AVP, Professional and Healthcare Programs

Nationwide•Columbus, OH

20h•$154,000 - $290,000•Onsite

About The Position

You will serve as the strategic leader for the Professional and Healthcare Programs Portfolio, driving growth, innovation, and disciplined execution across a diverse set of program businesses. You will be responsible for shaping the portfolio’s direction by identifying and cultivating new program opportunities that align with the company’s long-term objectives and market positioning. In this role, you will oversee the strategic governance and operational performance of existing programs, ensuring alignment with underwriting profitability, risk appetite, and regulatory standards. You will lead a high-performing team in the development of customized underwriting frameworks—including guidelines, rates, forms, and procedures—tailored to the unique needs of each program. You will establish and manage strategic partnerships with program administrators and reinsurance brokers, setting clear expectations and authority levels to ensure consistent execution and accountability. Your leadership will be critical in approving complex or high-value accounts that exceed delegated authority, reinforcing underwriting discipline and portfolio integrity. This role demands a forward-thinking executive who can balance strategic growth with operational rigor, while fostering innovation and collaboration across internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

Undergraduate studies in Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management & Insurance.
8-10 years’ experience in Excess and Surplus lines or Specialty marketplace and/or healthcare and professional lines preferred.
Knowledge of the E&S lines and specialty marketplace and program administration distribution system.
Experience in placement and administration of reinsurance on a treaty basis as well as facultative placements.
Experience in negotiations, influencing and leading, maintaining relationships, building effective teams, and driving results.
Technical skills as well as interpersonal savvy, problem solving and strategic thinking.
Experience developing and leading high performing teams.

Nice To Haves

Advance degrees preferred.
CPCU, RPLU, ASLI, ARe and other various specific technical seminars/instruction preferred.

Responsibilities

Shapes and executes the Professional & Healthcare program strategy, translating enterprise objectives into actionable plans and roadmaps for the portfolio.
Drives innovation and capability enhancements in pricing models, portfolio management, AI utilization, underwriting processes, and performance metrics by identifying opportunities, developing recommendations, and leading implementation within delegated authority.
Conducts market, competitor, and segment assessments to inform strategic planning, highlight emerging risks and opportunities, and make clear recommendations to the VP and senior leadership.
Manages day-to-day strategic relationships with program administrators, ensuring alignment to agreed strategies, expectations, and authority levels, and escalates recommendations regarding performance concerns or potential program terminations to the VP.
Designs, maintains, and refines leading indicator dashboards for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio (e.g., geographic diversification, risk scores, limits, incurred losses, retention, actual vs. technical, rate changes), providing insightful analysis and recommended actions.
Oversees Program Administrator reviews and regular touchpoints to ensure strategic alignment and operational effectiveness, escalating material findings, risks, or opportunities to the VP.
Leads the initial vetting and due diligence of new program opportunities, assessing fit, risk, and readiness, and providing clear go/no-go recommendations and business cases for VP/Sr Leadership decisioning.
Develops and cultivates working relationships with key reinsurance brokers, preparing analysis, structures, and recommendations for reinsurance placement and renewal; partners with the VP and Corporate Reinsurance on final decisions.
Coordinates cross-functional collaboration with actuarial, claims, legal, corporate reinsurance, compliance, underwriting center of expertise, and operations to support program execution and issue resolution, ensuring timely communication and follow-through.
Prepares and, as appropriate, presents executive overviews and materials focused on strategic direction, financial health, and operational performance of each program, supporting VP updates to senior leadership.
Achieves overall P&L performance targets for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio by managing key levers (rate, mix, underwriting execution, and distribution performance) within delegated authority and recommending corrective actions when results deviate from plan.
Leads detailed financial analysis and input into annual planning and forecasting for assigned programs, including variance analysis, scenario modeling, and insights that inform senior leadership decisions.
Develops and executes tactics to drive profitable growth, retention, and distribution effectiveness, while monitoring acquisition and administrative expenses; recommends adjustments to optimize return on equity and align with risk appetite.
Continuously monitors underwriting performance, claims trends, and regulatory developments, translating findings into actionable recommendations to maintain sustainable growth and portfolio stability.
Orchestrates contract negotiations for new programs and profit-sharing arrangements by structuring deal terms, preparing financial analyses, and leading working sessions with partners, with the VP retaining final approval.
Makes data-driven recommendations on commission and compensation structures, balancing market competitiveness, distribution partnership health, and portfolio profitability, for VP/SVP approval.
Executes underwriting governance within the frameworks established by enterprise guidelines, reinforcing clear decision rights, controls, and accountability for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio.
Reviews large account referrals and complex risks that approach or exceed Underwriting Delegation of Authority, assessing risk, pricing, and overall exposure; provides recommendations and concurrence, escalating to the VP for final sign-off above their authority.
Administers and monitors underwriter Letters of Authority and Program Administrators’ Letters of Authority within the standards and structures set by the VP, ensuring alignment, documentation, and appropriate use of authority.
Partners with Compliance, Legal, and Operations to ensure programs operate within regulatory and compliance frameworks, escalating issues and recommending remediation plans where needed.
Provides informed recommendations on policy reformations and rescissions and ensures appropriate documentation, controls, and defensibility, with final approvals consistent with governance and delegation frameworks.
Oversees program-level audits and quality assurance activities for assigned portfolios, identifying themes, remediation actions, and continuous improvement opportunities, and reporting key findings to the VP and stakeholders.
Leads and develops a high-performing team supporting the Professional & Healthcare programs (e.g., underwriting, program managers, analysts), including recruiting, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and succession planning, in partnership with the VP.
Promotes a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and underwriting excellence with a strong focus on portfolio management discipline and data-driven decision-making.
Monitors team and program performance against agreed metrics such as profitability, growth, quality, and compliance.
Leads the team through change initiatives, including process improvements, portfolio management orientation, technology and AI adoption, and shifts in market or distribution strategy, ensuring alignment and engagement across associates and partners.
Champions innovation and practical experimentation, encouraging the team to test and scale new tools, workflows, and insights that improve risk selection, efficiency, and customer/partner experience, while staying aligned with direction from the VP and enterprise stakeholders.
May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

medical/dental/vision
life insurance
short and long term disability coverage
paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date
nine paid holidays
8 hours of Lifetime paid time off
8 hours of Unity Day paid time off
401(k) with company match
company-paid pension plan
business casual attire