Underwriting Manager (Underwriting Hub)

01460 Continental Casualty Company; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

CNA is seeking an Underwriting Manager, Hub to lead a renewal underwriting portfolio within the Underwriting Hub. You will guide staff, ensure profitability, quality and timely execution while collaborating with cross-functional partners.

This role requires a Bachelor’s degree, eight years underwriting experience, and leadership experience; CPCU strongly preferred. Hybrid work in Illinois with a national compensation range noted.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Typically a minimum of eight years of underwriting experience, including at least three years in a leadership or management role.
• Professional designations such as CPCU strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads underwriting staff responsible for an assigned renewal underwriting portfolio, including work activities, performance, development, team engagement, and execution of assigned business objectives.
• Manages portfolio execution and is accountable for renewal underwriting results within assigned scope, including profitability, productivity, quality, service outcomes, and ongoing analysis and monitoring of the book of business.
• Onboards, trains, coaches, leads, and develops underwriting professionals across Hub contributor levels; supports succession planning, skill development, and consistent performance management practices.
• Evaluates, recommends, and administers underwriting authority levels in accordance with established governance, team member experience, technical capability, and business need.
• Reviews and approves referrals within established authority limits and provides underwriting direction on matters requiring management review, escalation, or coordination with technical resources.
• Oversees application of underwriting policy, pricing strategy, documentation standards, referral practices, and quality expectations across assigned portfolio; conducts file reviews and provides feedback to support continuous improvement.
• Translates underwriting strategy, specialization priorities, change initiatives, process improvements, and business unit objectives into clear, actionable direction for the team while maintaining underwriting discipline and service standards.
• Anticipates capacity needs, skill gaps, workload pressures, and operational risks by monitoring trends, work allocation, productivity, quality indicators, and performance results; adjusts plans to support sustainable and timely execution.
• Collaborates cross-functionally with Field, Operations, Claims, Risk Control, Line of Business, Underwriting Services, and other stakeholders to resolve issues impacting service, quality, workflow, or business outcomes.
• Develops, maintains, and strengthens internal and external stakeholder relationships to support positive and profitable outcomes, effective renewal execution, and strong alignment with assigned business segments or regions.

Skills

Leadership

Underwriting

Portfolio management

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

CPCU preferred

Tools

Underwriting platforms

Job description

You have a clear vision of where your career can go. And we have the leadership to help you get there. At CNA, we strive to create a culture in which people know they matter and are part of something important, ensuring the abilities of all employees are used to their fullest potential.

The Underwriting Hub is CNA's centralized underwriting organization responsible for managing renewal business across multiple products, segments, and regions. The Hub combines underwriting expertise, operational excellence, and portfolio management disciplines to deliver consistent underwriting quality, scalable capacity, and strong business outcomes.

Under general direction of Underwriting Hub leadership, the Underwriting Manager, Hub is responsible for leading an underwriting team and managing execution of an assigned renewal underwriting portfolio within the Underwriting Hub. The role is accountable for portfolio performance, underwriting quality, productivity, work execution, and team development within an assigned segment, region, or business scope. The Underwriting Manager translates underwriting strategy, specialization priorities, change initiatives, and process improvements into clear direction for the team. The role balances people leadership, technical underwriting oversight, operational discipline, stakeholder partnership, and continuous improvement to support profitable renewal outcomes, consistent underwriting execution, and strong service to internal and external partners.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Leads underwriting staff responsible for an assigned renewal underwriting portfolio, including work activities, performance, development, team engagement, and execution of assigned business objectives.
• Manages portfolio execution and is accountable for renewal underwriting results within assigned scope, including profitability, productivity, quality, service outcomes, and ongoing analysis and monitoring of the book of business.
• Onboards, trains, coaches, leads, and develops underwriting professionals across Hub contributor levels; supports succession planning, skill development, and consistent performance management practices.
• Evaluates, recommends, and administers underwriting authority levels in accordance with established governance, team member experience, technical capability, and business need.
• Reviews and approves referrals within established authority limits and provides underwriting direction on matters requiring management review, escalation, or coordination with technical resources.
• Oversees application of underwriting policy, pricing strategy, documentation standards, referral practices, and quality expectations across assigned portfolio; conducts file reviews and provides feedback to support continuous improvement.
• Translates underwriting strategy, specialization priorities, change initiatives, process improvements, and business unit objectives into clear, actionable direction for the team while maintaining underwriting discipline and service standards.
• Anticipates capacity needs, skill gaps, workload pressures, and operational risks by monitoring trends, work allocation, productivity, quality indicators, and performance results; adjusts plans to support sustainable and timely execution.
• Collaborates cross-functionally with Field, Operations, Claims, Risk Control, Line of Business, Underwriting Services, and other stakeholders to resolve issues impacting service, quality, workflow, or business outcomes.
• Develops, maintains, and strengthens internal and external stakeholder relationships to support positive and profitable outcomes, effective renewal execution, and strong alignment with assigned business segments or regions.
• Maintains current knowledge of state and territory issues, regulations, industry trends, market conditions, and underwriting practices relevant to assigned portfolio; may participate in relevant industry or business forums.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop underwriting professionals, fostering strong performance, accountability, engagement, and technical growth.

Advanced technical underwriting expertise with a deep understanding of insurance products, underwriting principles, risk assessment, policy processing procedures, documentation standards, and underwriting workflows.

Strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, consultation, and presentation skills with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external business partners at all levels.

Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to assess risks, interpret data, monitor performance indicators, and prioritize multiple workstreams in a dynamic environment.

Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, apply sound judgment, and make effective decisions in complex or evolving underwriting, operational, or stakeholder situations.

Demonstrated ability to translate strategy and change initiatives into team‑level execution while reinforcing underwriting discipline, quality standards, and business objectives.

Results‑driven mindset with the ability to achieve business goals, monitor portfolio and team performance, and drive meaningful outcomes through people leadership and operational execution.

Demonstrated creativity and critical thinking in resolving unique and challenging business problems while balancing profitability, quality, service, and execution.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other business‑related software; familiarity with underwriting platforms, workflow tools, and reporting resources preferred.

Education & Experience Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Typically a minimum of eight years of underwriting experience, including at least three years in a leadership or management role. Professional designations such as Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) strongly preferred. #LI-SM1 #LI-HYBRID In certain jurisdictions, CNA is legally required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. In District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Washington, the national base pay range for this job level is $72,000 to $141,000 annually. Salary determinations are based on various factors, including but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and location.

CNA offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to help our employees – and their family members – achieve their physical, financial, emotional and social wellbeing goals. For a detailed look at CNA’s benefits, please visit cnabenefits.com.

CNA utilizes AI-enabled technology during the recruiting process. For more information, please visit our careers page.

CNA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact [e-mail]

At CNA, we are focused on success, individually and collectively. We pride ourselves on promoting a culture that challenges and engages people. We strive to connect people, departments and business areas, to function as a team, and to serve our customers and communities with professionalism and respect.

Our dedication to employee engagement, continuous learning and the open exchange of ideas is the cornerstone of our business. These ideals, combined with our focus on the customer, enable us to explore new market opportunities and build on our success.

Our values, culture and financial strength are what differentiates us from other employers and make CNA the place you want to work.

At CNA, we are committed to advancing a culture of inclusion – one that attracts talent from all walks of life, fosters respect and collaboration, and enables all of our colleagues to do their best work. At CNA, we have a long standing commitment to the diverse communities in which we live and work.

We actively make a difference for the greater good through partnerships, sustainability, initiatives, and working together for a better tomorrow. Corporate Social Responsibility is not one person, or one department, it's the entire enterprise coming together to make the world a better place.