Technical Underwriting Specialist at Old Mutual

Job Description

• Provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Drive profit and premium growth for the region by executing the organisational business plans.

Provide technical underwriting expertise with a clear focus on growth, profitability, efficiency and customer satisfaction

• Quotes, prices and underwrites new and renewal policies and endorsements within mandate.
• Engage with brokers to follow-up and manage conversion of large and complex quotes.
• Engage with brokers to follow-up and manage renewals on large and complex quotes.
• Perform analysis of complex account renewals by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen and prepare renewal terms to be discussed with brokers.
• Works with the team to provide solutions for brokers and end-customers to increase portfolio profitability and growth by understanding the customer needs.
• Discuss and explain less complex Risk Reduction Requirements (RRR) from survey reports and negotiate with brokers to obtain buy-in.
• Provide technical underwriting expertise to address technical enquiries.
• Engagement may include site visits with surveyors to get a better understanding of the exposure.
• Complete reinsurance calculations, monitor and track accurate and timeous placement of reinsurance.
• Drive profit and premium growth for the region by executing the organisational business plans.
• Analyses quality and quantity of risks underwritten and prepare reports that review broker / intermediate books and profit / growth trends with recommended action plans.
• Monitors market conditions, competitive landscape and researches risk, environment and factors necessary to grow new business of identified accounts.
• Analyses multi-claimants, identifying problems within the portfolio and proposed action plans to address / rectify multi-claimant performance.
• Monitors risk selection and pricing decisions at an individual account level.
• Resolves above mandate referrals by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk and the impact of the referral.
• Monitor and track compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.

Continuous improvement to ensure effective service

• Ensure statutory and legislative knowledge is always current in order to resolve customer complaints, to advise the business on corrective solutions to mitigate risks and to improve the customer experience whilst complying with governance requirements.
• Ensure adherence to organisational policies, practices, guides, mandates and procedures.
• Identify solutions to enhance cost effectiveness and increase operational efficiency.

Service delivery to ensure customer satisfaction

• Maintain service, quality and desired outputs within a specific functional process through ensuring compliance to tactical policies, procedures and standards.
• Establish productive operational relationships with key stakeholders in the various channels and administrative teams.
• Share knowledge on, and participate in the creation of new standards, control systems and procedures to maintain service delivery.

Effective controls to manage risk

• Strictly observe controls identified in the standard processes to ensure operational risks are managed.
• Identify operational risks that exposes the business, and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks.
• Ensure risk events are raised for any breaches or control failures.
• Cost control and governance adherence
• Proactively ensure use of time, resources, money, materials or equipment is in line with policies and procedures.
• Comply with corporate governance policies, procedures and standards.
• Operate within agreed mandates.

Quality people practices

• Align own behaviour with the organisation culture and values.
• Share and transfer product, process and systems knowledge to colleagues.
• Ensure achievement of own performance objectives.
• Actively share information with other team members regarding successes, issues, trends and ideas.
• Actively participate in own professional development and career path.
• Actively promote a culture of learning and high performance culture amongst team members (including Servicing & Sales and Distribution).

Experience Knowledge & Skills Required

• 5 – 8 years’ experience in commercial or Agri underwriting.
• Experience in Reinsurance placements.
• Bachelor degree and/or equivalent NQF Level 5 (Licentiate or higher) qualification in general insurance advantageous.
• Knowledge of Assets All Risk wordings advantageous.

Skills

• Action Planning
• Compliance Software
• Computer Literacy
• Crisis Management
• Data Compilation
• Data Controls
• Legal Practices
• Management Reporting
• Numerical Aptitude
• Oral Communications
• Professional Presentation
• Regulatory Compliance Management
• Risk Management
• Underwriting Management

Competencies

• Action Oriented
• Business Insight
• Collaborates
• Communicates Effectively
• Decision Quality
• Ensures Accountability
• Financial Acumen
• Instills Trust

Education

• NQF Level 7 - Degree, Advance Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate or equivalent

Closing Date

• 13 July 2025