Head of Underwriting (San Francisco)

Position Overview

Delos Insurance Solutions is a tech-enabled MGA focused on underwriting complex homeowners risks, particularly in catastrophe-exposed regions. We combine proprietary risk models with a modern tech stack and deep insurance expertise. Backed by top-tier VCs, we’re growing rapidly and are looking for high-impact team members to help us scale.

Key Responsibilities

Underwriting Strategy & Leadership

• Define and execute underwriting strategy aligned with company risk appetite and growth goals
• Establish clear underwriting frameworks, guidelines, and authority structures
• Lead and develop the underwriting team to ensure consistent, high-quality decision-making

Team Management & Development

• Manage, mentor, and scale a team of underwriters
• Set performance expectations, KPIs, and accountability standards
• Foster a culture of discipline, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Own portfolio performance, including loss ratio, exposure, and concentration risk
• Monitor trends and adjust underwriting strategy based on performance and market conditions
• Actively manage catastrophe exposure, including wildfire and other perils

Pricing & Risk Selection

• Ensure alignment between underwriting decisions and pricing models
• Partner with actuarial and data teams to refine segmentation and risk selection
• Maintain balance between growth targets and profitability

Data & Analytics Integration

• Drive adoption of data-driven underwriting tools, models, and risk scores
• Collaborate with data science teams to improve model performance and usability
• Ensure underwriting decisions are informed by robust analytics and insights

Reinsurance & Risk Alignment

• Partner with reinsurance to align underwriting strategy with risk transfer programs
• Ensure portfolio construction reflects reinsurance structures and constraints
• Support optimization of retention and exposure

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure underwriting practices meet regulatory requirements and internal controls
• Maintain clear documentation, auditability, and consistency
• Support regulatory interactions and internal reviews

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with claims, finance, and revenue teams to align on performance and strategy
• Provide insights into loss drivers and emerging risks
• Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on portfolio risk and growth

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of underwriting experience, preferably in property insurance
• Active Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance license in at least one U.S. state is required. If not currently licensed in California, candidates must be able to obtain a California Non-Resident Property & Casualty license within 90 days of hire.
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing underwriting teams
• Strong expertise in catastrophe-exposed risks; wildfire experience strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of underwriting, pricing, and portfolio management
• Experience in insurtech or data-driven underwriting environments preferred
• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance frameworks

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary plus equity stock options
• Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States
• Unlimited PTO, including sick leave and company holidays
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. (25% paid by employee, 75% covered by Delos including dependents)
• Professional development opportunities and tuition assistance

The pay range for this role is:

175,000 - 200,000 USD per year (Remote (San Francisco, CA, US))