Senior Underwriter
Department:
Underwriting
Typical Tenure for this Role:
3-5 years
Role Overview
Role Description
The Senior Underwriter is a subject matter expert (SME) who drives both risk selection excellence and operational efficiency. You will demonstrate leadership through mentorship, the education of the team, and by providing guidance on the firm's products and regulatory requirements. A key focus is on high-level project initiatives, including leading User Acceptance Testing (UAT), interpreting agency analytics, and conducting agency visitations to strengthen partnerships and profitability.
Key Skills & Competencies
Successful Senior Underwriters demonstrate thought leadership, advanced business acumen, and an ability to drive change:
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Process Improvement: Assess process improvement opportunities, and follow and support the documentation and maintenance of department procedures (SOPs).
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Data & Reporting: Develop enhanced tracking and reporting capabilities while delivering timely and accurate progress reports and monthly business results as required.
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Leadership & Expertise: Serve as the leader for state regulator requirements, the firm's products, and underwriting guidelines and philosophy.
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Project Leadership Skills and active participation in Project Initiatives.
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SME for primary states and handling complex DOI Complaints.
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Exposure to report writing and presentations to senior leadership.
KPIs
Performance is measured by the ability to elevate team performance, versatility, and personal accountability:
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Underwriting Acumen: Mentors and teaches understanding of complex risk principles across the team.
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Versatility: Can easily transition between work/customer segments (e.g., agency vs. internal projects, different states/products).
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Self-Evaluation: Takes time to be reflective of my performance and initiates necessary personal and professional adjustments.
Role Development
Learning and Development
Training focuses on formalizing leadership, project, and documentation skills:
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Licensing: P&C License in all states where the company operates is required.
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Professional Development: Begin discussion for professional growth development—targeting possible advanced designations (CPCU, AAI, etc).
Key Skills Training (e.g., Brainsharks/LinkedIn):
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Project Management training (Project Management Foundations via LinkedIn Learning).
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Business writing training and SOP writing.
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Presentation and public speaking training.
CPCU designation (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) is the premier advanced designation and is highly recommended for career growth.
Guidelines for Promotion into this Role
Advancement is based on achieving high performance and demonstrated leadership impact:
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Meeting Service level & Quality Goals consistently.
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Demonstrating mastery of All Competencies/Disciplines for the current role.
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Demonstrated ability to train/mentor team members effectively and consistently.