Underwriting Governance Manager

The Fidelis Partnership; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading specialty insurance business in the United Kingdom is seeking a Pine Walk Underwriting Governance Manager to oversee underwriting practices across its business units. You will manage a team and ensure compliance with governance frameworks while working closely with senior underwriters. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in underwriting governance within the Lloyd's or London market, alongside strong stakeholder engagement skills. This role offers an opportunity to influence and support a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10-15 years’ experience in underwriting governance or internal control.
• Strong knowledge of specialty insurance classes and delegated authority arrangements.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain underwriting governance frameworks.
• Conduct file reviews and quality assurance activities.
• Produce insightful MI and governance reporting for senior management.

Skills

Underwriting governance

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Project management

Team management

Education

ACII (or significant progress towards)

Job description

The Fidelis Partnership is a leading specialty, bespoke and (re)insurance business. We have built our name on a 40-year track record of outperformance, and we continue to beat the market in our underwriting and returns. More information on The Fidelis Partnership can be found at www.fidelispartnership.com

The Company currently writes lines of business including; specialty insurance: aviation & aerospace, energy, marine, property, terror & political violence, contingency and other specialty lines; reinsurance: property reinsurance, property retrocession, specialty reinsurance, whole account/multi-class and bespoke.

Role Overview

The Pine Walk Underwriting Governance Manager is responsible for ensuring that underwriting across our Pine Walk MGA cells operates within a disciplined, well-controlled framework. Leading a small team, you will provide oversight and challenge to underwriters while embedding effective internal controls that support the business’s commercial ambitions, satisfy capacity provider requirements, and meet regulatory standards. The role demands both hands‑on delivery and the ability to influence, working closely with senior underwriters and other control functions in a collaborative, fast‑paced and entrepreneurial environment.

Role Responsibilities

Governance & Oversight

• Develop, implement, maintain and oversee the underwriting governance frameworks for each of the Pine Walk cells.
• Ensure that all underwriting authorities are reviewed on an annual basis and that all new underwriters are processed appropriately.
• Develop, implement and coordinate the Right of First Refusal (’ROFR’) process on behalf of each of the Pine Walk cells with the Fidelis IG, ensuring that an accurate record of the current agreed ROFR is maintained by TFP and verifying that all underwriting activities comply with the agreed ROFR position.
• Develop, implement and coordinate the risk appetite and risk allocation process across all capacity providers for TFP, ensuring that an accurate record of the current agreed risk appetite of all capacity providers is maintained by TFP and the Pine Walk cells, and verifying that all risks are underwritten in line with the risk appetite of the capacity provider.
• Provide oversight and challenge of the quarterly EPI review process.
• Conduct file reviews, thematic audits, and quality assurance activities across all lines of business, providing actionable feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Support the Head of UW Governance, the Pine Walk COO and the CEOs/CUOs of each of the Pine Walk cells in aligning the business plans of the Pine Walk cells with governance requirements and the risk appetites of capacity providers.

Internal Controls

• Design and maintain underwriting-related internal controls within the Pine Walk cells, ensuring effective monitoring and assurance across delegated authority and binder arrangements.
• Partner with Actuarial, Operations, Finance, Compliance, and Risk to ensure controls are aligned across the business and embedded into operational processes and systems.
• Monitor control effectiveness, identify weaknesses, and implement practical, proportionate improvements.
• Contribute to the Internal Controls Framework and ensure underwriting governance is integrated into TFP’s wider risk and control environment.

Monitoring & Reporting

• Produce insightful MI and governance reporting for senior management and capacity providers.
• Design and embed process improvements to enhance data quality for Underwriting Governance and Excellence, resolving any operational report issues.
• Escalate issues, breaches, and emerging risks promptly, offering pragmatic recommendations and tracking resolution.
• Maintain oversight of action plans arising from governance reviews, audits, or internal control assessments.

Policy & Training

• Develop, implement, maintain and refresh underwriting policies, procedures, and guidelines to reflect evolving business models, the requirements of our capacity providers, and market best practice.
• Deliver targeted training and workshops for underwriting teams to embed governance expectations and improve underwriting discipline.
• Contribute to the development of underwriting system controls and digital tools to strengthen governance in day‑to‑day operations.
• Manage, coach, and assist in the development of a small team, setting clear objectives and fostering accountability.
• Encourage knowledge sharing, continuous learning, and a collaborative approach to problem‑solving.
• Balance task oversight with hands‑on involvement in high‑priority governance reviews and control projects.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted partner to underwriting teams, helping them navigate governance requirements without stifling innovation or commercial execution.
• Build strong relationships with our partners, including our capacity providers, Lloyd’s, and regulators, representing TFP in governance discussions and audits.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure joined‑up control frameworks and consistent messaging across the organisation.

Skills & Experience

• ACII (or significant progress towards) preferred.
• Strong knowledge of specialty insurance classes and delegated authority arrangements.
• Minimum of 10‑15 years’ experience in underwriting governance, delegated authority oversight, quality assurance or internal control within the Lloyd’s or London Market.
• Excellent organisational skills with proven ability to manage a high volume of disparate tasks and projects.
• Ability to balance governance and commercial priorities in a dynamic, entrepreneurial MGA environment.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across underwriters, capacity providers and other departments within TFP, together with strong interpersonal skills in order to work effectively and professionally with diverse groups at all levels across the business.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to manage difficult conversations.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into clear insights and recommendations, then implementing action to resolve these issues within tight deadlines.
• Track record of managing and developing people in a governance, risk, or control function.
• Demonstrable experience of working in fast paced environments with the ability to problem‑solve and react quickly to changing priorities.

The Fidelis Partnership Ethos

Our culture is defined by our ethos. It is the foundation of who we are and the core of everything we do.

• Results – We want to be the best at the things we care about, so we focus on profitability over volume, with responsive decision‑making and clear prioritised accountability.
• Innovate – We aspire to lead the market in providing the services and products our clients need, and to drive change in the broader impact our industry has on human rights, society, and environmental sustainability.
• Include – We create an environment where employees can bring their whole self to work, with open communication where everyone, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or background, feels able to contribute ideas and be recognised and rewarded for their contribution.
• Unite – We operate as team of individual talents that actively seeks to reflect the diversity of the societies in which we operate, giving our business the widest range of inputs and perspectives.
• Respond – We work in a business exposed to sudden shocks and changes – elemental, political, economic and human – so we remain nimble and ready for change.

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion

Our vision is for a workplace culture where differences are valued and where diversity of background, experience and thought are welcomed. We want to create an environment where all employees, regardless of who they are, are given equal opportunities for career progression and enjoy fair reward from their and The Fidelis Partnership successes. This will be driven by a workforce that embraces Diversity and Inclusion at every level, in every department across The Fidelis Partnership.