Underwriting Manager

UFG is looking for an Underwriting Manager to join the team in the Great Lakes Region! In this role you will be responsible for leading a team of multi-line, multi-industry production underwriters to successfully attract and underwrite middle market business, deploy effective portfolio and account management, and foster agency partnerships. This role works to drive profitable growth, including new business, renewal retention, rate achievement, and exposure basis. This role is highly engaged in the market with key agency partners and leads the local middle market underwriting team in their territory.

While this is a fully remote opportunity, the ideal candidate should reside in the territory, with a preference for Minnesota or Wisconsin. 

Responsibilities:

• Maintain accountability for assigned territory, ensuring profitable growth and achievement of profit and premium plans for prescribed business unit strategies.
• Lead a team of underwriters to profitably underwrite complex new and renewal business through risk selection, pricing, contractual integrity, and account management, in accordance with delegated authority, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Effectively coach and develop the team to execute underwriting technical discipline and established quality standards to:
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in assessing the risk and identifying exposures and controls.
  • Price risk commensurate with exposures and controls.
  • Set appropriate terms and conditions to deliver a profitable portfolio
  • Document assigned files with underwriting thought process.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert to assist team members with complex risks.
• Through effective portfolio management skills, achieve profit and premium plans for prescribed business unit strategies.
• Execution of business plans for achieving established operational plan targets for written premium, loss ratio, renewal retention, pricing, and expense management.
• Achieve production goals within assigned territory, leading the team to:
  • Effectively conduct both in-person and virtual sales calls with agencies and insureds.
  • Prospect and develop a strong pipeline of new business opportunities.
  • Develop and maintain successful relationships with producers and agencies.
• Collaborate with Business Unit and Line of Business underwriting, Sales and Distribution, Underwriting Center, Underwriting Support, Risk Control, Legal, Claims, and other internal partners to ensure optimal stakeholder management.
• Exhibit and coach market-facing sales skills such as prospecting, marketing, pipelining, production meetings, developing deep relationships with producers and agencies, increasing UFG’s relevance in the marketplace.
• Represent UFG in the marketplace, articulating the company’s capabilities in underwriting, risk control, and claims, across all business units at UFG

Qualifications:

Education, Designations, and Certifications:

• Four year college degree preferred.
• Completion of AU Designation, CIC and/or CPCU designations preferred.
• Leadership/management certification or educational experience preferred.

Experience:

• 7+ years commercial lines underwriting experience preferred.

Knowledge, skills & abilities:

• Advanced risk evaluation and insurance contract knowledge.
• Capability to execute current underwriting strategy for assigned territory to make effective underwriting decisions.
• Ability to lead a team by utilizing skillset of collaboration, persuasion, vision, emotional intelligence, and talent development.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and maintaining business relationships with key customers to support departmental goals and objectives.
• Strong leadership skills to include ability to mentor, coach, and train.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while prioritizing and completing work efficiently and effectively.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Effective stakeholder management skills to include the ability to establish high degree of trust with internal and external partners.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with an affinity for detailed accuracy.
• Advanced communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines and effective dates.
• Advanced knowledge of agency force and current market environment.
• Excellent sales skills, with a proven track record of growing a profitable book of business.

Working Conditions:

• General office conditions; remote, in-office, and hybrid options determined by manager.
• Travel required as per assigned territory, including agency visits and marketing events, often co-traveling with underwriters and leadership.
• Regular work duties may require work outside of business hours.
• Driver’s license and acceptable MVR required.

Pay Transparency Statement

UFG Insurance is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The base salary range for this position is $140,000 – $185,000 annually, which represents the typical range for new hires in this role. Individual pay within this range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, education, certifications, skills, internal equity, geography and market data. 

In addition to base salary, UFG Insurance offers a comprehensive total rewards package that includes: 

• Annual incentive compensation
• Medical, dental, vision & life insurance
• Accident, critical Illness & short-term disability insurance
• Retirement plans with employer contributions
• Generous time-off program
• Programs designed to support the employee well-being and financial security.

This pay range disclosure is provided in accordance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws.