Chief Underwriter

PPS Recruitment; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company is seeking a Chief Underwriter – Operations to oversee the underwriting strategy and lead a high-performing team. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in life insurance underwriting, exceptional leadership skills, and a deep understanding of the South African regulatory landscape. Responsibilities include driving innovation in underwriting processes, collaborating with various departments, and ensuring compliance with internal governance. This role offers an opportunity to influence key operational decisions and improve member value.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10–12 years' experience in life insurance underwriting.
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading underwriting teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the operational underwriting strategy.
• Collaborate with various departments for integrated decision-making.
• Engage with external parties to stay updated on industry trends.

Skills

Deep understanding of life insurance underwriting

Knowledge of South African regulatory landscape

Strong commercial acumen

Excellent communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

People management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management or related field

Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MBA)

Job description

Job Advert Summary

The Chief Underwriter – Operations is responsible for leading and overseeing the operational underwriting strategy, building relationships with distribution teams and brokers as well as collaborating with the Research and Development team to enhance underwriting policies.

This role ensures that underwriting decisions align with PPS’s mutuality model, underwriting policies, and long-term sustainability. The incumbent will drive innovation in underwriting processes, leverage data and analytics, and support the development of integrated risk frameworks to enable sound decision-making and enhance member value.

Minimum Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management, Insurance, Actuarial Science, Medical Sciences, or related field.
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MBA, or Fellow of Insurance Institute) is advantageous as is a medical qualification

Experience:

• Minimum of 10–12 years' experience in life insurance underwriting, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading underwriting teams and driving strategic change.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Deep understanding of life, dread disease, disability, and income protection insurance underwriting.
• Knowledge of South African regulatory and legislative landscape.
• Strong commercial acumen, analytical ability, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and people management abilities.

Competencies:

• Ethical, principled, and aligned with the PPS values of mutuality and member-first thinking.
• Strategic yet hands-on, with the ability to operate at both tactical and boardroom levels.
• Collaborative leader who thrives in a purpose-driven, agile environment.
• Passionate about innovation, continuous learning, and professional excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and lead the PPS operational underwriting strategy, ensuring alignment with the PPS vision, values, and mutuality.
• Influence product design and pricing strategies through proactive risk insights and underwriting expertise.
• Collaborate with various departments including Advice & Distribution, Life Solutions, Research & Development, Claims, Product Development and Member Services to enable integrated decision-making and improved underwriting outcomes.
• Engage externally i.e. with re‑insurers and other industry players to understand local and global trends to ensure our underwriting processes and policies remain relevant, future fit and a great experience.
• Use data and insights to understand and improve the underwriting experience
• Optimise the Underwriting experience through engagement of industry peers/ bodies and build strong relationships with intermediaries

Operational Excellence

• Design, implement, monitor and improve the operating model to deliver great new business/ underwriting experience, balancing ease of doing business, with consistency of experience, adherence to guidelines and operational efficiency
• Work with the Research and Development and other Life Solutions teams to review underwriting and claim policies, guidelines, and controls to ensure consistency and manage the underwriting experience.
• Manage complex, high‑value, or disputed cases, ensuring decisions balance risk and reward
• Oversee day‑to‑day underwriting operations, ensuring high‑quality risk assessment, turnaround times, and compliance.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to optimize underwriting processes and service levels.

Member and Intermediary Experience & Service Delivery

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, empathy, simplicity and accuracy in all member and intermediary interactions.
• Monitor and improve key service metrics such as member and intermediary experience, SLAs, and underwriting decision accuracy.
• Champion the voice of the member and intermediary in new business/ underwriting process design, technology, and communication.
• Ensure members and intermediaries experience a professional, empathetic and accessible team.
• Draft regular reports for the department, as well as internal and external forms to expose operational opportunities and manage risk in underwriting

Risk and Governance

• Approve decisions in terms of the delegation of authority
• Ensure underwriting practices align with internal governance frameworks.
• Monitor portfolio performance, risk trends, and underwriting errors and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Participate in underwriting and risk governance committees.

People Leadership

• Lead, inspire, and develop a high‑performing underwriting team.
• Promote a learning and accountability culture that values collaboration, integrity, and innovation.
• Implement succession planning, skills development, and capability building across the underwriting function.

Data, Innovation, and Technology

• Champion the use of data analytics, automation, and AI to enhance underwriting accuracy and efficiency.
• Partner with IT, Digital, and Research & Development teams to modernize underwriting tools, rules engines, and systems.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, medical advances, and emerging risks to keep PPS at the forefront of underwriting excellence.