Senior Underwriter - Surety

$124,500 - $186,500/Yr

AXA - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Senior

Chicago, IL

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

About the position

The Senior Surety Underwriter is responsible for managing a broad territory, focusing on relationship building, underwriting, and expense management. This role involves developing and maintaining business relationships with agencies and brokers to drive sales growth and distribution expansion, while independently underwriting accounts based on the granted authority and underwriting appetite.

Responsibilities

• Monitors market conditions and confirms information gathered within market space.
• Analyzes performance of portfolio as well as individual account performance and develops appropriate action to drive profitable growth based upon the analysis.
• Reviews underwriting guidelines and provides input on new guidelines as the Commercial Bond unit expands.
• Actively participates and contributes to operational initiatives within PRCB to execute the operational plan.
• Works with other members of the PRCB team, Specialty and P&C to develop and pursue cross selling opportunities.
• Plans, develops and integrates territory sales plans to achieve top and bottom line objectives.
• Communicates strategic direction and operational plan to external partners.
• Communicates policies, procedures, and financial budgets that result in attainment of business objectives.
• Develops and maintains outstanding business relationships with key groups and individuals within the commercial lines market.
• Develops customer service standards for commercial bond team. Drives customer service performance to established standards.
• Works in partnership with fellow leaders to manage the training of employees and to ensure a high degree of competency and professionalism.
• Sets operational expectations, goals and strategies.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in business, insurance, or a related field preferred.
• Actively pursuing AFSB, CPCU or other insurance/finance related certification desired.
• Extensive commercial or contract surety or related underwriting experience preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of contract and/or commercial surety operations products, procedures and practices.
• Expertise in bond lines of business, ratings, customer environment and markets.
• Extensive knowledge of bond underwriting best practices, field underwriting operations and day-to-day underwriting operational needs.
• Familiarity with other company products preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to disseminate vision of senior leadership and motivate a large agency force.
• Ability to set work priorities and to initiate, evaluate and recommend solutions to upper management.
• Ability to perform duties with independent judgment, with underwriting authority and company underwriting standards.
• Demonstrated decision-making ability required in day-to-day operations.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a leadership role within underwriting teams.
• Knowledge of additional insurance products and services.

Benefits

• Competitive retirement savings plan
• Health and wellness programs
• Learning opportunities for professional skills development
• Flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced family friendly leave benefits