Senior Underwriting Manager

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development budget

Generous vacation policy

Remote leadership role

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a seasoned Senior Underwriting Manager to lead a remote underwriting team, shaping strategies and profitability across the portfolio. You will guide underwriters, set performance standards, and collaborate with senior management on business objectives.

The role requires extensive underwriting experience and a track record of profitable operations, with strong leadership and strategic planning capabilities for a remote environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in insurance underwriting, including 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in managing underwriting operations and profitability targets.
• Strong risk management, financial analysis, and insurance product knowledge.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills.
• Experience building high-performing remote or hybrid teams.
• FALU designation or equivalent is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of underwriters, driving high performance.
• Develop underwriting policies and guidelines to balance risk and profitability.
• Analyze market trends and portfolio performance to identify opportunities and risks.
• Set standards for new business acquisition and renewal strategies.
• Collaborate with actuarial, claims, and sales to align underwriting with goals.
• Review complex cases and provide expert guidance on underwriting decisions.
• Drive adoption of new technologies and best practices in underwriting.

Skills

Leadership

Risk management

Strategic planning

Communication

Team building

Underwriting

Education

FALU designation

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a seasoned and strategic Senior Underwriting Manager to lead their underwriting team remotely. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing the underwriting process, developing underwriting strategies, and ensuring the profitable growth of the company's insurance portfolio. You will guide a team of underwriters, set performance standards, and collaborate with senior management on overall business objectives. This is a key position for an experienced leader who can drive results and foster a culture of excellence and innovation in a remote setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of insurance underwriters, fostering their professional development and ensuring high performance.
• Develop and implement underwriting policies, guidelines, and procedures to manage risk and ensure profitability.
• Analyze market trends, competitor activities, and portfolio performance to identify opportunities and risks.
• Set underwriting standards and guidelines for new business acquisition and renewal strategies.
• Collaborate with actuarial, claims, and sales departments to align underwriting strategy with company goals.
• Review complex cases and provide expert guidance on challenging underwriting decisions.
• Drive the adoption of new technologies and best practices within the underwriting function.

Requirements

• Extensive experience (8+ years) in insurance underwriting, with at least 3 years in a management or leadership role.
• Proven track record of successfully managing underwriting operations and achieving profitability targets.
• Strong understanding of risk management principles, financial analysis, and insurance products.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and motivate high-performing teams in a remote or hybrid environment.
• Relevant professional designations (e.g., Fellow of the Academy of Life Underwriting - FALU, or equivalent) are highly desirable.

Benefits

• Executive-level salary with significant bonus potential.
• Comprehensive health, retirement, and life insurance benefits.
• Generous vacation policy and paid time off.
• Professional development budget for continued learning and certifications.
• The flexibility and autonomy of a fully remote leadership role.