Director, Underwriting

BerkleyNet is an innovative workers compensation insurance provider that does all our business online. Our goal? To make doing business “Ridiculously Fast. Amazingly Easy.”

Company URL: berkleynet.com

As the Director of Underwriting, you will be responsible for the influence of the company’s underwriting strategies, business plans, and consistent execution of our underwriting principles and standards. We’ll look to you for development of the Underwriting staff to empower them to deliver results in a professional, efficient and effective manner that aligns with business goals and objectives, along with being part of the strategic planning for the department. 

• Profitability; Pricing; Risk Selection; Risk Appetite; Renewal Retention; Compliance; Establishing and Monitoring Underwriting Guidelines; Monitoring SOX Compliance; Monitoring Authority of Underwriting Staff; Expense Management; and Underwriting Book, State & Industry Analysis
• Involved in the underwriting activities to facilitate compliance with filings, regulatory requirements, internal standards and internal audit requirement
• Conduct market analysis and trend evaluations which will summarize underwriting activities, market conditions and other information that is pertinent to strategic planning
• Work to assist in the action plans around strategic goals
• Underwrite, maintain, and grow a profitable book of business including the development and execution of pricing targets
• Develop as a “Go-to person” for other departments as well as a conduit for communication amongst other areas
• Create and maintain relationships with our distribution partners
• Facilitate feedback from Staff to Sr. Leadership as a springboard for feedback
• Collaborate with internal team members to deliver an excellent customer experience for our distribution partners and insureds
• Foster an environment of learning coupled with accountability, including working with direct reports and skip level staff on development plans and growth opportunities
• Work alongside Regional Underwriting to assess market feedback and work to develop plans of action
• Provide timely coaching and feedback to drive and manage individual and team performance
• Assess talent, identify employee development and training needs, and collaborate with HR partners, leadership and individual employees to establish goals and create development plans  
• Execute talent management strategies to improve employee engagement, job satisfaction, and foster a psychologically safe work environment
• Analyze and evaluate portfolio metrics and communicate results with executive teams and relevant internal departments suggesting changes based on this data as needed
• Assist in the creation and execution of annual department budgets

Skills/Experience

• 7+ years of experience underwriting workers compensation risks up to $750,000
• Supervision, mentoring, development of underwriting team preferred
• Knowledge of workers compensation ratemaking principles to effectively utilize actuarial resources
• Excellent analytic, communication and negotiation skills
• Effective user of Microsoft Office, Power BI and other data analytical tools
• Effective active listening, problem solving mindset and interpersonal skills for developing and strengthening team and client relationships
• Strong business acumen to understand performance metrics, develop and implement profitable growth strategy
• Ability to influence, capable of working independently and interdependently
• Ability to work in a team environment to support others for growth and development
• Independent thinker with a forward-thinking mindset

Travel Requirements

• Low to moderate level of domestic U.S. travel (up to 10% - 20% of time)