Senior Vice President, Professions

Westfield•Berkeley Heights, NJ

About The Position

We are seeking an accomplished Senior Vice President, Professions Liability to lead and oversee our Professions business, with primary responsibility for the Lawyers, Accountants, and Architects & Engineers (A&E) segments. This executive leadership role is accountable for the strategic direction, underwriting performance, portfolio management, talent development, and profitable growth of the division. The successful candidate will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, driving underwriting excellence, market leadership, broker engagement, and innovation across the professions liability portfolio. This individual will have full responsibility for the Professions team achieving profitability, premium growth, and expense management objectives while ensuring adherence to underwriting discipline, regulatory requirements, and corporate risk appetite.

Requirements

Minimum 15+ years of Professional Liability underwriting experience, including significant experience within Lawyers, Accountants, and/or Architects & Engineers liability.
Minimum 7-10 years of management and leadership experience, including responsibility for underwriting teams and portfolio performance.
Demonstrated success managing large and complex professional liability portfolios with accountability for P&L results.
Deep technical expertise in Professional Liability underwriting, pricing, policy coverage, and portfolio management.
Proven ability to develop broker relationships and drive profitable business growth.
Strong understanding of industry trends, regulatory developments, and market dynamics within professional liability insurance.
Bachelor's degree required

Nice To Haves

advanced degree preferred
CPCU, RPLU, or other relevant professional designation strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the Professions Liability division and establish the strategic vision, operating plan, and growth initiatives for the Lawyers, Accountants, and A&E portfolios.
Maintain overall responsibility for division profitability, gross written premium growth, retention, new business production, and expense management.
Lead and mentor a high-performing underwriting team.
Recruit, develop, and retain top underwriting talent while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Provide direction and coaching to underwriting leaders and staff regarding technical underwriting, broker management, and strategic execution.
Develop and execute portfolio strategies that optimize risk-adjusted returns and align with corporate objectives.
Evaluate emerging industry trends, legal developments, market conditions, and competitive dynamics to inform strategic decision-making and product direction.
Partner with executive leadership to identify opportunities for expansion, innovation, and enhanced market competitiveness.
Provide executive oversight of underwriting activities across the Professions Liability portfolio.
Establish underwriting guidelines, authority structures, pricing strategies, and risk selection standards.
Monitor portfolio performance, profitability, aggregation exposures, and key underwriting metrics, implementing corrective actions as necessary.
Review and approve large, complex, or exceptional risks within delegated authority.
Ensure consistency, discipline, and technical excellence throughout the underwriting organization.
Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with key brokers, clients, distribution partners, and industry stakeholders.
Lead business development efforts to expand market presence and strengthen production from strategic broker relationships.
Represent the company at industry conferences, client meetings, panels, and professional associations.
Collaborate with brokers to identify emerging opportunities and deliver solutions that support profitable growth.
Partner with Claims, Actuarial, Product, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Operations teams to support divisional objectives and enterprise initiatives.
Lead discussions regarding portfolio performance, product enhancements, reserving trends, and emerging risks.