Casualty Underwriting Specialist

Aviva Canada Inc.; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 79,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Casualty Underwriting Specialist to guide and mentor a team of underwriters, ensuring high-quality service and profitable growth. This role involves providing technical expertise, conducting analyses, and fostering relationships with internal and external partners. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in commercial casualty underwriting, excellent leadership skills, and a proactive approach to risk management. This innovative firm offers a compelling rewards package, including competitive compensation, wellness programs, and a hybrid work model, making it a great opportunity for those looking to make a significant impact in the insurance sector.

Benefits

Annual bonus eligibility

Retirement savings plan

Health benefits

Personal wellness opportunities

Competitive vacation package

Corporate wellness programs

Volunteer opportunities

Qualifications

• 8-10 years’ experience in Commercial Casualty underwriting.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Provide coaching and mentoring to underwriters to enhance their capabilities.
• Analyze risks and maintain portfolio quality and profitability.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Critical Thinking

Interpersonal Skills

Risk Assessment

Education

Post-secondary education (Business or related field)

CIP/FCIP

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

RTM

Commercial systems

Job description

Are you exceptionally knowledgeable in the casualty line, highly analytical and deeply curious, with an aptitude for building positive interpersonal connections and delivering outstanding results to all customers? If so, Aviva has an exciting role available as a Casualty Underwriting Specialist that may be perfect for you!

The purpose of the role is to be the underwriting conscience of the branch, providing technical guidance to a group of commercial property and casualty underwriters, support underwriting and other internal stakeholders, and drive profitable growth for the company. Working closely with your counterpart in Property, you will monitor the line and provide trending analysis, segment profitability, market or wording analysis, claims analysis and related support to branch AVP to help guide strategy decisions.

What You'll Do:

• Provide regular coaching, mentoring and training to a team of Commercial Lines underwriters to further develop their underwriting capabilities for the line.
• Provide technical expertise to internal partners (i.e. claims, legal) as well as other peers and leaders.
• Build and maintain relationships cross-functionally and with external brokers and partners, to deliver outstanding broker and customer service.
• Act as a point of escalation/referral for all underwriters.
• Assist AVP with individual branch strategy.
• Provide technical analysis and evaluate technical skills for new hires and promotions on authority levels and work assignments.
• Authorize risks within own established authority levels.
• Maintain the quality and profitability of the portfolio through regular analysis and recommendations for improvement and refer all risks outside established authority level to AVP.
• Assist in the introduction and communication of pricing, coverage and/or product changes on time, including crafting underwriter bulletins, contributing to the development of underwriting guidelines, procedures, and manuals.
• Help identify areas of concern regarding loss ratios, risk trends, or other discrepancies, applying remediation strategies as appropriate.
• Participate in Underwriting Quality Reviews and audits and provide feedback to underwriters, leaders and other stakeholders.
• Review losses and identify underwriting gaps, training opportunities or other risk factors.
• Actively seek understanding and communicate industry trends, market developments, and regulatory changes.
• Identify gaps in underwriting capabilities, and design and deliver solutions.
• Conduct and lead monthly UW meetings; prepare and present relevant information.
• Deliver and implement new product coverage.
• Handle large special accounts or new business as required.
• Orientation to new hires on Aviva UW appetite and philosophies; active participant of new hire onboarding.

What You'll Bring:

• Post-secondary education (Business or related field).
• CIP/FCIP preferred.
• 8-10 years’ experience in Commercial Casualty underwriting.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills with the proven ability to develop underwriting expertise in the branch.
• High level knowledge of underwriting risk factors, pricing and product in key segments, i.e. Wholesaling, Manufacturing and/or Contractors.
• Demonstrable critical thinking skills and good judgement accompanied by ability to take well calculated business risks.
• Sophisticated level of understanding of underwriting philosophy, wordings, rating programs, risk information sources, underwriting/technical manual information, and statutory constraints.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Excel, RTM, Commercial systems and other related systems.
• Ability to interact in a professional manner to develop long-term relationships with our partners and clients.
• Proven ability to influence exceptional broker experiences and customer satisfaction.
• Proactive and balanced approach to growth and retention.
• Demonstrates strong presentation and facilitation skills, high degree of integrity with a solutions and service orientation.

What you’ll get:

The salary band for this position ranges from $79,500 to $147,700. Please note that individual salary is determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills and experience, as well as internal equity.

Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.

Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.

Employee driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity and inclusion.

Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health.

Hybrid flexible work model.

Please note that we may use AI tools to help us through the recruitment process. This is an existing position which has been posted both internally & externally.

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged. This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.

Education Required

CIP
FCIP
FCIP - Partial Completion
Post Secondary Education
University Degree