Senior Executive Underwriter

Ryan Specialty; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Irwin Siegel Agency, a division of Ryan Specialty, seeks a Senior Executive Underwriter to lead a complex portfolio serving vulnerable populations nationwide. You will evaluate exposures, develop coverage solutions, and build strong relationships with brokers while guiding junior underwriters.

The role emphasizes profitable growth, strategic risk assessment, and delivering high-level insurance programs across nonprofit, healthcare, education, and related sectors.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of underwriting experience in human services, social services, or related sectors.
• Ability to underwrite complex accounts, negotiate terms, and manage broker relationships.
• Experience developing new business opportunities and profitable books of business.
• Bachelor's degree required; related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Underwrites and manages new and renewal business within the human and social services segment.
• Evaluates liability and property exposures including abuse and molestation, professional liability, and more.
• Develops underwriting strategies for target classes, identifying opportunities.
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with brokers and serves as subject matter expert.
• Negotiates coverage, pricing, and program structures while balancing client needs and profitability.
• Monitors portfolio performance and regulatory developments.

Skills

Underwriting experience

Human services underwriting

Negotiation skills

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position Summary

Position Summary Irwin Siegel Agency (ISA), a division of Ryan Specialty, is a leading national provider of insurance solutions and risk management expertise for organizations serving vulnerable populations. For over 60 years, ISA has partnered with human and social service organizations, nonprofit agencies, educational institutions, and community-based providers to help protect their missions through specialized insurance programs and industry expertise. The Senior Executive Underwriter is responsible for the profitable growth, underwriting, and management of a complex portfolio of human and social service accounts. Leveraging deep expertise in organizations serving vulnerable populations, this role evaluates complex casualty exposures, develops tailored coverage solutions, cultivates strategic broker relationships, and serves as a trusted advisor to clients and distribution partners. This person plays a key role in advancing ISA's commitment to protecting organizations that make a meaningful impact in communities across the country.

What will your job entail?

Job Responsibilities

• Underwrites and manages new and renewal business within the human and social services segment, exercising advanced underwriting judgment while adhering to company guidelines, authority levels, and carrier requirements.
• Evaluates complex liability and property exposures, including abuse and molestation, professional liability, general liability, management liability, sexual misconduct, auto, workers' compensation, and umbrella/excess liability risks.
• Analyzes organizational operations, governance structures, funding sources, quality controls, risk management practices, and client populations served to assess overall risk acceptability.
• Determines appropriate coverage structures, pricing, premiums, terms, conditions, retentions, and limits while maintaining profitable portfolio performance.
• Develops underwriting strategies for target classes, identifying opportunities within nonprofit, healthcare, educational, behavioral health, social service, and community services sectors.
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with retail and wholesale brokers, acting as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert for complex human services risks.
• Negotiates coverage, pricing, and program structures while balancing client needs, broker expectations, and underwriting profitability objectives.
• Collaborates with carriers, claims professionals, risk control consultants, and internal underwriting teams to deliver comprehensive insurance solutions and superior customer service.
• Monitors portfolio performance, market trends, loss activity, regulatory developments, and emerging exposures impacting human and social service organizations.
• Identifies and develops new business opportunities while maximizing retention and expansion within existing broker relationships and assigned accounts.
• Provides leadership, technical guidance, and mentorship to junior underwriters and underwriting staff on industry-specific exposures, underwriting best practices, and coverage interpretation.
• Contributes to underwriting guidelines, business planning, product development, and strategic initiatives designed to support growth and profitability goals.
• Represents the organization at industry conferences, association meetings, broker events, and networking opportunities within the nonprofit and human services sectors.
• Maintains expertise regarding emerging risks affecting human service providers, including workforce shortages, regulatory changes, abuse prevention standards, cyber exposures, and evolving liability trends.

Required Qualifications

Minimum 10 years of underwriting experience with demonstrated expertise in human services, social services, nonprofit, healthcare, education, or specialty casualty underwriting. Strong understanding of liability exposures facing organizations serving vulnerable populations, including abuse and molestation, professional liability, management liability, and general liability risks. Proven ability to underwrite complex accounts, negotiate terms, and manage profitable broker relationships. Experience developing new business opportunities and managing a profitable book of business within delegated underwriting authority. Strong analytical, relationship management, communication, and negotiation skills. Bachelor's degree required. Risk Management, Insurance, Business Administration, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Social Work, or related discipline preferred. Equivalent industry experience will also be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Established relationships within the human services, nonprofit, social services, healthcare, or specialty casualty insurance marketplace.
• Experience underwriting program business, MGU/MGA business, or specialty casualty portfolios.
• Demonstrated leadership, mentorship, and training experience.

Licenses & Certifications

Must meet applicable state insurance licensing requirements.

Ryan Specialty is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Ryan Specialty is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse workforce throughout the organization. Our vision is an inclusive and equitable workplace where all employees are valued for and evaluated on their performance and contributions. Differences in race, creed, color, religious beliefs, physical or mental capabilities, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and many other characteristics bring together varied perspectives and add value to the service we provide our clients, trading partners, and communities. This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, firing, promoting, transferring, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms, conditions, and benefits of employment.

How We Support Our Teammates

Ryan Specialty seeks to offer our employees a comprehensive and best-in-class benefits package that helps them — and their family members — achieve their physical, financial, and emotional well-being goals. In addition to paid time off for company holidays, vacation, sick and personal days, Ryan offers paid parental leave, mental health services and more.

• paid time off for company holidays, vacation, sick and personal days, Ryan offers paid parental leave, mental health services and more.

Salary & Benefits

The target salary range for this position is $140,000.00 - $175,000.00 annually. The wage range for this role considers many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, licensure and certification, business needs, and market demands. The pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Full-time roles are eligible for bonuses and benefits. For additional information on Ryan Specialty Total Rewards, visit our website https://benefits.ryansg.com/.

Reasonable Accommodations

We provide individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment in accordance with applicable law. Please contact us to request an accommodation at [e-mail]

A multi-time winner of Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces and Insurance Business’s Top Insurance Employers, Ryan Specialty is home to some of the brightest talent in the insurance industry. Join our team and help provide innovative solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers.

Talent Network & Agency Policy

Talent Network Not seeing the right job opening? To learn more about future opportunities Introduce yourself and join our talent network Benefits Curious about Ryan Specialty’s benefits? Explore our employee benefits here! Ryan Specialty, LLC and its affiliates (“Ryan Specialty”) do not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles submitted by any staffing agencies, placement services or professional recruiters (“Agencies”), including any submissions made through our website or to email accounts of Ryan Specialty employees. Agencies must be registered in Ryan Specialty’s agency portal and have a fully executed contract for service between the Agency and the Agency. Agency fee agreements will only be valid if provided in such fully executed contract between the Agency and the Agency. Any unsolicited resume or candidate profile received from an Agency without prior approval from Ryan Specialty’s HR department and in compliance with Ryan Specialty’s candidate submission process shall be considered unsolicited, gratuitous and property of Ryan Specialty for recruiting purposes and, as such, is not subject to payment of any Agency fees.