SDI Underwriting Lead — Shape a New Insurance Product

Shepherd; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium Healthcare

100% health/dental/vision coverage

Unlimited PTO

Dog-Friendly Office

Professional Development

Competitive 401(k) Plan

Daily meals and snacks

Job summary

Shepherd is building an SDI underwriting leadership role based in major U.S. offices (NYC, SF, Chicago, LA, Dallas–Fort Worth). You will shape underwriting strategy, leverage broker networks, and drive growth of Subcontractor Default Insurance products with modern technology and data-backed decisions.

You will define guidelines, collaborate with product and risk teams, and lead a team of underwriters to deliver profitable, scalable results across the book.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of SDI underwriting experience, with leadership.
• Strong broker relationships at regional and national levels.
• Deep knowledge of general contractors and construction managers.
• Proven SDI portfolio growth: origination, quoting, binding, growth.
• Financial analysis skills: review contractor financial statements, WIP, backlog, working capital.
• Willingness to travel ~25% and leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Define and build Shepherd’s SDI strategy, including target contractor profiles, sectors, program sizes, limits, retention, geographies, appetite, growth and loss targets.
• Help establish underwriting guidelines, authority framework, referral rules, and rating approach for the product.
• Work with capacity partners to secure and structure the paper behind the program, and keep partners informed on results.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Data to design the submission-to-bind workflow, contractor financial/prequalification analysis tools, and portfolio views.
• Underwrite new and renewal SDI programs within your authority, including financial review, prequalification audits, and meetings with contractor leadership.
• Set up procedures for monitoring in-force programs for changes in contractor financial health, backlog, and enrollment, and take action when risk changes.
• Own premium, profit, loss-ratio, and retention results for the book.
• Use broker relationships to drive submission flow in the first year, and actively market Shepherd's SDI product at broker and client meetings, industry events, and through targeted business development.
• Hire, coach, and grow a team of SDI underwriters as the book scales.
• Track construction market trends to keep Shepherd profitable and competitive.
• Work with Risk Engineering, Actuarial, Corporate Underwriting, Claims, Customer Experience and Finance to ensure proper underwriting, service, and reporting.

Skills

SDI underwriting

Broker relationships

Prequalification

Financial analysis

General contractors knowledge

Leadership

Executive presence

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Construction accounting/finance/law background

Job description

Shepherd is building an SDI underwriting leadership role based in major U.S. offices (NYC, SF, Chicago, LA, Dallas–Fort Worth). You will shape underwriting strategy, leverage broker networks, and drive growth of Subcontractor Default Insurance products with modern technology and data-backed decisions.

You will define guidelines, collaborate with product and risk teams, and lead a team of underwriters to deliver profitable, scalable results across the book.