Chief Underwriting Officer
About The Position
Strategic Leadership Develop and execute the organization’s underwriting strategy in alignment with business growth and profitability goals. Establish underwriting policies, guidelines, and authorities that ensure consistent risk selection and portfolio performance. Provide thought leadership in market analysis, competitive positioning, and emerging risk trends. Partner with Product, Actuarial, and Finance to design pricing frameworks that reflect accurate risk assessment. Operational Excellence Lead and oversee all underwriting operations, ensuring high-quality and timely decision-making across all lines of business. Implement underwriting governance, audit processes, and performance metrics to ensure portfolio health. Continuously evaluate underwriting processes and technology to drive automation, efficiency, and scalability. Oversee reinsurance strategies and relationships to optimize risk transfer and capital utilization. Risk Management & Compliance Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk appetite frameworks. Collaborate with Risk, Legal, and Compliance teams to monitor emerging risks and ensure proactive mitigation strategies. Lead portfolio reviews to assess risk exposure, concentration, and underwriting profitability. Leadership & Talent Development Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing underwriting team with strong analytical and decision-making capabilities. Promote collaboration across departments to align underwriting with distribution, claims, and product development. Foster a culture of accountability, professional growth, and continuous learning.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, Risk Management, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- Minimum 15 years of progressive underwriting experience with at least 7 years in a senior leadership capacity.
- Proven track record in underwriting strategy, portfolio management, and risk governance.
- Deep understanding of market trends, risk modeling, and financial performance levers.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
Nice To Haves
- Professional certifications such as CPCU, ARM, or equivalent strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the organization’s underwriting strategy in alignment with business growth and profitability goals.
- Establish underwriting policies, guidelines, and authorities that ensure consistent risk selection and portfolio performance.
- Provide thought leadership in market analysis, competitive positioning, and emerging risk trends.
- Partner with Product, Actuarial, and Finance to design pricing frameworks that reflect accurate risk assessment.
- Lead and oversee all underwriting operations, ensuring high-quality and timely decision-making across all lines of business.
- Implement underwriting governance, audit processes, and performance metrics to ensure portfolio health.
- Continuously evaluate underwriting processes and technology to drive automation, efficiency, and scalability.
- Oversee reinsurance strategies and relationships to optimize risk transfer and capital utilization.
- Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk appetite frameworks.
- Collaborate with Risk, Legal, and Compliance teams to monitor emerging risks and ensure proactive mitigation strategies.
- Lead portfolio reviews to assess risk exposure, concentration, and underwriting profitability.
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing underwriting team with strong analytical and decision-making capabilities.
- Promote collaboration across departments to align underwriting with distribution, claims, and product development.
- Foster a culture of accountability, professional growth, and continuous learning.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
Number of Employees
51-100 employees
