Senior Underwriter

Ecclesiastical Insurance UK; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Group Pension (up to 12%)

Annual bonus between 6% and 24%

Private healthcare

Job summary

Ecclesiastical Insurance UK, part of Benefact Group, seeks a Senior Underwriter in Manchester to support church-related underwriting activities. The role focuses on complex case work, renewals and risk management across a dedicated portfolio, with coaching responsibility for the underwriting team.

You will contribute to a collaborative, purpose-driven culture, with a competitive benefits package and hybrid working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Proven underwriting experience.
• Track record of delivering exceptional customer service both individually and in a team.
• Commitment to deliver exceptional service and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and underwrite existing business within own authority according to rate and commercial strategy.
• Own a dedicated portfolio of complex cases and provide coaching to the team.
• Act as coaching and training contact for the team within an appropriate timeframe.
• Support self-audit processes and implement improvements for future results.
• Communicate effectively with customers through multiple channels and maintain relationships with clients.
• Represent the company at events and build relationships with key clients and partners.
• Continue developing technical knowledge through internal training and external CPD materials.

Skills

Underwriting experience

Customer service

Proactive attitude

Education

ACII/DIP/role relevant qualification

Job description

Working hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Duration: Permanent

Location: Manchester

Job Ref: 204836

About The Role

Ecclesiastical Insurance, who are proudly part of Benefact Group are looking for a Senior Underwriter to join our Manchester office.

This Underwriting position sits within our Church Operations Department and primarily supports our church customer base on a direct basis.

The role involves assessing a range of underwriting activities including general enquiries, renewals, building works, unoccupied risks & risk management surveys.

Senior Underwriter, you will be responsible for complex case work, act as dedicated referral point and support the development of the wider underwriting team through the delivery of coaching, training and audit.

Why join us?

Join a collaborative and inclusive culture that’s committed to making a difference and building a more sustainable future. Ranked amongst the UK's 15 Best Big Companies to Work For in 2025, we offer fantastic career and development opportunities within a rapidly growing, innovative Group - where all profits go to charity and good causes.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Developing, negotiating, and profitably underwriting existing business caseload within own authority and in line with rate/commercial strategy, delivering underwriting excellence through specialist knowledge and support.
• Ownership of a dedicated portfolio of complex cases.
• Acting as referral point for the team providing coaching & training in an appropriate time frame.
• Support the team self‑audit process including completing audits and implementing solutions to improve future results.
• Effective and appropriate communication and engagement with direct customers through a variety of communication channels
• Build and maintain commercial relationships with key clients and represent the company at customer, partner and industry events where required.
• Actively expanding personal technical and niche knowledge both informally (networking internally and externally, internet, industry press) and formally (In‑house training, CII, CPD)

What you’ll need to have

• Proven Underwriting experience.
• A track record of delivering exceptional customer service as an individual and as an effective part of the team. To be pro‑active with desire to continuously improve.
• Commitment to deliver exceptional service contributing both as an individual and as an effective part of a team.

What makes you stand out

• ACII/DIP/role relevant qualification or commitment to achieve within an agreed timescale.
• The ability to build collaborative, productive relationships.
• Able to act as a coach, empowering others within a commercial environment.

What we offer

• A competitive salary - let's discuss it
• Hybrid working
• Group Personal Pension - up to 12% employer contribution
• Generous annual bonus scheme: on-target bonus between 6% and 24%.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and a holiday buy and sell scheme
• An array of health and wellbeing benefits, including private healthcare, income protection and life assurance
• £200 annual personal grant to a charity of your choice
• Encouraged to take at least one volunteering day per year
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Full study support to gain professional qualifications
• Access to virtual GP
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Hear from the hiring manager

"The Church & Commercial Underwriting team in Manchester are known for delivering exceptional service and technical expertise. Over the years, we’ve built a reputation for doing things the right way, combining specialist knowledge with a genuine commitment to supporting our Methodist customers and the wider community.

Our focus on quality and care has played a vital role in strengthening long‑term relationships and retaining the business that helps us continue our purpose‑driven work. In this role, you’ll help shape the customer experience, strengthen relationships, and play an important part in our ongoing success. If you’re passionate about developing your skills and being part of something meaningful, we’d be delighted to hear from you."

About Us

Ecclesiastical Insurance offer insurance with award-winning service across a broad range of specialisms, including faith, charity, heritage, education, art and private client, real estate and schemes, across Ireland, Canada and the UK.

As a business, we’ve been trusted to protect some of the UK’s best-loved and most iconic buildings for over a century, and we’re not standing still. We’re a forward thinking, energetic organisation entering new markets, with an ambition to double our size, because when we grow, we give back more.

Benefact Group is a unique international financial services Group made up of over 30 businesses. We are owned by a charity and have been the 3rd largest UK corporate donor over a decade*, having given away £250 million since 2014. We have ambitious plans to become the UK’s number one corporate donor, with strategic objectives in place to double the Group’s size.

We believe it’s essential to attract, empower, grow and reward talented people, offering fantastic opportunities for career and personal development. Our giving ethos, 135-year history and the diversity of what we do, has enabled us to build a culture of kindness, great ambition, and of passionate people driven to do better and be better.

At Benefact Group, we are committed to creating an inclusive culture and building an environment where each and every one of us feels valued and respected. We are a community made up of people with a range of different backgrounds, abilities, perspectives, beliefs and interests and we value the strength this brings to us as a Group. We welcome applications from everyone.

If you need any additional support during the recruitment process, then please let us know.

• Directory of Social Change’s UK Guides to Company Giving 2017-26