Small Business Underwriting Manager

Westfield•Westfield Center, OH

8h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager leads a team of commercial lines underwriters handling medium-touch and high-touch new and renewal business that requires underwriting expertise and individual risk decisions aligned with the Commercial Lines appetite. The manager oversees team productivity, prioritization, workload balance, and the quality of underwriting decisions, and handles referrals that exceed team members’ authority limits. The role promotes collaboration with Underwriting Operations and Territory Managers and Leaders to support territory plans and targeted financial results. The manager coaches and mentors team members, develops the team’s underwriting and business development acumen, and performs talent management responsibilities. The role also supports consistent, compliant underwriting practices, works with the quality assurance underwriting function to improve decision making, and participates in professional industry groups to keep current on industry developments and jurisdictional issues.

Requirements

6+ years of Commercial Lines Underwriting experience.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field and/or commensurate work experience.

Nice To Haves

Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.
Property and Casualty Insurance License.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of Commercial Lines underwriters handling medium-touch and high-touch new and renewal business.
Manage team productivity, prioritization, workload balance, and sound underwriting decisions.
Handle underwriting referrals that exceed team members’ authority limits and exercise underwriting authority to achieve profit through quality risk selection and exposure control.
Collaborate with the Underwriting Operations Team and Territory Managers and Leaders, driving business development best practices aligned with field operations.
Partner with Territory Leaders and Managers to align with territory strategy and vision and foster shared accountability among underwriting, underwriting support, and territory partners.
Ensure efficient, consistent, quality underwriting decisions and compliance with underwriting rules and policies.
Coach and mentor team members using technical underwriting knowledge and subject matter expertise.
Perform talent management, including employee selection, performance management, technical and career development coaching, addressing employee-related issues, and supporting employee morale and the work environment.
Partner with the QA underwriting function and use its findings to develop the team’s underwriting acumen and decision making.
Develop team members’ business and underwriting acumen through individual interactions, including reviewing underwriting decisions, answering questions, and listening to phone calls.
Establish individual underwriter authority grants through a calibrated, objective, data-driven process.
Participate in professional industry groups and stay informed about industry changes, advancements, and jurisdictional issues to communicate, develop, and incorporate best practices in Commercial Lines.