Senior Underwriter

PPS Recruitment; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

PPS Recruitment is seeking an experienced Underwriter for a senior role in Johannesburg. The candidate will be responsible for underwriting Life, TPD, Critical Illness and IP cover, ensuring timely decisions and adherence to delegated authority.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in underwriting and broad insurance industry experience. You will work collaboratively with research & development, member services and intermediary services, while maintaining high standards of accuracy and regulatory

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance or healthcare-aligned field (Nursing, BCom, BSc, or equivalent).
• 10+ years underwriting experience in life/long-term insurance.
• 10+ years insurance industry experience.
• Strong report writing and presentation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Underwrite cases within agreed service level agreements.
• Maintain standards in underwriting Life.
• Provide feedback to underwriting manager/underwriter on matters arising.
• Responsible for financial underwriting to ensure accurate decisions.
• Participate in projects to improve departmental service and contribute tasks as required.
• Adhere to internal SLAs to ensure operational efficiency and customer service standards.
• Ensure regulatory and compliance requirements are met.
• Verify and authorise underwriting decisions per delegation of authority.
• Collaborate with Research & Development, Member Services and Intermediary Services.
• Handle arbitration and ombudsman cases and assist in complaints process.
• Contribute to reviewing processes and protocols to improve underwriting decisions.
• Mentor team members as Underwriting Team SME and transfer knowledge.

Skills

English proficiency

MS Outlook

Excel

Word

Analytical abilities

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Independent worker

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance/healthcare field

Tools

MS Outlook

Excel

Word

Job description

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree in a field aligned to finance or healthcare, such as Nursing, BCom, BSc, or a related qualification.

Experience:

• 10+ years underwriting experience in long term insurance
• 10+ years insurance industry experience

Knowledge and Skills:

English proficiency, both written and verbal, with strong report writing and presentation capabilities.

Solid working knowledge of MS Outlook, Excel, and Word.

Demonstrates a mature, disciplined, and self-driven approach to work.

Capable of working independently while also contributing effectively within a team environment.

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport and collaborate across functions.

Logical thinker with sound analytical abilities.

Effective time management and organisational skills.

Results-oriented and able to perform under pressure while meeting tight deadlines.

• Must understand the underwriting environment and general protocols and processes
• Planning and Organising
• Attention to Detail
• Relationship Building and Maintenance
• Resilience
• Complex Prpblem Solving
• Adptability and Responsiveness to Change
• Innovation and Forward Thinking

Duties and Responsibilities

• Underwrite cases within the agreed service level agreements.
• Achieve and maintain standards in underwriting Life
• Provide constructive feedback to underwriting manager/underwriter regarding matters arising
• Responsible for financial underwriting to ensure accurate financial underwriting decisions.
• Participatie in projects to improve departmental service-owning your role in the project and completing tasks as required by providing input.
• Adhere to internal SLA's to ensure operational efficiency and achievement of agreed customer service standards
• Ensure adherence to regulatory and compliance requirements
• Verify and authorise underwriting decisions in terms of published delegation of authority.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders: Research & Development, Member Services and Intermediary Services
• Handle Arbitration and Ombudsman cases and collaborate with other stakeholder during the Complaints process
• Contribute and assist in the reviewing of processes and protocols where required to assist in PPS’ delivery of quality underwriting decisions
• Empower team members with transfer of knowledge, be the Underwriting Team SME
• Ensure that own knowledge is kept abreast with industry & regulatory information and changes through various internal and external information sources
• Provide technical information and support
• Underwriting Life, TPD, Critical Illness and IP cover
• Discussing Counter offer letters with Financial Advisors
• Support Managers and Learning and Development to identify learning objectives; implement training interventions and create development plans
• Support active learning plan for onboarding of new employees and constant learning for all employees through coaching and other interventions