Regional Underwriting Director

About the role

This position leads and directs the regional underwriting process, enforcing guidelines and procedures established by Corporate Office Underwriting. It involves developing and enacting underwriting guidelines specific to the region, managing the underwriting department team, and overseeing agency relationships.

Responsibilities

• Enforces guidelines and procedures established by Corporate Office Underwriting.
• Develops and enforces underwriting guidelines and procedures specific to the region.
• Models smart and effective underwriting practices for individual accounts, all lines of business, and different classes.
• Sets and implements strategies to address challenges to profit and communicates strategies throughout the underwriting department.
• Answers questions, shares recommendations for complex situations, such as difficult accounts, communication strategies, or problematic agency relationships, and explains the rationale for recommendations.
• Makes final decisions on complex or high-risk accounts.
• Reviews updates received from Corporate Office Underwriting and communicates changes to the team.
• Oversees and directs the underwriting department team, focusing on both long-term and short-term success.
• Collaborates with team members to establish performance goals, monitors status, conducts reviews, and provides coaching.
• Hires, recommends salary adjustments for team members, resolves disciplinary issues, reviews results, action plans, and progress.
• Organizes and plans educational opportunities for the underwriting team, including presenting out on results of trainings.
• Develops team expertise and completes succession planning, including identifying talent and implementing development plans for critical positions.
• Serves as the subject matter expert for the region and supports diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Fosters an innovative culture, including supporting new ideas and providing guidance on potential changes.
• Partners closely with the region's Human Resources Business Partner Manager to identify training needs for the department and individuals and ensure that it is delivered.
• Partners with Underwriting Supervisors to oversee workloads and workflow processes to ensure that branch objectives can be met.
• Serves as a point person for complex or high-risk accounts and educates agents to develop their understanding of EMC products, underwriting appetite, systems, and services to help generate a flow of quality new business opportunities.
• Delivers effective presentations to existing and potential new agents as well as agent associations to develop and strengthen EMC’s brand in the marketplace and agents' impression of EMC.
• Maintains a focus on underwriter and agent goal achievement, seeks feedback from agents, and takes action to improve their experience and underwriting responsiveness, growing profitable books of business.
• Collaborates with Branch Vice President to determine underwriting strategy and practices and establishes short-term and long-term underwriting goals.
• Participates in the region's 3-year plan, including leading the discussion on underwriting trends and implications on profitability.
• Analyzes insurance trends in the operating area and industry with respect to general coverages, rates, and market conditions to help find profitable segments to grow in.
• Coordinates with other region teams, including claims, marketing, premium audit and risk improvement, to identify and address opportunities for improvement and to drive profitable growth, and offset threats to profit.
• Performs audits on new business and renewals for compliance with Sarbanes Oxley, letters of authority, and quality and completeness of the underwriting being done in the region.
• Analyzes company reports and experience data to determine and implement necessary changes in region underwriting policies and practices.
• Coordinates with underwriters, marketing, and region management in the agency management process including planning and agency review meetings.
• Identifies opportunities and potential barriers within agency relationships.
• Develops strategies and delegates tasks to team members to address problem agencies and grow profitable business at high-performing agencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in insurance or business administration or equivalent relevant experience.
• Ten years of commercial lines underwriting experience.
• Previous supervisory/leadership experience.
• CPCU designation or other underwriting-related designation(s) preferred.

Qualifications

• Superior knowledge of underwriting and risk analysis.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions.
• Strong computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office and social media.
• The ability to oversee multiple projects at one time and make decisions under challenging circumstances.
• Excellent ability to translate technical ideas into more general terms for business customers.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent leadership skills and ability to motivate team.
• Excellent ability to effectively communicate products, procedures, business planning, and system information.
• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups.

Skills

• Knowledge of Sarbanes Oxley compliance.
• Experience with agency management processes.
• Ability to analyze insurance trends and industry conditions.
• Experience with risk assessment and mitigation.
• Ability to manage and lead a team.
• Experience with underwriting policies and practices.
• Experience with agency relationships and rehabilitation.

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Flexible spending accounts
• Retirement savings plans
• Employee assistance programs
• Discounts on health and wellness services
• Professional development opportunities
• Work-life balance programs

Pay

The hiring salary range for this position will vary based on geographic location, falling within either of the following ranges:

• $121,263 - $174,253 for the Phoenix, AZ area
• $134,038 - $191,687 for other regions

Schedule

The position is eligible to work remotely in Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Nevada with preference for this role to be in the Phoenix, AZ area. Occasional travel may be required.