Director of Underwriting

About the role

The Director of Underwriting provides strategic and operational leadership for the underwriting functions of the Special Districts Insurance Services Trust (SDIS) and the Public Educational Agency Cooperative (PACE) insurance programs. This position works collaboratively with executive leadership, trustees, committees, reinsurers, agents, and members to ensure long-term financial stability, competitiveness, and effectiveness of SDIS and PACE insurance programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the development, maintenance, review, and implementation of all insurance program coverage documents, endorsements, and related documentation, ensuring consistency with reinsurance agreements and identification of any coverage gaps or omissions.
• Ensure the SDIS Trust and PACE Trust are consistently informed and updated on underwriting department activities.
• Develop, analyze, and present exposure, loss, and underwriting trend reports to management.
• Develop and maintain departmental procedures and internal controls to support efficient operations and effective risk management.
• Act as SDIS liaison with all local insurance agents.
• Collaborate with Director of Property Casualty Services and the CFO to develop and implement a rating plan each policy year based on the annual budget.
• Assist with development of the annual budget.
• Administer SDIS’s Longevity Credit Program.
• Collaborate and share data with SAIF to assist with the SDAO Service Group as needed.
• Make pricing, renewal, and deductible decisions for each member of SDIS and PACE.
• Maintain the Trust and PACE coverage documents, including developing a clear understanding of all coverage sections.
• Annually identify any coverage changes needed for members through review of coverage reports, claims, and losses; work with the Insurance Services Committee to discuss changes to resolution.
• Communicate directly with reinsurance brokers to ensure their approval of any changes to coverages.
• Implement coverage changes and distribute revised documents to members.
• Collaborate with Claims, Risk Management, Accounting, and other departments to ensure alignment of underwriting, coverage, billing, member service, and risk management activities.
• Work with reinsurance brokers to negotiate reinsurance pricing, terms, conditions, and limits of coverage.
• Maintain and organize all reinsurance documents.
• Answer coverage questions from members and independent insurance agents.
• Communicate regularly with independent insurance agents to explain coverage and pricing issues.
• Oversee contracts with outside appraisal companies.
• Review and approve all new quotes sent to prospective members.
• Assist with policy changes, updates, additions, and deletions regarding insurance products.
• Make decisions on coverage for unique exposures in collaboration with the Insurance Services Committee.
• Provide leadership, support, and guidance to the underwriting team.
• Ensure regular, reliable, and predictable performance of duties.
• Be available and accessible during work hours.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, mathematics, systems analysis, or related field.
• Minimum four years’ experience as an Underwriter for an insurance company or self-insured pool.
• State of Oregon Insurance License required.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous full supervisory experience strongly desired.
• Five or more years of management-level experience addressing the insurance needs of public entities.
• Demonstrated project or program management or leadership skills within the public entity and/or insurance industries.