Commercial Underwriter at Santam Insurance

What will you do?

• This career opportunity is available at Santam Operations within Riscor for a Commercial Underwriter, who will be based in Bellville.

Job purpose

• The incumbent will be responsible for commercial lines above mandate authorizations
• The incumbent will also be responsible for commercial lines transactional functions which includes broker appointments, cancellations, reinstatements etc. in support of the company’s objectives regarding profit and growth
• Coaching and upskilling of broker staff/system users

Detailed duties & responsibilities

•     Manage allocated portfolio growth, retention, profitability and any other business relevant factors and agree growth plan
•     Reporting on performance against agreed targets 
•     Identify and develop sales opportunities
•     Ensure a consistent and detailed understanding of the sales targets, goals, performance levels, products, business rules and conditions
•     Ensure a consistent detailed understanding amongst brokers of their growth targets, goals, performance levels and available products
•     Establishing strategies to further grow the portfolio and contribute ideas, leadership and innovation 
•     Utilise technology to manage data and the performance of the portfolio under management 
•     Analyse data and regularly ensure that rating structures are aligned with products, underwriting criteria and risks.
•     Identify and drive areas of service levels opportunities (review administration procedure in broker office)
•     Engaging with underwriting and finance teams
•     Serves as the primary contact for operations, systems, training, audits as well as liaison for resolving issues
•     Ensure alignment of quality standards and alignment of business processes 
•     Ensure brokers operate within agreed mandates
•     Comply with corporate governance policies, procedures and standards
•     Identify and drive opportunities to improve and enhance product and service offerings 
•     Keep abreast of market conditions and trends and relevant industry regulations 
•     Ensuring credibility with brokers by maintaining detailed knowledge of current market conditions and competitors’ products
•     Resolve customer and broker complaints and queries where necessary
•     Drive increased utilisation of online and any other self-service platforms 
•     Collaborate and work with support units to deliver required service levels
•     Co-ordinates and delivers new and on-going training on products, processes and systems
•     Implement retention strategy
•     Create a culture of service excellence both internally and externally

What will make you successful in this role?
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

•     Completed grade 12 or equivalent certificate 
•     FAIS credits 150 
•     RE5 & rep registration would be advantageous
•     Experience in sectional title market would be advantageous
•     Minimum 5 years Commercial, Agri or UMA underwriting experience

SKILLS

•     Ability to understand client base related requirements and to conceptualise and develop relative support 
•     Good understanding of value chain in order to implement cost savings and maximise profitability 
•     Working knowledge and good understanding of all operating and strategic processes, re-engineering and design 
•     Project management skills 
•     Change management skills 
•     Understands value chain principles and management concepts 
•     Working knowledge of financial management, accounting, information systems and marketing 
•     Strong business orientation with commercial and financial skills. 
•     Computer literate in data manipulation, i.e. Excel as well as technology in general 
•     Strong networking and relationship building skills 
•     Negotiating skills 
•     Decision making abilities 
•     Technical claims and underwriting skills 
•     Risk management skills 

KNOWLEDGE

•     Sound knowledge and experience in claims, underwriting and credit control

Knowledge and Skills

• Profitable Underwriting
• Client service (complaints/queries/ investigations/advice)
• Coaching, training and quality management
• Reporting and adhoc meetings

Personal Attributes

• Decision quality - Contributing independently
• Persuades - Contributing independently
• Action orientated - Contributing independently
• Business insight - Contributing independently