Director, Corporate Underwriting, Specialty Risk, Programs & Travel

Northbridge Financial Corporation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Competitive compensation and employee/

Job summary

Northbridge Financial Corporation is seeking a Director, Commercial Lines, Corporate Underwriting in Canada. You will lead technical underwriting referrals, shape guidelines, and mentor a team of professionals across Claims, Actuarial, Reinsurance, and IT to drive profitable growth.

You will collaborate with executive stakeholders to manage risk, develop new products, and ensure compliance with regulatory changes while guiding strategic long-term planning.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education or equivalent industry experience.
• CIP and FCIP designation.
• 10+ years of commercial property and casualty underwriting experience, including mid-market and large commercial risks.
• 5+ years of leadership experience.
• Broad expertise in commercial underwriting across various industries and risk complexities.
• Experience developing underwriting guidelines, manuals, authorities, products, and policy wordings.
• Strong understanding of underwriting disciplines, pricing models, and portfolio management.
• Experience serving as a technical referral point for complex underwriting decisions.
• Experience analyzing underwriting performance, loss ratios, loss trends, audits, file reviews, and risk data.
• Knowledge of policy contracts, rating programs, risk assessment tools, and underwriting manuals.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including Claims, Risk Services, Actuarial, Reinsurance, Operations, IT, Training, and Business Intelligence.
• Experience leading underwriting audits and supporting governance and compliance initiatives.
• Ability to evaluate regulatory and legislative changes and recommend coverage or wording enhancements.
• Experience developing business cases, conducting market research, and contributing to new product development initiatives.
• Experience leading underwriting process improvements and implementing tools that enhance operational efficiency.
• Experience managing external vendors and underwriting support partners.
• Experience leading projects, prioritizing resources, and delivering results against business objectives.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and PC-based business environments.
• Working knowledge of related insurance functions such as Claims, Risk Management, Premium Accounting, and Reinsurance.
• Experience in Specialty Lines and/or Accident & Health insurance is an asset.
• Fluently bilingual in English and French is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical underwriting referrals and set guidelines for complex portfolios.
• Develop and enhance underwriting products, processes, and wordings.
• Coach, mentor, and develop underwriting teams to improve performance.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to drive profitable growth and align with corporate objectives.

Skills

CIP/FCIP

Leadership

Commercial underwriting

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Post-secondary education

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

What it’s like to be a Northbridge Director, Commercial Lines, Corporate Underwriting

As a Northbridge Director, Commercial Lines, Corporate Underwriting, you are the lead technical underwriting referral point for our commercial underwriting organization. You play a critical role in shaping underwriting guidelines, authorities, products, and best practices while supporting our Programs, Specialty Lines, and Accident & Health portfolios. Combining deep technical expertise with strategic leadership, you partner with underwriting profit centres and cross‑functional teams to drive profitable growth, strengthen underwriting quality, and ensure alignment with corporate objectives. In this role, you will provide technical guidance on complex wordings and portfolios, identify emerging trends and risks, support the development of underwriting products and processes, and collaborate closely with Claims, Actuarial, Reinsurance, Risk Services, IT, Business Intelligence, Operations, and Training teams. You will also lead, coach, and mentor a team of underwriting professionals while fostering a culture of engagement, accountability, and continuous improvement.

We want your talent! If you are great at:

• Building strong partnerships and influencing stakeholders across multiple business areas
• Providing technical guidance on complex wordings and portfolios
• Leading and motivating teams while fostering collaboration, engagement, and alignment
• Coaching, mentoring, and developing talent
• Strategic thinking and long‑term business planning
• Managing multiple priorities and complex projects in a fast‑paced environment
• Problem‑solving and making sound decisions on sensitive issues
• Analyzing trends, identifying risks, and developing practical solutions
• Communicating effectively through presentations, discussions, and written documentation
• Resolving conflicts and building consensus among diverse stakeholder groups
• Delivering exceptional internal customer service with a solution‑oriented mindset
• Maintaining a broad, enterprise‑wide perspective when addressing business challenges
• Driving high‑performance standards and accountability
• Adapting to changing business needs while maintaining focus on organizational goals
• Building strong long‑term relationships with underwriting teams, reinsurers, and business partners

