Underwriting Program Leader

Nirvana Insurance

1d•$137,000 - $196,000•Remote

About The Position

Nirvana is seeking an Underwriting Program Leader with deep expertise in a profitable niche to build and own a program of their choice on Nirvana's AI-native platform. The ideal candidate will bring the niche, underwriting expertise, and relationships, while Nirvana provides the platform, data science, engineering, capacity relationships, and capital. This role is accountable for the program's P&L, top line, and bottom line, and will involve designing a program that leverages Nirvana's data, technology, and AI-native operating model from the outset. The program leader will also grow their own team as the program scales and will have meaningful financial upside tied to the program's success. The company has raised over $270 million, including a Series D round in December 2025, and its leadership team has experience scaling multi-billion-dollar companies.

Requirements

10+ years of underwriting in a specialty or commercial line, with deep expertise in a defined niche.
A track record of managing a large portfolio, ideally $50M+ in premium, profitably and at scale.
A clear program thesis. You can explain the niche you’d target, why it’s profitable, why now, and how data and technology would give the program an edge.
Proven underwriting discipline. You’ve written underwriting guidelines and appetite before, and your results show you stick to them.
You’ve owned distribution. You’ve built and run broker relationships that drive production, and you enjoy getting on the road to meet partners.
An entrepreneur at heart. You think like an owner, are comfortable with ambiguity, and use AI and technology to underwrite smarter and scale faster.
You want to build something new, not repeat the old playbook. You’re excited to challenge traditional underwriting practices, work hand in hand with leadership and technologists, and do things the right way rather than the way they’ve always been done.

Nice To Haves

Experience launching a program or new segment.
Experience working directly with reinsurers or capacity partners.
Experience leading an underwriting team.

Responsibilities

Bring a focused market thesis and develop it into the program’s strategy, risk appetite, underwriting guidelines and operating rhythm in partnership with senior leadership, turning a focused market thesis into a disciplined, profitable program.
Be the program’s lead line underwriter to get it off the ground, evaluating and pricing risks in your line and owning both new business and renewals.
Own the brokerage relationships that drive the program’s growth: build the wholesale and retail distribution network, set production goals and be the face of the program in the market.
Work closely with senior leadership, engineering, product and data science to shape the platform, underwriting workflows and operating procedures, so the program scales with technology instead of headcount.
Own the relationship with reinsurers and capacity partners, and be accountable to them for portfolio performance, reporting and renewals.
Build and lead the program team (underwriting, distribution and operations) as the program grows.