methods.
• Understand key concepts in developing data sets for predictive modeling.
• Apply key concepts in developing data sets for predictive modeling.
• Perform predictive modeling using GLM and nonlinear methods.
• Understand the use and limitations of unsupervised machine learning.
• Know at least one relevant tool such as R or Python language to perform predictive analytics.

Actuarial Modeling and Analysis

• Perform actuarial analysis and modeling, including but not limited to reserves, pricing, and forecasting.
• Perform an actual to expected analysis of results.
• Perform actuarial analysis and modeling, including pricing and forecasting.
• Perform experience studies and assist in development of pricing, projection, or valuation assumptions.
• Create, build, update, enhance, run, validate, and document actuarial models.
• Perform ad hoc actuarial analysis.

Risk Management

• Analyze, interpret, and present numerical data related to pricing, reserves, and other actuarial analysis.
• Ensure proper documentation and controls of all work and models, including pricing assumptions, processes, methodology, and results.
• Knowledge of pricing, valuation and/or financial reporting standards, systems, and processes.
• Analyze data and present analysis in a format appropriate for pricing, loss reserving, product development, reinsurance, and other financial analysis.
• Perform periodic risk and sensitivity analyses.
• Perform industry research to establish actuarial assumptions and methodologies used in pricing, reserving, or forecasting models.

Pricing and Product Development

• Perform pricing and profitability analysis for a wide variety of actuarial solutions.
• Support the design and pricing of new products and/or coverages.
• Understand technical pricing, product development analytics and performance measurement.
• Perform pricing and profitability analysis of all products, including analysis of results, reconciliation and attribution of changes, communication of results to management, and detailed documentation.
• Adapt pricing methodologies and models for innovative new products and benefits.
• Be responsible for technical pricing, product development analytics and performance measurement.

Valuation and Financial Analysis

• Provide mathematical and technical support in the management of actuarial products.
• Calculate, analyze, report, and explain reserves and other actuarial financial statement items.
• Assist in preparing the actuarial portion of financial statements following GAAP, statutory or tax reporting principles, or the applicable international principles.
• Provide valuation support by interpreting financial results and variances from forecast to help identify emerging trends to assist in risk management of the financial security system.
• Plan, develop, and evaluate financial security system pricing, valuation, reserving and/or financial reporting actuarial needs.
• Support the timely reporting of reserves and other actuarial input into the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting process.

Business Skills for Actuaries

• Effectively interact with other professionals.
• Bridge analytics and business decision making.
• Work as a team member, while contributing technical and actuarial content.
• Collaborate across actuarial and non-actuarial teams.
• Understand the drivers of profit and loss.
• Sort through a business problem and determine the issues that must be addressed.

Generating Business Insights

• Explain model results.
• Understand and communicate variations in predicted outcomes.
• Respond to actuarial questions and requests.
• Provide actuarial support to key stakeholders including management, board, internal auditors, external auditors, etc.
• Deliver simple, summary level, financial models that effectively communicate business issues and risks.
• Apply actuarial techniques to analyze, interpret and classify risks and communicate results to more senior actuaries.

Communication and Influencing Informed Decision Making

• Communicate actuarial results to managers and leadership.
• Communicate technical information to an audience in a way that they understand the information.
• Communicate complex financial models to management in a way that enables them to understand risks and opportunities.
• Effectively communicate information to various audience levels and recognize the level of the audience in each situation.
• Condense complex actuarial calculations and risk analyses and present them to others so that they understand the relevance.
• Understand Tableau language and/or other tools to prepare data visualizations that enhance the presentation of results.

Professionalism and Business Ethics and Diversity

• Demonstrate being morally sensitive to ethical dilemmas in business and identify ethical issues in actuarial work.
• Keep abreast of the Actuarial Code of Conduct and the Actuarial Standards of Practice.
• Meet actuarial qualification standards to issue Statements of Actuarial Opinions.
• Understand how a diversity, equity, and inclusive culture creates a culture of belonging.
• Understand and mitigate biases that may exist in data, assumptions, and models that impact actuarial services.

SOA Session Formats

Classic Style (Panel/ Lecture)

• This style typically has between 1 and 4 presenters and a moderator that leads the session. Limited audience participation.

Collaboration Station (Case study/ Workshop)

• Hands-on session that should promote interaction among participants through memorable activities. Think workshop or case study where attendees can work together in small groups to solve problems or brainstorm new ideas.

ImpACTful Interview

• Turn your session into an informal expert interview/ conversation. Invite an expert or two on the topic and let your moderator interview the guest(s). Gather attendees’ questions prior to the session and weave these into the conversation. Think podcast style with one to two people having an interesting conversation.

The Show Down (Game show)

• Rather than simply asking an audience a series of questions and then sharing the results in a poll, turn the session into a game mixed with an insightful presentation. A few options to consider are Actuarial Feud, Trivia Battle, Actuarial Squares, etc. An example of a gameshow is provided below, but there are many game show formats that can work.
  • Trivia or Team Battle
    • The moderator would serve as host to ask questions on topic(s)
    • Audience answers – either individually or as a team
    • Presenters can then add content by expanding on the questions after the correct answer is shown.

Speakers Corner (Debate)

• Two individuals or teams take opposing sides of a clearly specified issue. One way to add engagement, would be to start the session by polling the audience about their opinion on a given topic. Two speakers then debate, for and against. Afterwards, the audience is polled again and the winner of the debate is the speaker who influenced the most attendees to change their votes.

Ask the Experts (Ask me anything, open forum)

• Ask the speakers anything! This session is entirely audience driven. The panelists should be from a variety of backgrounds that can speak knowledgably on an overarching topic. The audience will then drive the session by asking the presenters various questions on the spot.

OTHER: Any format style that isn’t mentioned above. Creativity is encouraged!