Head of International Property Facultative

Sompo; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

SompoRe in London seeks a Head of International Property Facultative to lead and grow our international portfolio from the London hub. This senior role shapes underwriting strategy, profitability, and client engagement across key markets, with responsibility for pipeline development, risk discipline, and capacity deployment.

You will manage and mentor underwriters, partner with Claims, Actuarial, and Finance, and advance retrocessional plans while building long-term client value in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in international Property Facultative underwriting.
• Proven leadership with ability to develop and mentor teams.
• Strong broker and client relationship management across multiple markets.
• Deep knowledge of catastrophe exposure, pricing, and portfolio optimisation.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction and drive profitable growth for International Property Facultative.
• Oversee underwriting performance, risk appetite, and capacity deployment.
• Build and manage relationships with brokers, cedants, and strategic partners worldwide.
• Lead portfolio planning, retrocessional considerations and renewal strategy.
• Collaborate with Claims, Actuarial, Finance and Compliance to ensure portfolio health.

Skills

Property Facultative underwriting

Leadership

International markets

Broker & client relationships

Portfolio management

Strategic planning

Education

Industry qualifications (ARe/CPCU/ACII)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Underwriting analytics tools

Job description

Are you looking for your next opportunity? SompoRe has a unique opportunity for a

Are you looking for your next opportunity? SompoRe has a unique opportunity for a Head of International Property Facultative to lead and grow our International Property Facultative portfolio from our London office. SompoRe operates in key markets worldwide, bringing specialized capabilities across a broad range of reinsurance products, supported by strong analytics, disciplined underwriting, risk management, and claims expertise. With global experience and local market knowledge, SompoRe remains a stable and trusted trading partner across market cycles.

Our business, your impact, our opportunity

As Head of International Property Facultative, you will be responsible for leading the development, strategic direction, underwriting performance, and client management of SompoRe’s International Property Facultative business. Based in London, you will drive profitable growth across target international markets by building and maintaining strong broker and client relationships, developing a robust pipeline of facultative opportunities, and ensuring underwriting discipline across the portfolio. You will play a key leadership role in shaping underwriting appetite, capacity deployment, portfolio strategy, retrocessional planning, renewal execution, and business planning. Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional partners, you will ensure the International Property Facultative portfolio delivers sustainable profitability, strong market presence, and long-term client value.

What You’ll Be Doing

Strategic Leadership and Portfolio Management

• Lead the International Property Facultative business, setting strategic direction for growth, profitability, underwriting appetite, capacity deployment, and portfolio management.
• Develop and execute business plans that support profitable expansion across key international markets.
• Drive underwriting performance across individual risk and automatic business, ensuring alignment with SompoRe’s risk appetite, guidelines, authority levels, and portfolio objectives.
• Monitor portfolio performance, aggregation, exposure, pricing adequacy, catastrophe risk, and profitability trends.
• Support and inform retrocessional planning, renewal strategy, and annual portfolio planning.
• Identify market opportunities, emerging risks, and strategic areas for growth or remediation.

Underwriting and Risk Analysis

• Underwrite and oversee complex International Property Facultative accounts, ensuring disciplined risk selection, pricing, terms, and conditions.
• Perform and oversee risk analysis, including exposure evaluation, aggregation review, scenario testing, catastrophe modelling outputs, and profitability assessment.
• Ensure underwriting decisions are supported by internal models, market data, technical analysis, and sound judgment.
• Maintain a strong control environment by supporting internal and external audits, identifying gaps, and driving remediation actions where required.
• Support annual updates to Property Facultative guidelines to reflect market conditions, retrocessional renewal terms, and evolving portfolio needs.

