Senior Underwriter - Cargo

Starr; Greater London; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Starr is seeking a Senior Underwriter to join its Cargo & Specie team in the London market. You will underwrite a diverse client base, work with brokers, and contribute to underwriting strategy.

The role demands detailed, analytical underwriting with a pro‑cyclical, profit‑driven mindset and strong organizational skills. Key duties include adherence to risk appetite, collaboration with Head of Class & Lead Underwriters, and providing input on pricing and strategy.

Qualifications

• Proven track record underwriting in the Lloyd’s market.
• Strong sales, profitability focus, and relationship building.
• Excellent communicator with clients and industry leaders.
• Ability to develop broker/client relationships and source business.
• Experience in developing product strategies and portfolio management.
• Strong partnership skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Underwriter with technical credibility and relationship mgmt strengths.
• Bachelor’s degree or ACII qualification or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Drive underwriting excellence while adhering to risk appetite and pricing adequacy.
• Collaborate to deliver approved class plan and input into long‑term strategy.
• Develop underwriting strategy for products using market knowledge.
• Underwrite a range of risks within stated appetite and refine pricing.
• Act as technical referral point for referrals from brokers and team.
• Feedback on pricing models to improve risk pricing accuracy.
• Work with all areas to deliver clear market propositions.
• Identify and manage key risks impacting business sustainability.

Skills

Lloyd’s market underwriting

Sales skills

Communication

Broker relations

Client relationships

Product strategy

Portfolio management

Relationship management

Strategic thinking

Industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree / ACII

Tools

Job description

Overview

About us

Starr is a global insurance and investment organisation providing property and casualty insurance solutions to business and industry. Starr has grown into one of the world’s fastest‑expanding insurance organisations, writing business in 128 countries across six continents. Our talented and experienced associates manage risk and ultimately support the profitable growth of organisations in a dynamic, competitive and ever-changing marketplace. Join us and become part of our talented and passionate workforce.

Role Purpose

Our Cargo & Specie team offer solutions to a broad spectrum of insurance and reinsurance clients. From direct placements in the London market to Delegated Authority and Proportional Reinsurance opportunities, we harness strong relationships with all major brokers to underwrite a diverse client base, ranging from international traders and global manufacturers, to logistics companies and infrastructure projects.

The role of a Senior Underwriter at Starr is one which proves challenging yet truly rewarding. The role offers the opportunity to become a key member of a leading edge, next generation underwriting team within Starr new Specialty operation.

The key to success in this role will be a highly detailed and analytical underwriting approach, pro cyclical mindset with a profit driven focus. You will also need strong organisational skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive underwriting excellence by ensuring adherence to risk appetite, lines setting, standards and guidelines, rating and pricing adequacy.
• In collaboration with the Head of Class & Lead Underwriters, you will be responsible for delivering the Class approved plan and providing input into the longer‑term strategy.
• Providing input to the development of the underwriting strategy for our product(s) based on your market knowledge and product expertise and being responsible for executing that underwriting strategy.
• Underwriting a range of risks in accordance within our stated underwriting appetite. You will also provide input and feedback such that we constantly refine our underwriting appetite to ensure that we take advantage of market opportunities and outperform our peers through superior risk selection and proactive management of our business mix
• Acting as a point of technical referral and opinion from other members of the underwriting team, brokers and other internal functions, using your extensive risk, product and pricing knowledge to inform appropriate decisions in respect of those referrals
• Provide feedback to Lead Underwriters & Heads of Class and to members of our Pricing team relating to the effectiveness of our risk pricing models to help us constantly drive enhanced sophistication and accuracy in our risk pricing
• Working closely with all areas of the business to ensure that we deliver a clear and seamless set of propositions to the market.
• Understanding the risk environment in which we operate. Contribution to the identification of and helping to manage the key risks which threaten the success and sustainability of our business.
• Providing substantial contribution to our "first line of defense" activities, using audit and peer review tools, complimented by exception reporting and performance MI, to constantly assess and monitor our underwriting activities to ensure that all business is being written in accordance with our stated underwriting authorities, agreed processes and in compliance with our regulatory and conduct standards.

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list, and you may be required to undertake other reasonable duties compatible with your experience and competencies. This description may be varied from time to time to reflect changing business requirements.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• A proven track record of and a strong reputation of underwriting in the Lloyd’s market
• Excellent sales skills and an insatiable appetite to increase the profitability of the portfolio
• A great communicator who can work with people at all levels, being just as comfortable with clients and leaders in the industry as they are with their own team
• Excellent Broker and Client relationships and the ability to develop business from a variety of sources
• Track record of developing and executing product strategies and portfolio management
• Strong business partnership skills in engaging and influencing internal and external stakeholders
• Client management gravitas – someone who is respected for his/her technical abilities and appreciated for his/her relationship management skills
• Possess a Bachelor’s degree or ACII qualification or equivalent, or relevant experience and proven track record in the relevant class of business

Core behavioural competencies

• Strategic perspective
• Commerciality
• Relationships
• Performance focus
• Communication and influence
• Development of self and others
• Resilience and adaptability

Additional Information

• A full job description can be seen here

Starr is an equal opportunity employer, which means we will consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer first class training and development opportunities to all employees. Our aim is to grow our own talent and bring out the best in people.