Commercial Casualty Underwriting Leader (Director)

Shepherd • Fort Worth, TX

20h • $250,000 - $350,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Shepherd is launching a Retail Commercial Casualty vertical to expand its existing Primary and Excess Casualty offerings. The Commercial Casualty Underwriting Leader will build and shape new industry segments, define the underwriting strategy and go-to-market approach, and drive long-term profitable growth for a core part of Shepherd’s business. The role is for an entrepreneurial underwriting leader with deep casualty expertise, established retail broker relationships, and a record of leadership who is interested in building a new business with modern technology.

Shepherd’s underwriting approach is client-centric and emphasizes an efficient process. The team aims to use technology and data to make fast, informed underwriting decisions tailored to clients’ needs. The leader will establish the retail casualty strategy and operating framework, underwrite business, own the vertical’s financial results, develop broker relationships and submission flow, and hire and grow the underwriting team. The role also partners with Product, Engineering, Data, Corporate Underwriting, Claims, Actuarial, Customer Experience, and Finance.

This position is based in Shepherd’s New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Dallas–Fort Worth offices. The role includes about 25% travel. The base salary range is $250,000–$350,000, plus an annual performance bonus and equity; offers depend on location, experience, relationships, and market following.

Requirements

• 10+ years of commercial casualty underwriting experience, with deep expertise in retail middle market and large accounts across classes such as real estate, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and technology.
• Proven record of profitable growth, including originating new business, quoting, binding, and building a casualty book while managing to loss-ratio and combined-ratio targets.
• Strong technical command of risk selection, exposure and loss analysis, loss development and trends, pricing, and coverage across Commercial General Liability, Commercial Auto, Workers’ Compensation, and Excess Casualty.
• Experience structuring primary and excess casualty programs, including guaranteed-cost and loss-sensitive programs such as large deductibles and self-insured retentions.
• Sound judgment on contractual risk transfer, additional insured requirements, manuscript endorsements, and emerging exposures.
• Disciplined portfolio management, including limits, accumulation, and clash exposure.
• Established regional and national retail broker relationships capable of driving submission flow from day one.
• People leadership experience leading, mentoring, or managing underwriters, including setting authority and running underwriting audits.
• Executive presence to present strategy and results to leadership, capacity partners, and reinsurers.
• Comfort making sound decisions with incomplete information and adapting as the business evolves.
• Willingness to travel about 25%.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Define the retail commercial casualty strategy, including target classes, lines of business, limits, attachment points, geographies, appetite, and growth and loss-ratio targets.
• Support development of underwriting guidelines, the authority framework, referral rules, and rating approach.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Data to design the submission-to-bind workflow, pricing tools, and exposure and loss-trend views.
• Underwrite new and renewal primary and excess casualty business within assigned authority.
• Own premium, profit, loss-ratio, retention, and expense results for the vertical.
• Use retail broker relationships to drive submission flow in the first year and serve as Shepherd’s senior casualty voice with brokers, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Hire, coach, and develop a team of casualty underwriters and support staff as the book scales.
• Work with Corporate Underwriting to help set letters of authority, conduct underwriting audits, and coach based on audit results.
• Collaborate with Claims, Actuarial, Customer Experience, and Finance to ensure the business is underwritten, serviced, and reported well.
• Travel about 25% to meet brokers, partners, and the team.

Benefits

• 100% contribution to top-tier health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Fertility benefits and family-building support.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Daily lunches, dinners, and snacks.
• Professional development, including access to premium coaching and leadership development.
• Competitive 401(k) plan.
• Dog-friendly office.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director