Director of Underwriting – Surety

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October 3

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Western National Insurance

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Insurance • Finance • B2C

Western National Insurance is a comprehensive insurance provider offering a wide range of personal and commercial insurance products. For individuals and families, they provide services including personal auto, homeowners, and umbrella coverage. For businesses, they offer commercial auto, general liability, cyber liability, and various specialized policies. With a commitment to customer service and a history spanning over 100 years, Western National Insurance emphasizes its mission of providing quality coverage while giving back to the community.

501 - 1000 employees

Founded 1901

💸 Finance

👥 B2C

📋 Description

• Develops and implements underwriting strategies to achieve a balanced, profitable, quality book of surety business. • Selects, coaches, develops, and retains staff to achieve company, departmental, and individual goals. • Serves as a referral underwriter for underwriting staff and provides feedback and technical guidance to underwriters as needed. • May serve as a technical expert for surety-related systems and processes, working with our IT department and other partners on system and process improvements. • Establishes, delegates, and maintains underwriting authorities for underwriting staff. • Builds and maintains strong agency relationships and effectively manages underwriting and marketing staff to achieve established growth and profitability goals. • Frequent travel, by car and plane (up to 50%) for extended periods of time, with occasional overnight and weekend travel. • Travels to assigned and prospect agencies regularly to build on agency partnerships. • Travels to key accounts with assigned underwriter as needed to strengthen customer and underwriting relationships. • Travels to meet with remote underwriters and managers at least on a quarterly basis to help further develop territory and staffing. • Develops strategies to seize and develop new market opportunities and expand agency relationships throughout Western National’s licensed states. • Networks within the insurance / surety community and attends industry events to stay abreast of marketplace changes and emerging industry issues. • Develops, reviews, analyzes, and prepares periodic reports on assigned regional operations and takes appropriate underwriting and rate actions. • Participates in initiatives to develop and improve processes and policies. • Interprets and executes policies and guidelines within authority level. • Establishes account credit lines and individual bonds within assigned authority level. • Utilizes specialized knowledge, experience, and creative resources to find a wide range of solutions and articulates them to others. • Understands and effectively communicates relationships between problem components. • Perform special projects and other duties as assigned. • Consistently acts according to our customer experience standards, including responding quickly, maintaining a positive attitude, building rapport, demonstrating empathy, managing the customer’s expectations, using the proper communication channel for the situation, and taking ownership to ensure the customer’s issue is resolved.

🎯 Requirements

• High degree of knowledge in surety, with extensive knowledge and understanding of contract and commercial surety underwriting, financial and risk management analytical skills, and effective surety marketing skills. • Ability to travel up to 50% of the time. • Ability to multitask and solve complex problems. • Demonstrated ability to coach, direct, and develop individuals. • Proven ability to communicate with individuals at all levels of an organization. • Excellent negotiation and resolution skills, with a strong ability to build and maintain relationships. • Demonstrated advanced organization and prioritization skills and ability to accomplish multiple priorities. • Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing. • Strong entrepreneurial skills and strong initiative. • Proficient use of various core systems, office and computer equipment, and software packages. • Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related business field, or equivalent related experience.

🏖️ Benefits

• Medical insurance plan options and other standard employee benefits, including dental insurance, vision benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, and more! • Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) • 401(k) Plan (participants are eligible for 100% matching on the first 6% of their contributions) • Wellbeing Program, including onsite fitness studio • Paid Time Off – including holiday, vacation, and volunteer • 100% company-paid tuition reimbursement for approved job-relevant coursework and access to The Institutes (Risk and insurance education) • Paid parental leave • Bonus opportunities