Senior Surety Underwriter in London

Working hours: This role is available on a part-time, job-share or full-time basis.

Salary: Competitive salary plus an excellent benefits package!

Location: London – hybrid working with at least 3 days in our Mark Lane office.

The opportunity:

Are you an experienced underwriter in UK Contract and Commercial Surety, ready to take the next step? Or perhaps a senior underwriter with extensive experience looking to bring your expertise to play a pivotal role in driving the success of our Surety business at the heart of the London Market? If so, we would love to hear from you!

Joining our Commercial Insurance business in London, you’ll be a key member of our Surety Underwriting team, helping to grow our portfolio by delivering exceptional service and underwriting expertise to brokers and customers.

As a Senior Surety Underwriter, you’ll take on significant responsibility for underwriting complex contract and commercial Surety risks, ensuring every decision aligns with our strategies, guidelines, authorities, and pricing frameworks. Your expertise will make a direct impact on the achievement of our Surety business’s strategic and operational objectives.

Many of our employees work flexibly in a variety of different ways, including part-time, flexible hours, job share, an element of working from home or compressed hours. This is because we want the best people for our roles, and we recognise that sometimes those people aren’t available full-time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may need.

What will you be doing?

• The facility and bond underwriting within individual underwriting authority and for providing recommendations for approval by credit committee for facilities and bonds outside of individual underwriting authority.
• Participation on credit committees with authority alongside other credit committee members to approve larger facilities and bonds underwritten by Zurich’s UK Surety team.
• Negotiate bond wordings, indemnities and other recourse documents for new and existing facilities including negotiations with external solicitors and clients.
• Act as referral point for other members of the team for bond enquiries, indemnity and recourse documentation.
• Develop a pipeline of facility and bond enquiries through client, internal Zurich relationships, cross selling and broker relationships.
• Identifying and developing new surety products and target segments.
• Implementing new operational improvements.

What are we looking for?

• Proven experience in underwriting UK Contract and Commercial Surety business.
• Strong financial analysis skills, with the ability to review and interpret financial statements to assess the creditworthiness of Surety clients.
• Solid understanding of indemnity structures and how they apply in practice.
• Collaborative approach and a strong team player.
• In-depth knowledge of Surety bond wordings and associated documentation.
• Ideally, a well-established network of contacts within the UK Surety market.

What will you get in return?

Everyone’s different. That’s why at Zurich, we offer a wide range of employee benefits so our people can choose what fits them and their life. Our benefits provide real flexibility so our people can make considered choices and tailor their benefits throughout the year. Our benefits include 12% defined non-contributory pension scheme, annual company bonus, private medical insurance and the option to buy up to an additional 20 days or sell some of your holiday.

As an inclusive employer we want to ensure that all candidates feel comfortable and are able to perform at their best during the interview. You’ll have the opportunity to let us know of any reasonable adjustment or practical support needed when you apply.

Who we are:

At Zurich we aspire to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world and the best global insurer. Together we’re creating a brighter future for our customers, our people and our planet.

With over 55,000 employees in more than 170 countries, you’ll feel the support of being part of a strong and stable company who are a long-standing player in the insurance industry.

We’ve made a promise to each other and every employee; to focus on sustainable impact, to care about each other’s wellbeing, to use our diverse expertise to be curious and optimistic and to develop the skills needed for our future.

If you're interested in working in a dynamic and challenging environment for a company that recognises and rewards your creativity, initiatives and contributions - then Zurich could be just the place for you. Be part of something great.

Our Culture:

At Zurich, our sense of community is strong and we’re particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion, which we’ve won numerous awards for. We want our people to bring the whole of themselves to work and ensure everybody is made to feel welcome, regardless of their background, beliefs or culture. We want our employees to reflect the diversity of our customers, and so are committed to treating all of our applicants fairly and with respect, irrespective of their actual or assumed background, disability or any other protected characteristic.

We’ve an environment that places a real importance on our people’s wellbeing from a physical, mental, social and financial perspective. We work with our wellbeing partners and industry experts to provide the best advice and access to a wealth of lifestyle support. We’re also committed to continuous improvement and we offer access to a comprehensive range of training and development opportunities.

We’re passionate about supporting employees to help others by getting involved in volunteering, charitable and community activity. Our charitable arm, Zurich Community Trust, is one of the longest-established corporate trusts in the UK. In that time, we’ve awarded grants and volunteered time to deserving causes in the UK valued at over £90 million.

So make a difference. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be supported, Love what you do. Work for us.