At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Pikl's underwriting strategy and develop innovative insurance products for digital marketplaces.
- Company: Join a fast-growing company revolutionising the vacation rental insurance space.
- Benefits: Flexible working, 28 days holiday, training opportunities, and a supportive team culture.
- Other info: Be part of a mission-driven team focused on growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of insurance in a dynamic environment with real impact.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in underwriting and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About Pikl
Pikl is on a mission to enable the growth of digital marketplaces, starting with vacation rentals. We design and deliver insurance-enabled solutions that help platforms, property managers and owners unlock new revenue and deliver better customer experiences. Founded in 2016, we began by protecting individual hosts and homeowners with specialist holiday-let cover. That experience now powers our insurance-enabled products, which increase participation, lift conversion and drive revenue across the marketplace value chain: platforms, homeowners and guests. With offices in Norwich and London, and plans for international expansion, we work with some of the most recognised brands in travel as well as major insurance aggregators.
About the Role
The Head of Underwriting is a senior leadership position responsible for shaping, governing, and driving Pikl’s underwriting strategy across all product lines. This role will lead the development of underwriting philosophy, technical standards, governance frameworks and pricing oversight, ensuring Pikl delivers sustainable, profitable growth across its portfolio. You will work closely with internal teams including Business Solutions, Digital Studio & Commercial as well as with insurer capacity partners to build a market leading underwriting function. You’ll own delegated authority frameworks, oversee the creation and approval of new insurance products, ensure compliance, and drive continuous improvement in underwriting processes and performance. This role is pivotal in enabling Pikl’s next phase of scale and expansion.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership & Underwriting Governance
- Develop and own Pikl’s underwriting strategy, philosophy and appetite across all product lines.
- Establish and maintain underwriting governance frameworks, controls and standards.
- Lead oversight of delegated underwriting authorities, ensuring compliance with capacity provider terms, regulatory requirements and internal policies.
- Build and mentor a high performing underwriting team, promoting technical excellence and continuous development.
- Product & Proposition Development
- Oversee the creation, refinement and sign-off of policy wordings, endorsements and underwriting guidelines.
- Partner with the Head of Propositions and wider product teams to shape and approve new product designs, ensuring alignment with underwriting appetite and capacity arrangements.
- Provide underwriting leadership in the operationalisation of new and bespoke products, ensuring seamless integration with systems and workflows.
- Capacity & Partner Management
- Act as the primary technical underwriting contact for insurer partners, maintaining strong relationships and ensuring continued support and capacity allocation.
- Lead reporting, portfolio reviews, performance insights and renewal negotiations with existing and prospective capacity providers.
- Support partner product implementations, underwriting due diligence and technical validation.
- Portfolio Performance & Insight
- Oversee pricing governance and portfolio monitoring, working with pricing and data teams to ensure performance meets loss ratio and profitability targets.
- Use emerging trends, data insights and market intelligence to shape underwriting strategy and inform product development.
- Ensure the business remains compliant with regulatory changes impacting underwriting and product design.
- Stakeholder Collaboration
- Provide expert underwriting insight to support commercial initiatives, sales conversations, and partner onboarding.
- Work closely with operations and technology teams to drive efficiency, improve underwriting workflows, and identify opportunities for automation or optimisation.
- Review and approve marketing collateral and partner customer journeys from an underwriting and regulatory perspective.
About You
- Proven leadership experience in a senior underwriting role, ideally as a Head of Underwriting, or similar.
- Deep technical knowledge across liability and/or property products, with experience in bespoke or niche insurance solutions.
- Strong experience managing delegated authorities, capacity relationships and regulatory compliance.
- Track record of developing underwriting strategy, guidelines and governance frameworks.
- Strong analytical, commercial and decision making skills, with the ability to balance innovation and risk management.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, able to influence at senior levels both internally and externally.
- Confident leading cross functional initiatives and partnering with product, operations, commercial and technology teams.
Desirable but not essential
- Professional insurance qualifications (e.g., ACII or equivalent).
- Experience within the sharing economy, platform economy, or digital marketplace sectors.
- Experience working in an MGA or start-up/scale-up environment.
Our Values
At Pikl, our values are the foundation on which our success is built. They guide how we work together, how we make decisions for customers and colleagues, and what we recognise and reward.
- Possibility We think big and are fearless in turning challenges into opportunities. We stay curious, test ideas and learn quickly.
- People We put people first, building relationships rooted in empathy and trust. We respect, include, and learn from one another. We celebrate progress.
- Progress We unlock growth opportunities for our customers and each other yet make it our personal responsibility to own actions and see them through.
Why Work at Pikl
- Flexible working conditions, access to an incredible in-person working space.
- Support from an awarding-winning CEO & Founder.
- Annual holiday entitlement of 28 days plus bank holidays.
- 35 hour working week.
- Death in service scheme.
- Access to wellbeing services.
- Training and development opportunities.
- Social events.
Head of Underwriting in London employer: Pikl
Pikl is an exceptional employer that prioritises flexibility and employee well-being, offering a supportive work environment with access to an inspiring office space in Norwich and London. With a strong focus on professional development and a commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, Pikl empowers its employees to grow alongside the company as it expands into new markets. The opportunity to lead a high-performing underwriting team while contributing to meaningful insurance solutions makes this role both rewarding and impactful.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Underwriting in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those connected to Pikl. Use LinkedIn to connect and engage with them. A friendly message can go a long way in getting your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Pikl’s values and mission. Think about how your experience aligns with their goals. We want to see you demonstrate that you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for the company culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Be ready to discuss your previous underwriting strategies and how they’ve led to successful outcomes. We love candidates who can back up their claims with solid examples.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Pikl team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Underwriting in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Head of Underwriting role. Highlight your leadership experience and technical knowledge in underwriting, especially in niche insurance solutions. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Pikl!
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific achievements that demonstrate your impact in previous roles. Use metrics where possible to show how you’ve driven growth or improved processes. This helps us understand the value you can bring to our team.
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value people who are genuine and passionate about what they do. Share your motivations for wanting to join Pikl and how you resonate with our values of possibility, people, and progress.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pikl
✨Know Your Underwriting Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge of liability and property products. Be ready to discuss your experience with bespoke insurance solutions and how you've managed delegated authorities in the past. This will show that you’re not just a leader, but also someone who understands the nitty-gritty of underwriting.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
Prepare to talk about your approach to developing underwriting strategies and governance frameworks. Think about examples where you've successfully shaped an underwriting philosophy or improved processes. This is your chance to demonstrate how you can drive sustainable growth at Pikl.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves working closely with insurer partners and internal teams, be ready to discuss how you've built and maintained strong relationships in previous roles. Highlight any experiences where your communication skills helped influence decisions at senior levels.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
Pikl values progress and innovation, so come prepared with examples of how you've driven continuous improvement in underwriting processes. Discuss any data insights or market intelligence you've used to inform product development and how you’ve adapted to regulatory changes.
