Commercial Underwriter P&C

Aviva • Ottawa, ON

5d • CA$60,000 - CA$90,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Aviva Canada is seeking a Property & Casualty Underwriter for their Middle Market Commercial Insurance business unit in Ottawa. This role is open to candidates at both Intermediate and Senior levels, with the specific level determined by experience. The primary focus is on supporting profitable growth through high-quality underwriting of medium-sized accounts (typically over $25k annual premium) in select segments. The Underwriter will collaborate with internal partners, review new business submissions and existing business renewals, provide technical expertise to brokers and customers, and ensure risks are appropriately priced. A key aspect of the role involves mentoring and guiding colleagues. Aviva Canada values a culture of care, inclusion, and collaboration, supporting employee growth and making a difference by protecting what matters most.

Requirements

• 5 plus years of insurance and underwriting experience (overall requirement, level determined by experience).
• 3 plus years of Commercial P & C underwriting experience (Intermediate Candidates).
• Post-secondary education or equivalent experience (Intermediate Candidates).
• CIP designation completed or in progress (Intermediate Candidates).
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills (Intermediate Candidates).
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment (Intermediate Candidates).
• 7 plus years of Commercial P & C underwriting experience (Senior Candidates).
• Post-secondary education or equivalent experience (Senior Candidates).
• CIP or FCIP designation preferred (Senior Candidates).
• Deep knowledge of underwriting philosophy, policy contracts, pricing, and risk assessment (Senior Candidates).
• Expertise in one or more of the following segments: Construction and Contractors including Builders Risks, Commercial Realty, Manufacturing, and Wholesale (Senior Candidates).
• Strong presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder influencing capabilities (Senior Candidates).
• Ability to mentor and coach more junior underwriters in upskilling technical knowledge (Senior Candidates).
• Self-motivated and proactive in pursuing potential opportunities while maintaining underwriting integrity (Senior Candidates).

Nice To Haves

• Strong service orientation with a solution focused mindset.
• Ability to proactively identify and pursue growth opportunities.
• Professional, confident communicator who builds long-term relationships.
• Ability to think outside of the box through experience-based decision making.

Responsibilities

• Qualify and underwrite new business opportunities, retain and service existing business of an assigned Middle Market portfolio through understanding the needs and risk characteristics of the customer while ensuring both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability.
• Set coverage terms and conditions and establish premiums to produce sustainable profit for assigned accounts.
• Be self-motivated and proactively pursue and develop internal and external relationships to deliver exceptional broker and customer service.
• Act as a knowledge resource for colleagues as well as authorize risks within their own established authority level.
• Maintain awareness of market trends and conditions with respect to price levels and legal trends.
• Participate in developing business cases for pricing, coverage, and/or product improvements.
• Effectively utilize Commercial Insurance systems and tools.
• Independently underwrite Middle Market commercial accounts within assigned authority (Intermediate & Senior).
• Review new business submissions and renewals, referring more complex risks as appropriate (Intermediate).
• Deliver responsive, solutions-oriented broker and customer service (Intermediate).
• Contribute to market research, pricing insights, and produce/coverage discussions (Intermediate).
• Support updates to underwriting guidelines, bulletins, and procedures (Intermediate).
• Help identify emerging risk trends and participate in remediation strategies (Intermediate).
• Support learning and development initiatives, including assisting with training and knowledge sharing (Intermediate).
• Take on broader technical leadership and portfolio accountability (Senior).
• Act as a technical referral and escalation point for junior and intermediate underwriters (Senior).
• Drive profitable growth through disciplined risk selection and portfolio management (Senior).
• Provide insight on market trends, loss drivers, and underwriting performance (Senior).
• Participate in pricing, coverage, and product enhancements contributing to underwriting guidelines and manuals (Senior).
• Mentor and develop underwriting talent; supporting formal and informal training initiatives (Senior).
• Conduct broker meetings to develop new business and retain key profitable accounts (Senior).
• Serve as a subject matter expert within the branch (Senior).

Benefits

• Base compensation
• Eligibility for annual bonus
• Retirement savings
• Share plan
• Health benefits
• Personal wellness
• Volunteer opportunities
• Outstanding career development opportunities
• Support for professional development education
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree