Life Acceptance Underwriting Manager ME

QBE European Operations plc.; Dubai; On-site; AED 350,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

QBE European Operations plc. in Dubai invites an experienced Life Acceptance Underwriting Manager to lead the development of the Life Acceptance function across the Middle East on a permanent basis.

You will shape the practice, set technical standards, and deliver high-quality underwriting support to clients and colleagues. Working closely with reinsurance underwriters, IT and actuarial teams, you will build a capable, forward-looking team, manage risk, drive product development, and foster

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in Life Acceptance Underwriting.
• Strong medical and financial underwriting expertise.
• Experience within the life insurance or reinsurance industry.
• Previous experience in team leadership, coaching or people management.
• Strong client relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to provide clear technical advice on complex life risks and assessment processes.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to identify business development opportunities.
• Strong presentation, training and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking and sound decision-making capabilities.
• Experience supporting projects, change or the development of new underwriting capabilities.
• Collaborative approach, with the ability to work across technical and operational teams.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and maintaining a high standard of technical knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of the future Life Acceptance Underwriting function across the Middle East.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to Life reinsurance underwriters and clients.
• Advise clients on life risk classification, rating, selection and assessment processes.
• Build strong client relationships through regular meetings, workshops, visits and market events.
• Develop and maintain Life Acceptance assessment tools in collaboration with the wider Life Acceptance team and IT.
• Contribute to product development, including the assessment of medical and financial considerations.
• Identify opportunities to enhance underwriting solutions, client services and commercial value propositions.
• Manage the Life Acceptance portfolio in line with agreed risk appetite, underwriting guidelines and profitability objectives.
• Collaborate with Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial, IT and other internal stakeholders to support strategic priorities.
• Build, lead and develop the future Life Acceptance Underwriting team, promoting consistent decision-making and high technical standards.

Skills

Life Underwriting

Medical underwriting

Team leadership

Client relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Change management

Underwriting guidelines

Business development

Job description

Primary Details

Time Type: Full time Worker Type: Employee

Permanent, full-time

Dubai/Hybrid

About QBE

At QBE, we get to the heart of what matters for our customers, and we do it all with a human touch.

We’re an international insurer and reinsurer with more than 13,000 people working across 26 countries, which means we’re big enough for your ambitions, yet small enough for you to make a real impact. It’s an exciting time at QBE as we continue to build momentum towards our vision of becoming the most consistent and innovative risk partner.

What if you could have a positive impact, at work and in the world? As part of the QBE team, you’ll work alongside people who are passionate, talented and kind.

The opportunity

We’re looking for a Life Acceptance Underwriting Manager (Middle East) to join our team in Dubai on a permanent basis.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the development of our future Life Acceptance Underwriting function across the Middle East. As this is a newly created role, you’ll have the chance to shape the function from the outset, providing technical expertise, strategic direction and high-quality support to both colleagues and clients.

You’ll act as a trusted Life Acceptance Underwriting expert, working closely with reinsurance underwriters and clients to strengthen assessment practices, develop effective underwriting solutions and deliver an excellent client experience. The position also offers the opportunity to influence product development, contribute to business growth and, as the function develops, build and lead a technically strong underwriting team.

Your new role

As Life Acceptance Underwriting Manager, you’ll provide specialist advice on the classification, rating and selection of life risks, helping to ensure that underwriting decisions are consistent, commercially sound and aligned with QBE’s risk appetite and profitability objectives.

You’ll work directly with clients to understand their needs, advise on assessment processes and provide practical technical expertise. Through client meetings, workshops and market events, you’ll build strong relationships and promote QBE’s Life Acceptance capabilities across the region.

You’ll also collaborate with colleagues across Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial and IT to develop assessment tools, support product development and deliver QBE’s wider strategic objectives. As the function grows, you’ll lead, coach and develop the future Middle East Life Acceptance Underwriting team, establishing strong technical standards and a culture of continuous learning.

Main responsibilities

• Lead the development of the future Life Acceptance Underwriting function across the Middle East
• Provide technical advice and guidance to Life reinsurance underwriters and clients
• Advise clients on life risk classification, rating, selection and assessment processes
• Build strong client relationships through regular meetings, workshops, visits and market events
• Develop and maintain Life Acceptance assessment tools in collaboration with the wider Life Acceptance team and IT
• Contribute to product development, including the assessment of medical and financial considerations
• Identify opportunities to enhance underwriting solutions, client services and commercial value propositions
• Manage the Life Acceptance portfolio in line with agreed risk appetite, underwriting guidelines and profitability objectives
• Collaborate with Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial, IT and other internal stakeholders to support strategic priorities
• Build, lead and develop the future Life Acceptance Underwriting team, promoting consistent decision-making and high technical standards

About You

You’ll be an experienced Life Acceptance Underwriting professional with strong medical and financial underwriting expertise gained within the life insurance or reinsurance industry. You’ll bring the credibility and technical knowledge required to advise both internal stakeholders and clients on complex assessment matters.

As this is a newly created role, you’ll be comfortable operating in an evolving environment and helping to build a function for the future. You’ll combine strategic thinking with a practical, hands‑on approach, and you’ll be motivated by the opportunity to develop new capabilities, improve client solutions and influence business growth.

You’ll also be a confident relationship builder with the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly. Previous leadership, coaching or people management experience will allow you to support the development of the future team and create an environment where people can learn, perform and grow.

Skills and experience you’ll need

• Extensive experience in Life Acceptance Underwriting
• Strong medical and financial underwriting expertise
• Experience within the life insurance or reinsurance industry
• Previous experience in team leadership, coaching or people management
• Strong client relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills
• The ability to provide clear technical advice on complex life risks and assessment processes
• Commercial awareness and the ability to identify business development opportunities
• Strong presentation, training and communication skills
• Strategic thinking and sound decision-making capabilities
• Experience supporting projects, change or the development of new underwriting capabilities
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to work across technical and operational teams
• A commitment to continuous professional development and maintaining a high standard of technical knowledge

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits to help provide holistic support for your work life, whatever your circumstances. As a QBE employee you will have access to and benefit from:

Awards & Recognition

We value our employee’s experience with us and are proud to have been recognised for the following awards:

• Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2025: Winner: Commercial Lines Insurer of the Year, Winner: Reinsurer of the Year - QBE Re, Winner: ESG, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year
• Insurance Business UK 5-Star Cyber Awards 2024: QBE rated as a 5-Star Cyber Insurer
• Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2023: QBE rated as a 5-Star Employee

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE is an equal opportunity employer and is required to comply with equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction it operates.