Executive Underwriter

Shepherd; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium Healthcare

Unlimited PTO

Daily lunches, dinners, and snacks

Professional Development

401(k) Plan

Dog-friendly office

Dog-friendly office

Job summary

A technology-driven insurance firm in New York is seeking a motivated Commercial Underwriter with 7+ years of experience in commercial underwriting, especially in Construction or Builder's Risk. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, sales, and negotiation skills while developing innovative underwriting solutions tailored to client needs. This onsite role offers competitive benefits, including premium healthcare and unlimited PTO.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7+ years in commercial underwriting, preferably in Construction or Builder's Risk.
• Strong work ethic, self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks.
• Demonstrated success in marketing and new business development.
• Strong sales and marketing skills with ability to position accounts and close deals.
• Underwriting duties include developing and negotiating price, coverage, terms for new business and renewals.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Leverage technology and data for quick underwriting decisions.
• Develop and negotiate price, coverage, and terms for new business.
• Identify target accounts that fit company's underwriting appetite.
• Knowledge of compliance, coverage, products and pricing strategies.
• Be adaptable and creative in a fast-paced startup environment.

Skills

Commercial underwriting experience

Exceptional interpersonal skills

Sales and marketing skills

Risk analysis

Negotiation skills

Self-motivation

Multitasking

High EQ

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

What We Do

Shepherd is a technology-driven Managing General Underwriter (MGU) transforming commercial Property & Casualty insurance for high-hazard industries. Our mission is to make risk frictionless for the builders and operators shaping the physical world — protecting progress from concept through construction and into decades of operation.

We’re building the fastest, smartest commercial risk platform, where underwriting expertise, data, and automation work together to deliver:

• Faster decisions
• Smarter, more accurate pricing
• Better risk outcomes

With Shepherd, safety, speed, and quality no longer trade off against one another — they compound. We’re not just modernizing insurance products. We’re building the risk infrastructure for the next generation of financial services, where technology, underwriting, and partnerships operate in harmony to support the world’s most important industries — and the progress they make possible.

Our Investors

To date, Shepherd has raised over $20M from leading investors, including:

• Spark Capital
• Costanoa Ventures
• Y Combinator
• Susa Ventures
• Intact Ventures
• And several others

Our Team

We're a team of technologists and insurance enthusiasts, bridging the two worlds together. Check out our About page to learn more.

About You

We are looking for a motivated and eager individual who’s passionate about the future of construction and eager to do the best work of their career.

You would be a dream candidate if…

• You have a minimum of 7+ years of previous experience in the commercial underwriting space (Construction, Casualty, and/or Builder's Risk experience preferred)
• You aren’t afraid of ambiguity
• You have a strong work ethic, are self-motivated, and have the ability to manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously
• You have exceptional interpersonal skills (verbal and written) and a high EQ
• You have strong sales and marketing skills and are able to position accounts and close deals
• Underwriting duties will include developing and negotiating price, coverage, terms and conditions for all new business and renewals while actively identifying target accounts that fit Shepherd’s underwriting appetite
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

About the Role

Shepherd's underwriting approach will be client-centric with a heavy emphasis on an efficient process. Our goal will be to leverage our technology and data to make quick, informed, underwriting decisions tailored to our client's specific needs.

• Candidates must be able to demonstrate success in marketing, producer management, new business development, and the ability to successfully negotiate on all levels with both internal and external partners.
• Teamwork, communication, and negotiation skills are required.
• Solid background in risk analysis and experience with construction and/or casualty underwriting.
• Knowledge and proficiency with compliance, coverage, products and pricing strategies.
• Be adaptable and creative in a fast paced startup environment

This is an onsite position in our New York City, San Francisco, or Dallas Fort Worth offices.

Benefits

🏥 Premium Healthcare
100% contribution to top-tier health, dental, and vision

🏖️ Unlimited PTO
Flexibility to take the time off, recharge, and perform

🥗 Daily lunches, dinners, and snacks
We work together, and enjoy meals together too

🖥️ SF, NYC, or Dallas-Fort Worth Offices
Premium office spaces on both coasts with daily lunches provided

📚 Professional Development
Access to premium coaching, including leadership development

🏦 401(k) Plan
Competitive 401(k) plan offered

🐶 Dog-friendly office
Plenty of dogs to play with and make friends with in the SF office