Underwriting Director - Commercial Insurance

Old Republic Commercial Risk; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Old Republic Commercial Risk is seeking a Regional Underwriting Director to lead the Midwest commercial underwriting team, overseeing workers' compensation, commercial auto, general liability and umbrella lines. You will drive profitable growth, set regional strategy, coach staff, manage budgets and collaborate with distribution partners and senior leadership to deliver underwriting excellence.

This role requires deep loss-sensitive expertise, strong leadership, and travel to client and partner

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 7+ years in a senior underwriting position in commercial insurance.
• 2 years underwriting management experience is desired; candidates with at least 5 years senior underwriting experience will be considered.
• CPCU or ARM designation preferred.
• Proven technical, leadership, and management skills.
• Experience building a high-performance culture based on excellence, accountability and trust.
• Ability to grow a regional book of business with diverse distribution partners, clients and products.

Responsibilities

• Ensure profitable growth of the segment across the region with underwriting excellence.
• Manage regional production underwriting process and collaborate with leadership on regional growth strategies.
• Oversee the selection, analysis, and pricing of commercial risks and coverage terms for new and renewal business.
• Lead consultative selling to generate new business and coordinate with service teams to address client needs.
• Lead underwriting staff with coaching, development, and succession planning.
• Develop and maintain relationships with distribution partners.
• Oversee the region's involvement in the account management process with service teams.
• Collaborate with Specialty Markets Underwriting and Midwest TPAs.
• Administer the team's expense budget and optimize resource use.
• Participate in corporate and industry events and meetings with clients and partners.
• Maintain compliance culture and ethics across the segment.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Distribution management

Financial analysis

Client relationships

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

CPCU

ARM designation

Job description

The Regional Underwriting Director, Commercial Insurance is responsible for leading PMA's commercial underwriting team in the Midwest. The team has responsibility for underwriting workers' compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, and umbrella business in a variety of classes, primarily on a loss sensitive basis.
The Regional Underwriting Director must be technically sound in loss-sensitive and guaranteed cost underwriting, possess the ability to develop and execute a strategy for the region, oversee tactical and day-to-day execution, demonstrate exceptional leadership and management skills with an expectation of high performance and underwriting excellence from the team.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the profitable growth of the segment throughout the region in accordance with our corporate plan and strategy, with an emphasis on underwriting excellence.
• Manage the regional production underwriting process and collaborate with Regional and corporate leadership in the execution of innovative, regional distribution management and growth strategies.
• Oversee the selection, analysis and pricing of commercial risks and the determination of coverage terms and conditions for new and renewal business.
• Manage a consultative selling approach to generate new business and in coordination with service team members to include accurately assessing the needs of the broker and the client and formulating solutions that effectively address those needs.
• Lead and direct underwriting staff with an emphasis on coaching, learning and development, accountability, talent management and succession planning. Build a creative and collaborative atmosphere that involves problem-solving to overcome obstacles and challenges.
• Develop and maintain relationships with distribution partners.
• Oversee the region's participation in our account management process, which ensures effective internal communication and the highest levels of customer service in collaboration with the service teams.
• Partner with the colleagues in PMA's Specialty Markets Underwriting segments and TPA in the Midwest.
• Administer the team's expense budget and ensure the effective use of resources in accordance with corporate, segment and regional objectives.
• Participate in corporate and industry-related events, such as internal and external conferences and meetings with clients, distribution partners and employees.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, and apply knowledge of compliance policies, procedures, standards and laws applicable to the responsibilities of this position. Maintain a strong compliance and quality assurance culture within the segment.
  

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree and at least 7 years work experience in a senior underwriting position in the commercial insurance industry.
• 2 years underwriting management experience is desired however candidates with at least 5 years senior, professional underwriting experience will also be considered.
• Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU); Associate in Risk Management designation or other professional designations are preferred.
• Proven technical, leadership, and management skills.
• Experience implementing and maintaining a high-performance culture built on excellence, accountability and trust.
• Ability to grow a book of business across a region, and with an array of distribution partners, clients, and products, in accordance with our corporate business plan.
• Experienced underwriter in the national accounts/large account space. Extensive knowledge of loss sensitive underwriting including incurred loss retros, large deductible, prefunded deductible, and captive programs. Knowledge of guaranteed cost rating and pricing and layer pricing, particularly in the commercial auto, general liability and umbrella lines of business.
• Strong distribution management skills and relationships which can be leveraged within our production underwriting environment and regional management structure.
• Demonstrated the ability to work effectively with functional peers in Corporate Distribution, Actuarial, Finance, Claims, Risk Control, and Corporate and Regional Leadership, as well as cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of financial analysis, account management, and collateral management.
• Able to analyze and propose solutions to business challenges and problems.
• Comparable leadership and management experience in a matrixed environment. Able to motivate, integrate, and collaborate with cross-functional teams and departments to produce quality outcomes within specified timeframes.
• Adept at managing significant client relationships.
• Strong customer-service orientation.
• Professional written and verbal communication skills, ability to prioritize and organize.
• Willingness to travel for business purposes and be visible with employees, clients, and distribution partners brokers.