AVP, E&S Programs - Healthcare and Professional Lines

About the role

You will serve as the strategic leader for the Professional and Healthcare Programs Portfolio, driving growth, innovation, and disciplined execution across a diverse set of program businesses. You will be responsible for shaping the portfolio’s direction by identifying and cultivating new program opportunities that align with the company’s long-term objectives and market positioning.

Responsibilities

• In partnership with VP, Casualty Programs shapes and executes the Professional & Healthcare program strategy, translating enterprise objectives into actionable plans and roadmaps for the portfolio.
• Drives innovation and capability enhancements in pricing models, portfolio management, AI utilization, underwriting processes, and performance metrics by identifying opportunities, developing recommendations, and leading implementation within delegated authority.
• Conducts market, competitor, and segment assessments to inform strategic planning, highlight emerging risks and opportunities, and make clear recommendations to the VP and senior leadership.
• Manages day-to-day strategic relationships with program administrators, ensuring alignment to agreed strategies, expectations, and authority levels, and escalates recommendations regarding performance concerns or potential program terminations to the VP.
• Designs, maintains, and refines leading indicator dashboards for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio (e.g., geographic diversification, risk scores, limits, incurred losses, retention, actual vs. technical, rate changes), providing insightful analysis and recommended actions.
• Oversees Program Administrator reviews and regular touchpoints to ensure strategic alignment and operational effectiveness, escalating material findings, risks, or opportunities to the VP.
• Leads the initial vetting and due diligence of new program opportunities, assessing fit, risk, and readiness, and providing clear go/no-go recommendations and business cases for VP/Sr Leadership decisioning.
• Develops and cultivates working relationships with key reinsurance brokers, preparing analysis, structures, and recommendations for reinsurance placement and renewal; partners with the VP and Corporate Reinsurance on final decisions.
• Cross-functional collaboration with actuarial, claims, legal, corporate reinsurance, compliance, underwriting center of expertise, and operations to support program execution and issue resolution, ensuring timely communication and follow-through.
• Prepares and, as appropriate, presents executive overviews and materials focused on strategic direction, financial health, and operational performance of each program, supporting VP updates to senior leadership.
• Achieves overall P&L performance targets for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio by managing key levers (rate, mix, underwriting execution, and distribution performance) within delegated authority and recommending corrective actions when results deviate from plan.
• Develops and executes tactics to drive profitable growth, retention, and distribution effectiveness, while monitoring acquisition and administrative expenses; recommends adjustments to optimize return on equity and align with risk appetite.
• Continuously monitors underwriting performance, claims trends, and regulatory developments, translating findings into actionable recommendations to maintain sustainable growth and portfolio stability.
• Orchestrates contract negotiations for new programs and profit-sharing arrangements by structuring deal terms, preparing financial analyses, and leading working sessions with partners, with the VP retaining final approval.
• Makes data-driven recommendations on commission and compensation structures, balancing market competitiveness, distribution partnership health, and portfolio profitability, for VP/SVP approval.
• Executes underwriting governance within the frameworks established by enterprise guidelines, reinforcing clear decision rights, controls, and accountability for the Professional & Healthcare portfolio.
• Reviews large account referrals and complex risks that approach or exceed Underwriting Delegation of Authority, assessing risk, pricing, and overall exposure; provides recommendations and concurrence, escalating to the VP for final sign-off above their authority.
• Administers and monitors underwriter Letters of Authority and Program Administrators’ Letters of Authority within the standards and structures set by the VP, ensuring alignment, documentation, and appropriate use of authority.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and underwriting excellence with a strong focus on portfolio management discipline and data-driven decision-making. Monitors team and program performance against agreed metrics such as profitability, growth, quality, and compliance.
• Leads the team through change initiatives, including process improvements, portfolio management orientation, technology and AI adoption, and shifts in market or distribution strategy, ensuring alignment and engagement across associates and partners.
• Champions innovation and practical experimentation, encouraging the team to test and scale new tools, workflows, and insights that improve risk selection, efficiency, and customer/partner experience, while staying aligned with direction from the VP and enterprise stakeholders.

Qualifications

Education: Undergraduate studies in Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management & Insurance. Advance degrees preferred.

Licenses/Certifications/Designations: CPCU, RPLU, ASLI, ARe and other various specific technical seminars/instruction preferred.

Experience: 8-10 years’ experience in Excess and Surplus lines or Specialty marketplace and/or healthcare and professional lines preferred. Knowledge of the E&S lines and specialty marketplace and program administration distribution system. Experience in placement and administration of reinsurance on a treaty basis as well as facultative placements. Experience in negotiations, influencing and leading, maintaining relationships, building effective teams, and driving results. Technical skills as well as interpersonal savvy, problem solving and strategic thinking. Experience developing and leading high performing teams.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to develop a plan and execute. Excellent verbal and written skills, strong negotiation skills with significant experience negotiating contracts and contract language with program administrators and reinsurers. Skilled at building relationships and working with internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to align team performance for maximum impact.