Client, Broker, and Market Engagement

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with brokers, cedants, and strategic trading partners across international markets.
• Represent SompoRe in the London and international reinsurance markets, including client meetings, broker engagements, industry events, conferences, and on-site visits.
• Promote SompoRe’s broader capabilities, including underwriting expertise, claims responsiveness, market insights, analytics, and client service.
• Develop a strong pipeline of new and renewal opportunities that supports profitable premium growth.
• Lead complex negotiations with brokers and clients, balancing commercial objectives with underwriting discipline.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead, manage, mentor, and develop International Property Facultative underwriters and support staff.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and portfolio oversight through direct and matrix leadership.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture focused on underwriting excellence, accountability, client service, and profitability.
• Partner closely with Claims, Actuarial, Catastrophe/Exposure Management, Finance, Operations, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders to deliver strong underwriting outcomes and portfolio health.
• Contribute to special projects and strategic initiatives aligned with SompoRe’s broader business objectives.

What You’ll Bring

• Significant experience in Property Facultative reinsurance, ideally including international and London market experience.
• Deep technical expertise in property facultative underwriting, including complex risks, individual risk underwriting, and automatic/facility business.
• Proven leadership and management experience, with a track record of developing teams and driving performance.
• Strong understanding of international broker and cedant markets, with established relationships across the London and global reinsurance marketplace.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute underwriting strategy, business plans, and portfolio management initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of catastrophe exposure, aggregation management, pricing, scenario testing, and profitability analysis.
• Experience contributing to or leading retrocessional planning, renewal strategy, and capacity management.
• Proven ability to negotiate complex placements and manage senior client and broker relationships.
• Strong commercial judgment, analytical capability, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex underwriting and portfolio information clearly.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across functions, geographies, and seniority levels.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and relevant underwriting, analytics, modelling, and workflow tools.
• Industry qualifications such as ARe, CPCU, ACII, or equivalent are preferred.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required.

The successful candidate will be

• A strategic and commercially minded underwriting leader.
• A respected market-facing professional with strong broker and client credibility.
• Technically strong, analytical, and disciplined in underwriting execution.
• Collaborative and able to influence across functions and geographies.
• Comfortable operating in a senior leadership role with accountability for portfolio performance.
• Client-focused, solutions-oriented, and committed to building long-term partnerships.
• Able to balance growth ambitions with prudent risk selection and profitability.

Compensation And Benefits

Sompo offers competitive, high-quality compensation and benefit programs for eligible employees. Actual compensation will depend on factors including role scope, location, qualifications, skills, competencies, and relevant experience. Sompo’s compensation philosophy is designed to support a pay-for-performance culture, with total compensation reflecting both company and individual performance. Benefits will be aligned with applicable local market practices in the United Kingdom.

In today’s world, what do we stand for?

Ethics and integrity are the foundation of delivering on our commitments. At Sompo, we believe that strong relationships, trust, accountability, and respect drive long-term success. Sompo is an equal opportunity employer and values inclusion and diversity. We are committed to creating an environment that respects individual contributions and provides equal opportunities for all employees and applicants.

Supporting Data

• "SompoRe operates in key markets worldwide, bringing to each account our specialized capabilities for a wide range of reinsurance products and a depth of understanding of local cultures."
• "As the Regional Head of Property Facultative for a Region, you will lead the Region in the development, core client management, and inform the overall strategic business plan (capacity, retrocessional planning, underwriting appetite, business planning for growth and renewal opportunities) for the US Property Facultative business."
• "You will build and manage relationships through direct opportunities and brokers in the Region, leveraging strategic thinking to deliver a strong pipeline of opportunities (individual risk and automatics) that supports profitable growth in SompoRe’s U.S. Property Facultative business."
• "Perform and oversee comprehensive risk analyses, including exposure evaluation, aggregation, scenario testing, and profitability assessments using internal models and market data."
• "Partner with Claims, Actuarial, Cat/Exposure Management, Finance, and Operations teams to ensure optimal underwriting results and portfolio health."
• "Minimum of 10 to 12 years of experience in Property Facultative underwriting, with a strong background in direct and broker-led business."
• "Proven managerial experience, including leading teams and driving performance outcomes."
• "At least 10 years, preferably 12 years of industry experience with Property Facultative experience Broker Market and Direct"