Director, Actuarial Services and Corporate Underwriting

Desjardins • Mississauga, ON

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Director, Actuarial Services & Corporate Underwriting to lead the advancement of our Commercial Lines offering within a direct distribution model. This role is critical in ensuring the competitiveness and sustainable growth of our commercial insurance products. The successful candidate will support the Vice-President in defining the strategic direction for the Commercial Lines division, driving profitable growth and positioning the business as a significant player in the Canadian commercial insurance market. This role is responsible for shaping pricing strategies, underwriting frameworks, and product development while leveraging actuarial expertise and analytics to drive profitability and effective risk management. This includes monitoring key performance indicators such as loss ratio, retention, closing ratio, average premium, and overall portfolio health, as well as assessing external factors such as claims inflation and changes in exposure. In addition, the role actively contributes to growth by supporting business development initiatives, identifying market opportunities, contributing to product positioning and marketing strategies, and enabling distribution teams through pricing and underwriting expertise. The Senior Director works cross-functionally to ensure strong alignment between strategy and execution, supporting consistent and disciplined underwriting practices across the division.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree actuarial science, business administration or in a related field
• A minimum of ten years of relevant experience, including eight years of management experience
• Experience in commercial lines insurance
• Experience in business development
• Experience in managing a national and multi-site team
• Knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec
• Advanced intermediate proficiency in English due to the nature of the duties or work tools or because the position involves interactions with English speaking partners, members and/or clients
• Advanced knowledge of property and casualty insurance
• Advanced knowledge in business and industry, including best practices and standard practices

Nice To Haves

• Other combinations of qualifications and relevant experience may be considered
• Available for occasional travel for meetings in Levis, Montreal and Aurora
• Action oriented
• Business insight
• Customer Focus
• Develops talent
• Differences
• Drive results
• Networks
• Nimble learning
• Strategic mindset

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and governance of pricing strategies and underwriting frameworks to ensure competitiveness and long-term profitability
• Strengthen the value proposition by maintaining a relevant, competitive, and market-aligned product offering
• Support business development, distribution, and marketing efforts by providing expert insights, contributing to client discussions, identifying growth opportunities, and ensuring effective commercialization of products
• Monitor and manage portfolio performance and key metrics (loss ratio, retention, closing ratio, average premium), recommending pricing, underwriting, or product adjustments to support sustainable growth
• Ensure underwriting discipline and risk selection standards align with risk appetite, actuarial insights, and reinsurance strategies
• Partner closely with Claims teams to analyze trends, identify loss drivers, and incorporate insights into pricing, coverage, and underwriting practices
• Leverage actuarial expertise and advanced analytics to inform strategic decisions related to growth opportunities, target segments, and overall risk management
• Collaborate with internal partners to ensure alignment with corporate actuarial functions, modeling, governance frameworks, and enterprise strategy.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual bonus
• 4 weeks of flexible vacation starting in the first year
• Defined benefit pension plan that provides predictable, stable income throughout retirement
• Group insurance including telemedicine
• Reimbursement of health and wellness expenses and telework equipment

What This Job Offers

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