Director, Underwriting Policy & Governance

This is your opportunity to join AXIS Capital – a trusted global provider of specialty lines insurance and reinsurance. We stand apart for our outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and superior risk adjusted returns for our shareholders. We also proudly maintain an entrepreneurial, disciplined and ethical corporate culture. As a member of AXIS, you join a team that is among the best in the industry. At AXIS, we believe that we are only as strong as our people. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming culture where employees of all backgrounds and from all walks of life feel comfortable and empowered to be themselves.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, civil union status, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Accommodation is available upon request for candidates taking part in the selection process.

Overview: The Head of Underwriting Governance will lead the ongoing development, review and administration of enterprise underwriting policy, guidelines, and authorities. Leveraging AXIS’s underwriting, pricing and portfolio management subject matter experts, and with support from Business Technology Solutions (BTS), the Head of Underwriting Governance will continue the buildout of processes, systems and libraries that will enable underwriting to work more efficiently and effectively, optimizing underwriting outcomes and ease of doing business through efficient, yet rigorous, governance processes.

Responsibilities:

• Provide assurance that necessary underwriting disciplines and standards are adhered to; ensure appropriate underwriting guardrails and best practices are in place.
• Develop, implement, and monitor the underwriting decision-making framework, including (technical) underwriting policy and the peer review framework.
• Development, review and administration of underwriting authorities, referral processes and guidelines; ensure underwriting guidelines and authorities are aligned to risk appetites, correctly documented and reviewed regularly; facilitate business review, pre-referral and other relevant underwriting-focused meetings.
• Develop and ensure the consistent application of underwriting guidelines including the incorporation of ESG and climate change factors; review regularly and stay informed of related trends and developments.
• Oversee the (qualitative) management appetite framework and ensure business units operate within agreed appetites and controls.
• Engaging with the appropriate subject matter experts, ensure where relevant that underwriting is conducted consistently across all platforms and the risks we take on are in line with respective plans and appetites.
• Lead training of the underwriting and pricing teams on all aspects of the underwriting governance process, including the authority structure, guidelines and manuals.
• Assist with the management and review of Delegated Underwriting Authorities (DUA), and input into the design and process of delegated underwriting.
• Own/establish the UW file review and audit process, undertaking file reviews and communicating the findings and recommendations; ensure risks meet quality standards and comply with underwriting guidelines.
• Engage with IT on the development of tools as required, including the creating of a document management system for use by the underwriting teams.
• Work with Operations and Risk functions to ensure that each UW Division / Legal Entity has an appropriate underwriting control framework, that processes and procedures are in place and that hygiene metrics are regularly monitored.
• Dealing with ad hoc requests from various stakeholders as they pertain to underwriting governance activities.
• Ensure that appropriate controls and processes operate to mitigate risk around data quality and information risk, and contract wordings.
• Use formal reporting mechanisms to promptly notify relevant parties of any perceived new risks or other relevant underwriting-related topics.
• Membership of the Conduct Oversight Group with special reference to high-risk products.

Key Skills & Qualifications:

• At least 15 years’ experience of P&C (re)insurance underwriting, or similar, experience across a wide range of lines of business and geographies.
• Deep understanding of technical underwriting issues including risk assessment, exposure monitoring/control, wordings, bespoke structural features and accounting/capital implications.
• Well-developed knowledge of (re)insurance practices, procedures and governance.
• Ability to manage complex projects and deliver outcomes using influencing skills on geographically diverse teams with a wide range of experience levels.
• Demonstrate ownership and delivery of complex projects.
• Well organized and used to delivering projects in a timely manner.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with senior management.
• Ability to work collaboratively within and across teams.
• Degree or equivalent experience.