And you have:

• Post‑secondary education and/or equivalent industry experience
• CIP and/or FCIP designation
• 10+ years of commercial property and casualty underwriting experience, including mid‑market and large commercial risks
• 5+ years of leadership experience
• Broad expertise in commercial underwriting across a wide range of industries and risk complexities
• Experience developing underwriting guidelines, manuals, authorities, products, and policy wordings
• Strong understanding of underwriting disciplines, pricing models, and portfolio management
• Experience serving as a technical referral point for complex underwriting decisions and accounts outside established authority levels
• Experience analyzing underwriting performance, loss ratios, loss trends, audits, file reviews, and risk data
• Knowledge of policy contracts, rating programs, risk assessment tools, risk information sources, and underwriting manuals
• Experience collaborating with cross‑functional teams including Claims, Risk Services, Actuarial, Reinsurance, Operations, IT, Training, and Business Intelligence
• Experience leading underwriting audits and supporting governance and compliance initiatives
• Ability to evaluate regulatory and legislative changes and recommend coverage or wording enhancements
• Experience developing business cases, conducting market research, and contributing to new product development initiatives
• Experience leading underwriting process improvements and implementing tools that enhance operational efficiency
• Experience managing external vendors and underwriting support partners
• Experience leading projects, prioritizing resources, and delivering results against business objectives
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and PC‑based business environments
• Working knowledge of related insurance functions such as Claims, Risk Management, Premium Accounting, and Reinsurance
• Experience in Specialty Lines and/or Accident & Health insurance is considered an asset
• Fluently bilingual in English and French is considered an asset

We really mean it when we say we put you first. Here are a few ways how:

• Hybrid work! We have a flexible hybrid model that allows you to work from home up to 2 days per week, with added flexibility for when you really need it.
• Competitive compensation and financial wellness. We offer competitive salaries and support your financial health through our employee share purchase plan, pension plans, RRSP, discounts on staff insurance, and more!
• Your well‑being matters. We help you prioritize your well‑being from day one through flexible health benefits, early leave days, wellness programs, rewards, and recognition programs.
• Career growth and development. We are invested in helping you grow in your career through education assistance to complete your CIP, FCIP, CRM or other courses desired, internal mobility, Leadership training and mentoring programs.
• We’re committed to pay transparency and fairness. The base salary range for this position is $150,000 – $170,000, which reflects the expected base pay for the position. The actual base salary offered may vary depending on your experience, skills, and alignment with the role.

This is a real opportunity — we’re actively hiring.

We also want to be transparent about our hiring process. While one of our systems includes AI capabilities, over 99% of our screening is done by real people. We believe in thoughtful, human‑centered hiring decisions and are committed to giving every application the attention it deserves.

Who we are:

We’re Northbridge Insurance. We’re proud to work with Canada’s most trusted commercial broker networks. We have a reputation for being one of Canada’s leading commercial insurance providers. Our employees are dedicated to understanding the needs of our customers and creating solutions that help Canadian businesses have a safer and brighter future. We’re a company of passionate people who put people first.

Do you want to join a team that believes in working hard – and having fun at work – all while making a difference? Look no further than Northbridge.

At Northbridge Financial we embrace and celebrate you and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all! No matter who you are or what makes you unique, we welcome you.

Please let us know how we can assist or accommodate you during the selection process.

Northbridge Financial Corporation is a leading commercial property and casualty insurance company that’s been helping protect Canadian businesses for more than 90 years. We’re 100% Canadian! We offer a wide range of creative solutions to our customers through our Northbridge Insurance, TruShield Insurance and Federated Insurance brands where we strive to create a fair and friendly culture. By continually striving to challenge the status quo, and by focusing on helping our customers, we’ve been able to build our reputation as one of Canada’s largest commercial insurance providers.