Specialist Underwriter at Old Mutual South Africa

Job Description

Responsible for:

•     Underwriting management within mandate to ensure the Elite portfolio grows profitably and aligned to business plan.
•     Renewal retention and management taking into consideration agreed increase targets.
•     Accounts management within agreed turn-around times and in accordance with quality requirements.
•     Proactive risk management within mandate as and when required.
•     Maintaining and growing relationships with intermediary partners and internal stakeholders to ensure a profitable, stable and growing Elite portfolio.
•     Take initiative in recommending appropriate solutions in respect of risk-related matters which will enable the organisation to profitably manage the risks that our policy covers.

Competencies

Critical objectives and responsibilities

• Responsible for specialist underwriting relating to renewal retention, accounts execution, queries and liaison, and proactive risk management within mandate. Execute appropriate solutions in respect of risk-related matters which will enable the organisation to profitably manage the risks that our policy covers.

Strategic

• Accumulates data from a group of tasks and translate it into knowledge
• Interprets complex specialist / technical data
• Conducts in-depth investigations / analysis and derives various hypotheses
• Skilled in detailed systematic and analytical procedures
• Conducts efficient reality checks
• Understands financial and commercial principles
• Makes use of theoretical / specialist knowledge base
• Innovation
• Recommends new, creative ways to improve processes
• Open to new ideas, not too quick to analyse possible negatives
• Encourages new ideas from others; rewards new thinking and creative solutions
• Willing to challenge others and the status quo
• Stays abreast of changes to the business practices
• Actively integrates with other teams in order to gain new and different perspectives
• Is resourceful and will go out of their way to find new information
• Restlessly seeks new ideas and ways to improve and encourage innovation
• Customer first
• Considers client needs when developing solutions, services and processes to ensure that needs are met
• Maintain values of integrity, respect, accountability and pushing beyond boundaries in dealing with customers
• Motivating others to display a genuine interest in customer and exceed expectations
• Respectful, warm and friendly when dealing with client
• Ensure service is energetic, fast and efficient
• Seeks to eliminate recurring service problems
• Leading with influence
• Old Mutual values are at the core of the way work is done
• Collaboration
• Develops relationships by establishing mutual interests and needs
• Establishes rapport. Comes across as warm, diplomatic and respectful
• Responds appropriately to the diverse needs of others
• Responsible and dependable – builds trust
• Handles criticism and negativity tactfully
• Demonstrates control over own emotions and impulses
• Executing
• Schedules own tasks in order to get work done over a period of 1 day to 3 months
• Makes use of other resources when needed
• Maintains a diary or schedule
• Adjusts schedule based on priority issues
• Plans use of own time to accomplish a variety of tasks
• Takes action without being prompted to do so
• Clearly spells out the next steps to be taken
• Sets high standard of work performance for self by being accurate; detailed and adhering to relevant processes and procedures
• Perseveres until key tasks are completed
• Displays energy in tackling challenges
• Personal mastery
• Acknowledges own strengths and development areas and demonstrates self-insight
• Demonstrates ability to learn on the job
• Shows ability to adapt behaviour based on feedback
• Deals with pressure whilst being responsible for demanding workloads.
• Is able to take cope with changes to work environment
• Takes ownership for results
• Optimistic approach to life – believe in own ability to deal with stressful situations

Experience, knowledge & skills required

• Diploma and/or equivalent NQF Level 6 qualification in general insurance.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in personal lines underwriting.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in Old Mutual Insure.
• Knowledge of Old Mutual Insure policy administration systems.

Competency descriptors

• Communication: Able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Customer: Putting the customer at the heart of business decisions and driving to improve value for customers.
• Collaboration: Creates trust, respect and builds meaningful relationships. Able to handle a wide range of relational challenges to ensure collaboration across boundaries.
• Innovation: Generates creative/out of the box solutions. Challenges the status quo and/or demonstrates ability to relate to challenges from a range of diverse but relevant perspectives. Willing to take calculated risks when introducing novel ideas.
• Personal mastery: Learns and actively works to build self-awareness; develop through experience and feedback from others. Copes effectively with stress and has the resilience to take on stretching and challenging assignments. Adjusts effectively to work within new work structures; processes; requirements and cultures.
• Executing: Displays consistent energy, drive and perseverance in order to deliver results. Demonstrates a willingness to take calculated risks to achieve stretch performance goals