Manager: Premier

Old Mutual South Africa; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance provider in South Africa seeks a Senior Underwriter Manager to oversee a team while ensuring profitability and growth within the region. The candidate will be responsible for managing underwriting processes, enhancing customer satisfaction, and engaging effectively with brokers. Candidates should have substantial experience in commercial underwriting and leadership, with a strong focus on risk management and compliance.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years' experience in commercial or Agri underwriting.
• 2-3 years' experience leading a team of specialist underwriters.
• Experience in Reinsurance placements.

Responsibilities

• Manages a team of market facing senior underwriters.
• Responsible for growth and profitability of the region.
• Engages with brokers and ensures compliance to underwriting guidelines.

Skills

Accounting

Budget Management

Change Management

Data Compilation

Financial Acumen

Risk Management

Underwriting Management

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Job description

Let's Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

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Manages a team of market facing senior underwriter(s) and underwriter(s). Engages with brokers, end-customers and liaise with distribution in Retail to provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability, efficiency and customer satisfaction. Manage the region in line with the company risk appetite and business strategy. Responsible for profit and premium growth for the region.

Manage the region

• Responsible for growth (retention, new business) and profitability of the region.
• Ensure accurate and timeous placement of reinsurance in the region.
• Track, monitor and report on key measures such as GWP, cancellations, claims, complaints etc.
• Track, monitor and report on management expenses for the region.
• Monitor market conditions, competitive landscape, regulatory and technological changes and provides feedback on complaints to ensure the offering remains relevant and competitive.
• Manages the process of implementing any offering or underwriting changes (e.g. setting up business requirements, obtain sign-offs and testing).
• Track and monitor compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.
• Manage a team of market facing senior underwriter(s) and underwriter(s) that resolves day-to-day technical referrals.
• Measure and monitor service delivery compliance of team.
• Engage with brokers, end-customers and liaise with distribution in Retail to provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability, efficiency and customer satisfaction
• Build effective relationships with brokers to ensure profitable growth.
• Engagement with brokers to negotiate terms and conditions – liaising with distribution in Retail, but own the decision.
• Visit brokers (as required with distribution in Retail) to enable and encourage conversion of large and complex quotes.
• Visit brokers (as required with distribution in Retail) to assist with renewal discussions on large and complex quotes.
• Works with the team to provide solutions for brokers and end-customers to increase portfolio profitability and growth by understanding the customer needs.
• Discuss and explain complex Risk Reduction Requirements (RRR) from survey reports and negotiate with brokers to obtain buy-in.
• Limited engagement with end-customers but there will be instances when a meeting with the broker and end-customer is required to negotiate terms and conditions.
• Engagement with end-customers may include site visits with surveyors to get a better understanding of the exposure.
• Performs analysis of complex accounts by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk to enable strategic portfolio decisions to be made.
• Provide technical underwriting expertise to address technical enquiries.
• Approves above mandate referrals by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk and the impact of the referral.
• Monitor and track compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.
• Attend and participate in the Underwriting Committee meetings.
• Continuous improvement to ensure effective service
• Ensure statutory and legislative knowledge is always current in order to resolve customer complaints, to advise the business on corrective solutions to mitigate risks and to improve the customer experience whilst complying with governance requirements.
• Ensure adherence to organisational policies, practices, guides, mandates and procedures.
• Identify solutions to enhance cost effectiveness and increase operational efficiency.
• Service delivery to ensure customer satisfaction
• Implement agreed processes to manage achievement of service delivery goals.
• Maintain service, quality and desired outputs within a specific functional process through ensuring compliance to tactical policies, procedures and standards.
• Establish productive operational relationships with key stakeholders in the various channels and administrative teams.
• Share knowledge on, and participate in the creation of new standards, control systems and procedures to maintain service delivery.
• Effective controls to manage risk
• Implement controls identified in the standard processes to ensure operational risks are managed.
• Identify operational risks that exposes the business, and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks.
• Ensure risk events are raised for any breaches or control failures.
• Cost control and governance adherence
• Proactively ensure use of time, resources, money, materials and equipment is in line with policies and procedures.
• Comply with corporate governance policies, procedures and standards.
• Operate within agreed mandates.
• Quality people practices
• Align own behaviour with the organisation culture and values.
• Coach and mentor market facing senior underwriter(s) and underwriter(s).
• Share and transfer product, process and systems knowledge to colleagues.
• Ensure achievement of own performance objectives.
• Actively share information with other team members regarding successes, issues, trends and ideas.
• Actively participate in own professional development and career path.
• Actively promote a culture of learning and high performance culture amongst team members (including Servicing & Sales and Distribution).
• Share learnings from the Underwriting Committee meetings with team members.
• Experience Knowledge & Skills Required
• 5 – 8 years’ experience in commercial or Agri underwriting.
• 2 – 3 years’ experience leading a team of specialist underwriters and / or portfolio managers.
• Experience in Reinsure placements.
• Bachelor degree and/or equivalent NQF Level 5 (Licentiate or higher) qualification in general insurance is advantageous.
• Knowledge of Assets All Risk wordings advantageous.
  
  

Skills

Accounting, Budget Management, Change Management, Data Compilation, Executing Plans, Financial Acumen, Legal Practices, Management Reporting, Numerical Aptitude, Policies & Procedures, Presenting Solutions, Professional Presentation, Risk Management, Servant Leadership, Underwriting Management

Competencies

Balances Stakeholders

Builds Effective Teams

Business Insight

Communicates Effectively

Ensures Accountability

Financial Acumen

Instills Trust

Manages Ambiguity

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Closing Date

13 July 2025 , 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

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