Chief Underwriter

Firstrand Life Assurance Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 2,500,000 - 3,500,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstRand Life Assurance Ltd invites a seasoned Chief Underwriter to lead the underwriting division, shaping risk assessment and governance across the business. You will guide a high‑performing team and partner with actuarial, medical, risk, product, and distribution groups to support profitable growth.

This role requires strategic thinking, strong commercial acumen, and proven leadership in a complex financial services environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualification matric.
• Relevant Bachelor's degree; postgraduate qualification will be advantageous.
• 10+ years' life insurance underwriting experience including leading Underwriting teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for underwriting governance across the business.
• Lead and develop a high-performing underwriting function that delivers exceptional customer and business outcomes.
• Drive underwriting innovation and modernisation to improve efficiency, customer experience, and risk management.
• Partner with business, actuarial, medical, reinsurance, product, and distribution teams to support profitable growth.
• Represent the organisation in engagements with reinsurers, industry bodies, and key stakeholders.
• Provide expert oversight on complex underwriting decisions and emerging underwriting trends.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, governance frameworks, and risk management standards.
• Develop future underwriting capability through mentorship, succession planning, and technical leadership.
• Deliver insightful management information and underwriting analytics to support executive decision-making.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and customer-centricity.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Underwriting leadership

Risk assessment

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Postgraduate qualification

Job description

Job Description To manage, plan and control the underwriting division by applying knowledge and expertise in systems, market interface and the financial implications of risks Hello Future Chief Underwriter Welcome to FNB, the home of the #changeables. At FNB, we design for the shapeshifters, the thinkers, and the innovators who continuously challenge the status quo. We are looking for an exceptional underwriting leader to join FNB Life and help shape the future of risk assessment, underwriting governance, and sustainable business growth. As Chief Underwriter, you will play a critical leadership role in driving underwriting excellence, guiding risk management practices, influencing strategic business decisions, and ensuring the effective delivery of underwriting capabilities across the business. You will work alongside senior leaders, reinsurers, distribution partners, and industry stakeholders to support our growth ambitions while maintaining sound risk governance.

Are you someone who can:

• Provide strategic leadership for underwriting philosophy, governance, and risk selection practices across the business.
• Lead and develop a high-performing underwriting function that delivers exceptional customer and business outcomes.
• Drive underwriting innovation and modernisation to improve efficiency, customer experience, and risk management.
• Partner with business, actuarial, medical, reinsurance, product, and distribution teams to support profitable growth.
• Represent the organisation in engagements with reinsurers, industry bodies, and key stakeholders.
• Provide expert oversight on complex underwriting decisions and emerging underwriting trends.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, governance frameworks, and risk management standards.
• Develop future underwriting capability through mentorship, succession planning, and technical leadership.
• Deliver insightful management information and underwriting analytics to support executive decision-making.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and customer-centricity.

You will be an ideal candidate if you have:

• Minimum Qualification Matric
• Relevant Bachelor's degree/ Diploma would be advantageous
• Postgraduate qualification will be advantageous
• Experience Minimum 10 years' life insurance underwriting experience including leading Underwriting teams.
• Significant experience in medical underwriting and risk assessment.
• Proven leadership experience within a senior underwriting environment.
• Experience engaging with reinsurers and managing underwriting governance frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to influence business strategy and support organisational growth objectives.

You will have access to:

• Opportunities to shape the strategic direction of underwriting within one of South Africa's leading financial institutions.
• Collaboration with industry-leading specialists and senior executives.
• A culture of innovation, learning, and continuous development.
• Meaningful opportunities to influence customer outcomes and business growth.

We can be a match if you are:

• A strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
• Curious about platform modernisation, adaptable, and passionate about continuous improvement.
• An influential leader who develops others and builds strong stakeholder relationships.
• Comfortable navigating complexity and making sound decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Committed to balancing business growth with prudent risk management.

All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group's Employment Equity Plan. The Bank supports the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities.

All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group’s Employment Equity plan. The Bank supports the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities. In order for us to fulfill this purpose, candidates can disclose their disability information on a voluntary basis. The Bank will keep this information confidential unless we are required by law to disclose this information to other parties.

Important Closing Date Note Take note that applications will not be accepted on the below date and onwards, kindly submit applications ahead of the closing date indicated below. 15/09/26

The group follows a multi-branding approach. Its portfolio of financial services businesses includes FNB, RMB, WesBank, Ashburton Investments, Aldermore, MotoNovo and DirectAxis. Many are leaders in their respective segments and markets, offering transactional, lending, investment and insurance products and services. The FirstRand Corporate Centre houses many of the critical functions required by a large and complex financial services group. The group's track record of delivering superior returns to shareholders has been achieved through a combination of organic growth, acquisitions, innovation and the creation of completely new businesses. The group’s purpose of delivering Shared Prosperity provides many opportunities for employees to innovate to address social and environmental challenges in our markets. All of our businesses have successful Volunteering programmes which also allow employees to adopt and support causes close to their hearts.