Senior Director, Underwriting & Portfolio Management

Protective•Nebraska - Virtual, NE

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director, Underwriting is a strategic leader responsible for driving underwriting excellence, portfolio performance, and disciplined risk management across the Asset Protection Division. This role partners closely with Product, Actuarial, Finance, Sales, and Operations leaders to develop and execute underwriting strategies that support profitable growth while maintaining appropriate risk controls. The leader will leverage data, analytics, market insights, and industry trends to optimize portfolio results, enhance underwriting governance, and ensure alignment between business objectives and risk appetite. The position also serves as a key advisor to executive leadership and is responsible for developing a high-performing underwriting organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Risk Management, Mathematics, Actuarial Science, or a related field.
7 years of progressive experience in underwriting, portfolio management, product management, risk management, actuarial, or related insurance disciplines.
4+ years relevant leadership experience.
Experience managing portfolio performance and profitability across multiple products, programs, markets, or distribution channels.
Demonstrated leadership experience with direct people management responsibilities.
Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to drive business strategy and operational execution.
Proven experience utilizing analytics and performance metrics to support strategic decision-making.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree such as MBA, MS, or related discipline.
8+ years of progressive experience in underwriting, portfolio management, product management, risk management, actuarial, or related insurance disciplines.
Experience within automotive F&I, extended service contracts, vehicle protection products, warranty administration, specialty insurance, or adjacent P&C markets.
Experience supporting product development, pricing strategy, reserving, or predictive analytics initiatives.
Experience leading enterprise-wide underwriting transformation, governance, or technology modernization efforts.
Industry certifications relevant to underwriting, risk management, or insurance operations.

Responsibilities

Leads enterprise portfolio risk management and performance oversight across multiple products, distribution channels, and geographies.
Accountable for interpreting complex data and market trends to inform strategic decisions, influence profitability outcomes, and proactively manage risk exposure at a portfolio level.
Directs underwriting strategy execution and governance, partnering with leadership to ensure consistent application of pricing, eligibility, and exception frameworks.
Exercises independent judgment in ambiguous, high-impact scenarios, leveraging advanced analytics and modeling to guide decision-making and drive disciplined execution.
Provides thought leadership in analytical integration, overseeing development and application of models, forecasts, and simulations.
Translate complex concepts into actionable business strategies, informing reserving, pricing, and risk mitigation decisions across new and existing programs.
Shapes product strategy through cross-functional leadership, influencing the design, development, and optimization of products in partnership with Product and Actuarial teams.
Evaluates financial and risk implications of product changes, guiding strategic initiatives that align growth objectives with portfolio performance and risk tolerance.
Drives operational excellence and organizational capability, establishing scalable processes, tools, and governance frameworks to enhance consistency and efficiency.
Leads, develops, and mentors talent, fostering a high-performance culture while providing executive-level reporting and insights to senior leadership.