AVP/VP Underwriter - P&C Excess & Umbrella

Working for a leader in the insurance industry means an opportunity for you. Our client is a subsidiary of a large financial services group. They combine a "small company" culture where your ideas will be heard with "big company" expertise to help you succeed. With over 30 specialty and property and casualty operations, there are always opportunities here to learn and grow.

Our client is seeking a Divisional Assistant Vice President (AVP) or Vice President (VP) of Underwriting to join their team. This individual is responsible for a broad spectrum of technical underwriting, pricing, and coverage issues for P&C insurance and reinsurance in the home office. They should bring strong leadership in cross-functional teams, ensuring high-quality underwriting, adequate pricing, innovative product development, sensible business processes, and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in insurance/reinsurance liability underwriting and will be responsible for handling underwriting referrals, ensuring SOX compliance, and conducting audits. This role requires a technical expert who can provide oversight and approval, working closely with field underwriters and managers to maintain and update underwriting guidelines.

Our culture is built on connection, shared learning, and strong relationships. To support this, employees in this role are expected to be on-site four days a week, with the flexibility to work one day remotely. Core in‑office days are Tuesday–Thursday, with the fourth day determined by business needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Acts as a resource for field offices with respect to technical underwriting issues.

• Manage and process referrals from field underwriters, providing clear approval or denial with detailed reasoning and appropriate documentation.

• Provide advice and guidance to the field to enable the organization to achieve business objectives.

• Work closely with the Divisional President and Vice President to carry out all strategic objectives related to these underwriting duties and responsibilities.

• Ensure compliance with SOX regulations and conduct regular audits.

• Maintain a detailed understanding of underwriting guidelines and product knowledge and provide guidance to the team.

• Act as a key point of contact for regulatory and policy compliance, ensuring all activities meet legal and internal standards.

• Conduct limited travel (less than 10%) to perform audits and meet with clients as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, with a background in Insurance, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Generally, 10+ years of liability underwriting experience, with exposure to reinsurance and referral processes.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess complex risks and develop sound underwriting strategies.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Majority of experience on the retail vs. broker/wholesale side.