Head of Underwriting (PCF 18)

Brightwater Executive; Dublin; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Brightwater Executive is recruiting a Head of Underwriting (PCF 18) for a newly created Dublin-based role in a fast-scaling cross-border insurer. You will lead underwriting strategy, portfolio performance and governance across multiple European markets, reporting to the GCUO with a dual line to the CEO for EU operations.

You will oversee personal lines P&C across EU jurisdictions, ensuring compliance with Solvency II, IDD and local requirements while driving data-driven decision making and

Qualifications

• ACII or equivalent professional qualification strongly preferred.
• Relevant third-level degree in Insurance, Business or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve underwriting appetite for personal lines across European markets. Align with group risk strategy and profitability targets.
• Validate qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate and recommend changes.
• Lead development and review of underwriting guidelines, risk criteria and acceptance standards.
• Monitor portfolio performance with loss and combined ratios; translate into strategic recommendations for senior leadership.
• Evaluate market conditions and emerging risks to maintain a competitive, adequately priced portfolio.
• Ensure underwriting processes comply with EU regulations (Solvency II, IDD and national rules).
• Act as the underwriting expert for internal stakeholders and communicate complex concepts clearly.
• Engage with reinsurers and regulators as required; coordinate with European teams to maintain consistent standards.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring; design training for underwriting staff and partners.

Skills

ACII

Leadership

Data-driven decisions

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Education

ACII or equivalent

Degree in Insurance/Business

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Brightwater Executive is delighted to be retained exclusively by a leading cross-border international general insurer to lead the search for their Head of Underwriting (PCF 18).

This is a newly created role for this fast scaling Dublin based pan-European general insurance firm. Reporting into their Group Chief Underwriting Officer with a dual line into the CEO for their EU Dac, this person will oversee and manage their pan-European personal lines portfolio.

Spanning property, casualty and other GI insurance products, the Head of U/W will develop and drive the underwriting strategy, portfolio performance and governance across multiple European jurisdictions, working in close partnership with cross functional teams across actuarial, product, distribution and regulatory compliance teams.

The role carries full portfolio accountability from appetite-setting and guideline development through to performance monitoring, regulatory compliance and team leadership. Ideal track record in personal /commercial lines experience and with operating within complex, multi-product and multi-jurisdictional and regulatory environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own and continuously evolve the underwriting appetite for personal lines P&C products across European markets, ensuring alignment with group risk strategy and profitability targets.
• Independently validate qualitative and quantitative analytical data to proactively evaluate and recommend changes.
• Lead the development, implementation and periodic review of underwriting guidelines, risk selection criteria and acceptance standards.
• Monitor the portfolio performance through loss ratios, combined ratios, exposure trends and rate adequacy; translate findings into clear strategic recommendations for senior leadership.
• Evaluate market conditions, market positioning and emerging risk trends to maintain a competitive and adequately priced portfolio.
• Ensure all underwriting processes, products and guideline changes comply with applicable regulations across EU jurisdictions, including Solvency II, IDD and relevant national requirements.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Performance Management

• Leverage data-driven problem-solving techniques, using data analysis tools, to manipulate and interpret business results. Translates findings into insights, shaping initiative requests where warranted.
• Evaluate and pilot new strategic and innovative business solutions to optimise and automate underwriting processes. Initiate and drive forward systematic underwriting changes where appropriate.
• Evaluate and pilot innovative, data-led approaches to risk selection, pricing segmentation and process automation
• Define and oversee the implementation of key underwriting metrics and performance indicators
• Lead or contribute to strategic initiatives and projects, including new market entry and / or new product extensions and portfolio remediation programmes.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Act as the primary underwriting expert and authority for internal stakeholders including Actuarial, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Distribution and Senior Management.
• Communicate complex underwriting concepts, portfolio performance and strategic recommendations clearly and persuasively to audiences ranging from technical peers to Board-level stakeholders.
• Liaise with external parties including reinsurers, regulators as required, representing the organisation's underwriting position.
• Engage with European business counterparts and local teams to ensure consistent application of group underwriting standards whilst accommodating local market nuances.

Leadership, Mentoring & Capability Development

• Provide technical leadership and direction to underwriting teams and junior underwriters, fostering a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, talent development and accountability.
• Design and deliver underwriting training programmes, educational resources and communications for both internal underwriting staff and relevant distribution partners.
• Share expertise, acting as a centre of knowledge on personal lines underwriting practices, product and regulatory developments.

Ideal Skills and Qualifications

• ACII (Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute) or equivalent professional qualification is strongly preferred. A relevant third-level degree in Insurance, Business or a related discipline,
• or demonstrably equivalent professional experience.
• Ideally direct operational experience managing underwriting under Freedom of Services (FOS) or Freedom of Establishment (FOE) across the EU
• 10 years plus + experience in Property & Casualty / multi- personal line product suites
• Change management and leadership skills across project management / process engineering, business change ideally with a focus on underwriting processes and/or defining best in class underwriting procedures.
• Sound skills across EU / Ireland general insurance, policy contracts, trends and regulatory requirements. Interpreting and applying P&C regulations to mitigate underwriting compliance risk.
• Skilled in leveraging data driven decisions to create actionable recommendations for performance improvement.
• Adept in presenting analysis and findings to varying levels of senior / management and cross functional business stakeholders to gain support for recommendations and influence initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Suite.

Brightwater Executive is retained exclusively for this Head of Underwriting (PCF 18).