Commercial Underwriting Assistant Manager

ISHE; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Job summary

EMC is seeking an Underwriting Leader to oversee a high-performing commercial lines underwriting team, guiding strategy and decisions on complex accounts. You will coach underwriters and align pricing with exposure to build a profitable, sustainable book and strengthen agent partnerships.

You will lead hiring and training, implement profitability strategies, and collaborate with regional leadership to ensure consistent growth and client satisfaction. Ideal location: Eastern Iowa or Illinois.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in insurance or business administration or equivalent experience.
• Six years of commercial lines underwriting experience or related experience.
• Insurance designations such as CPCU and CIC preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads underwriting team to drive profitable portfolio growth and strong business results.
• Makes final decisions on complex accounts and provides guidance on challenging risks.
• Monitors team workload, performance, and overall book results.
• Ensures pricing aligns with risk quality across the portfolio.
• Enforces underwriting guidelines and procedures and tracks agent performance.
• Implements strategies to improve profitability and addresses performance gaps.
• Advises on complex accounts and agency challenges; builds and strengthens agency relationships.
• Leads hiring, coaching, training, and development of underwriting team for consistency and growth.
• Collaborates with regional leadership on underwriting updates and business strategies.

Skills

Underwriting leadership

Risk analysis

Decision making

Microsoft Office

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in insurance or business administration

Tools

CPCU/CIC designation

Job description

At EMC, we're all about working together to make an impact. As part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to grow, contribute, and gain experience that matters. We strive to be caring leaders, close partners, and responsive experts- always supporting each other to do our best work. Join us, and let's improve lives together.

Location Preference: Ideal candidate will be located in Eastern Iowa or Illinois

As an Underwriting Leader, you will oversee a high-performing commercial lines underwriting team with a clear focus on building a profitable, sustainable book of business. In this role, you’ll guide underwriting strategy, make key decisions on complex accounts, and partner closely with agents to drive quality growth. You’ll play a critical leadership role by coaching and developing underwriters, ensuring consistent risk evaluation, and aligning pricing with exposure to achieve strong business outcomes. Through your expertise, you’ll provide direction on challenging accounts, strengthen agency partnerships, and help position the organization as a top carrier of choice. Your impact will be felt in both the results you deliver and the relationships you build—shaping profitable growth, elevating team performance, and enhancing the overall customer and agent experience.

Essential Functions:

• Leads underwriting team to drive profitable portfolio growth and strong business results
• Makes final decisions on complex accounts and provides guidance on challenging risks
• Monitors team workload, performance, and overall book results
• Ensures pricing aligns with risk quality across the portfolio
• Enforces corporate and regional underwriting guidelines and
• procedures
  Tracks agent performance and guides underwriters/agents to meet annual goals
• Implements strategies to improve profitability and addresses performance gaps
• Advises on complex accounts, communication strategies, and agency challengesBuilds, manages, and strengthens agency relationships; rehabilitates underperforming partners
• Educates agents on products, appetite, and systems to drive quality submissions
• Identifies opportunities and barriers within agency relationships; partners with marketing to enhance experience
• Leads hiring, coaching, training, and development of underwriting team to ensure consistency and growth
• Collaborates with regional leadership to implement underwriting updates and business strategies
• Oversees audits, Letter of Authority process, and compliance for new and renewal business
  

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in insurance or business administration or equivalent relevant experience
Six years of commercial lines underwriting experience or related experience
Insurance designations preferred, such as CPCU and CIC

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent knowledge of underwriting and risk analysis
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions
• Strong computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office and social media
• Ability to work on multiple projects while meeting deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to speak effectively before groups
• Strong leadership skills and ability to motivate team
• Ability to effectively communicate products, procedures, business planning and system information
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Occasional travel; a valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle report per company standards will be required if driving
  

The hiring salary range for this position will vary based on geographic location, falling within either of the following:

$100,085 - $138,285 or $110,624 - $152,122A hiring range represents a subset of the full salary range. The actual salary will depend on several factors, including relevant education, skills, and experience of an applicant, geographic location, and business need

For information relating to the benefits EMC Team Members receive as part of a comprehensive rewards package, please visit www.emcins.com/careers.

Our employment practices are in accordance with the laws that prohibit discrimination due to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, active military status, citizenship status, marital status or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

All of our locations are tobacco free including in company vehicles.