Underwriting Manager, Small and Medium Enterprise

Definity; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 77,000 - 142,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company in Montreal is seeking an Underwriting Manager for Small and Medium Enterprises. The successful candidate will manage a team, oversee underwriting processes, and maintain broker relationships. Requires 5–7 years of underwriting experience and proficiency in English and French. This role offers a hybrid work schedule and a competitive salary range between $77,100 and $142,000.

Benefits

Hybrid work schedule

Company share ownership program

Pension and savings programs

Paid volunteer days

Educational resources

Wellness and recognition programs

Discounts on products and services

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of underwriting experience, with at least 2–4 years in a leadership role.
• Extensive experience working with Microsoft Office products.
• Proficiency in both English and French.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of Underwriters in day-to-day operations.
• Oversee underwriting processes and ensure compliance with guidelines.
• Foster relationships with brokers and ensure service excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Customer Service

Underwriting Expertise

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Insurance

Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation

Tools

Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel)

Job description

Underwriting Manager, Small and Medium Enterprise

Montreal, QUE, Canada

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Definity is the parent company to some of Canada’s most long-standing and innovative insurance brands, including Economical Insurance, Sonnet Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, and Petline Insurance. Our ambition is to be one of Canada’s leading and most innovative property and casualty insurers. We can’t do that without our people, so we embrace and encourage a culture that’s collaborative, ambitious, rewarding, and empowering.

We offer a flexible, hybrid work experience where employees work from the office and virtually depending on the type of work they are doing and who they are working with. Bring your true self and be a part of our journey. It’s better here.

Underwriting Manager, Small and Medium Enterprise

Reporting to the Director, Regional Commercial Underwriting, you will manage a team of Underwriters and guides them in day-to-day operations (including risk selection, underwriting solution design, negotiation, and underwriting servicing) as well as works with them to further develop your technical and professional skills, and career paths. You will be accountable for the team’s proper rating and pricing of all Commercial Insurance transaction types and ensure that the team implements Underwriting processes in accordance with Underwriting guidelines, standard operating procedures, and Commercial Lines of Business and segmentation strategies. You will also contribute to shaping Commercial Insurance broker relationships in Quebec, as well as underwriting strategies, and action plans. You will work with your team to gather market insights through your network to inform underwriting decisions.

What you can expect

People Management and Development :

• Demonstrate leadership behaviour to engage and motivate staff and develops, coaches / mentors and manages the performance of Direct Reports.
• Work with direct reports to set individual performance and development goals which align to Economical’s Line of Business and segmentation strategies, Underwriting guidelines, productivity targets, and KPIs.
• Manage a remote / virtual team effectively by proactively engaging frontline resources on a regular basis and applying techniques to build engagement, commitment, and collaboration among team members.
• Review Quality Review results to proactively identify technical knowledge gaps and engages the Technical Specialists for the region to support in developing technical capabilities.

Underwriting Operational and Technical Expertise :

• Lead and work with a team of Auto and Property Small and Medium Business Underwriters to drive the profitable growth of Economical’s commercial auto and property insurance business in the region through the way business is selected, quoted, renewed, and services.
• Leverage CI reporting and market knowledge to maintain a profitable SME Commercial Insurance portfolio—engaging team members and peers to understand opportunities to improve profitability.
• Develop solutions to achieve profitable growth targets and coach others as appropriate.

Customer Experience :

• Oversee the management of relationships of his / her team with Brokers as relates to SME Insurance and ensures service excellence in Broker interactions.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in customer service experience and regularly provides formal feedback to their team on their performance.
• Seek to add value in every Broker interaction and coach the team on how to do so.

Sales Management :

• Foster a culture of high performance and sustained profitable growth in which all Underwriters are encouraged to proactively and continuously identify profitable opportunities that align to Economical’s strategies.
• Guide and support Direct Reports in building and managing relationships with assigned Brokers and the broader Broker network within the Region.

What do you bring to the role?

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Insurance) or a two-year diploma from a recognized community college, or equivalent experience. Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) or Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) designation is a strong asset.
• Minimum 5–7 years of underwriting experience, with at least 2–4 years in a leadership role, demonstrating progressive responsibility and a track record of success in managing teams and achieving operational goals. Experience in a multi-line insurance organization is highly preferred.
• Extensive experience working with the Microsoft Office products, including PowerPoint and Excel.
• Demonstrate an ability to lead and manage a team in a busy and changing environment while fostering positive performance and engagement.
• Model solid leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, motivate and retain staff. Proactively communicate information in a clear and positive manner.
• Layering excellent decision-making skills with a natural aptitude for observation.
• Strong preference will be given to candidates with prior people leadership experience.

High degree of proficiency with English and French required to service customers, both internal to the company and external, across Canada.

Salary Range : $77,100-$142,000

Interested in this role, but don’t meet every requirement? We encourage you to apply! We know from experience that a candidate doesn’t need 100% of the qualifications listed to bring incredible value to our team. We’re actively seeking diverse backgrounds and perspectives to help us make insurance better. At Definity, inclusion, diversity, and equity aren’t just “nice to have” — they’re essential to our success.

What’s in it for you?

• Hybrid work schedule for most roles
• Company share ownership program
• Pension and savings programs, with company-matched RRSP contributions
• Paid volunteer days and company matching on charitable donations
• Educational resources, tuition assistance, and paid time off to study for exams
• Focus on inclusion with employee groups, support for gender affirmation surgery, access to BIPOC counsellors, access to programs for working parents
• Wellness and recognition programs
• Discounts on products and services

Actual salary for the role may vary depending on work location of the successful candidate and other factors including but not limited to, skills, education, experience, working conditions and the local labour market. In addition to base pay, eligible employees may participate in various incentive plans which are paid out at the discretion of the company and subject to individual and company performance.

Go ahead and expect a lot — you deserve it.

Our inclusive work environment welcomes diversity and supports accessibility. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know by contacting.

Background checks

This role requires successful clearance of background checks (including criminal checks and leadership references).