Manager Commercial Property Underwriting at Watershed Consulting

• Commercial Underwriting has a position available for a Manager: Commercial Property Underwriting and will based in Sandton, Johannesburg.  This role will report to the Head: Commercial Underwriting.
• The individual is required to ensure the company’s Commercial Property Portfolio achieves its profit and growth targets within the parameters of our risk appetite, as determined by the Board. The role involves managing a team of senior property underwriters as well as playing an active role in further developing underwriting skills within the company.

PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE: 

• Overall responsibility for company’s Commercial property portfolio, with regards to product, rate and rule, within the parameters of our risk appetite.
• Ensure ongoing profitability and growth of  the company’s Commercial property portfolio. 
• Overall responsibility for all Property Underwriting decisions within Client, Broker and Partner Solutions, i.e. maintain, amend and take overall responsibility for individuals’ Property Mandates throughout the business to achieve objectives of this portfolio.
• Create appropriate underwriting rules to balance customers’ needs with the company’s risk appetite.   
• Produce comprehensive, well thought through business cases to proposals for changes to risk appetite, if needed.
• Research and development of new Commercial insurance covers and products to meet clients’ needs as the risk environment changes and to ensure market competitiveness.
• Determine business specifications for the design and development of the Commercial Property offerings in Policy Centre.
• Maintain, create and sign off on all policy wordings, Broker guidelines and implementation of any regulatory requirements, for all the company’s Commercial offerings, including Agri, Wine, Schools, Tourism & Guesthouse etc. with regards to Property and General sections.
• Work with Actuaries to determine appropriate rating structures for Commercial Property Sections for all Commercial offerings (incl. Agri).
• Develop rating tools/solutions for these classes of business for use by external business partners.
• Maintain and amend the National Survey Policy which determines which risks need to be surveyed at what stage of the policy lifecycle.
• Manage the company’s surveying function, as a key component of the Property portfolio.
• Manage the company’s property underwriting team. This includes building build an effective Commercial Property & Agri Underwriting team which provides consistent and excellent service delivery in line with the company Experience requirements.
• Develop and build specialist Property technical underwriting skills within the company, ensuring appropriate succession plans in place at all times.
• Interact and assist Brokers and Partners from time to time, as needed with regards to Property Underwriting queries.
• Provide specific support to the Segment Solutions teams.

 Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant insurance related diploma: AIISA or FIISA or similar 
• Recommendation: Management or Leadership qualification 
• Must be able to demonstrate property underwriting ability and expertise
• Proven track record of ideally at least 10 years’ experience within a Commercial Underwriting environment of which ideally at least 5 years’ management of a Specialist Underwriting team 
• Knowledge of (and understanding of the impact of) the relevant legislation on the business e.g. Building regulations etc.
• Advance Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel & PowerPoint) 

Skills

• Commercial Property Underwriting skill
• Advanced Excel
• Management experience in Commercial Underwriting
• Excellent English communication & report-writing skills
• Presentation skills
• Establish interpersonal relationship, negotiating and networking skills
• Ability to influence
• Ability to learn new systems quickly
• Ability to work under pressure with appropriate prioritisation skills
• Results-orientated and deadline driven
• Good analytical skills and problem-solving abilities
• Skilled in leading and coaching staff
• Creativity and ability to innovate and find new solutions to new challenges
• Able to organise own and others workloads to achieve priorities and objectives
• Demonstrate capability to think of the organisation holistically
• Build and lead a team and ensure that the company remains market leader in Commercial Property & Casualty risks

Competencies

• Collaborates 
• Client focus 
• Drives results  
• Flexibility and adaptability 
• Cultivates Innovation 
• Organisational Savvy
• Builds Networks
• Manages Complexity
• Persuades
• Managing, adapting and responding to change 
• Negotiating and Influencing others 
• Analytical 
• Attention to detail and meticulous