Commercial Underwriting Assistant Manager

EMC Insurance Companies; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

EMC Insurance Companies is seeking an Underwriting Leader to oversee a commercial lines underwriting team and drive profitable growth. You will guide strategy, make decisions on complex accounts, and partner with agents to deliver quality submissions.

The role emphasizes leadership, risk evaluation, pricing alignment, and coaching of underwriters to enhance agency partnerships and customer experience.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Lead underwriting team to drive profitable portfolio growth and strong results.
• Make final decisions on complex accounts and advise on difficult risks.
• Monitor team workload, performance, and portfolio results.
• Ensure pricing aligns with risk quality across the portfolio.
• Enforce underwriting guidelines and procedures across regions.
• Develop agency relationships and guide underwriters/agents to meet goals.

Skills

Underwriting knowledge

Risk analysis

Decision making

Leadership

Communication

Customer service

Multi-project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Six years commercial lines underwriting experience

CPCU or CIC designation (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

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 challenges

• Builds, 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 - $152,122

A hiring range represents a subset of the full salary range.The actual salary will depend on several factors, includingrelevant education, skills, and experience of an applicant, geographic location, and business needs.

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. _