Director, Underwriting Portfolio Management | London, UK

As Director, Underwriting Portfolio Management, you will be accountable for delivering the underwriting portfolio plan, the underwriting contribution to Group capital allocation, capacity recommendations and steering actions that improve the risk-adjusted performance and resilience of the underwriting portfolio.

This is a hands-on analytical leadership role, working directly with underwriting data in Palantir and other analytical platforms to investigate portfolio questions, test hypotheses, form conclusions and translate those conclusions into recommendations and implemented management actions. You will own the quality of the portfolio conclusions and track whether the resulting actions deliver the intended impact. The role is not limited to running planning processes, preparing governance materials or commissioning analysis from others.

• Own and deliver the underwriting portfolio plan, including TLP / Group Capital Allocation Strategy, translating Group objectives, risk appetite, financial ambition and market conditions into explicit portfolio choices.
• Assess portfolio economics, risk, return, diversification and capital consumption to produce clear capacity, allocation and steering recommendations.
• Work directly with Palantir and other analytical platforms to test hypotheses, interpret underwriting performance and exposure data, and form robust portfolio conclusions.
• Identify material risks, concentrations, dependencies and opportunities early enough to drive meaningful management action.
• Translate analysis into specific steering actions, support governance decisions, track implementation and adjust where outcomes are not being achieved.
• Partner with portfolio engineering, data and analytics colleagues to improve tools, workflows and decision-support capabilities.
• Communicate clear recommendations to underwriting, finance, risk, capital management and senior leadership, while developing team capability across portfolio management, commercial judgement and analytics.

The Portfolio Strategy & Steering team combines underwriting portfolio management, engineering, data and advanced analytics. It operates as one integrated team, with two Directors leading specialist teams, allocating resources to shared priorities and jointly accountable for quality and impact.

You are a senior professional who combines deep expertise in underwriting, its economics and portfolio management with strong commercial judgement and analytical capability. You are comfortable leading specialists and working directly with granular portfolio data. You move fluently between detailed analysis and senior-level recommendations, challenge assumptions and translate strategic objectives into measurable portfolio choices and implemented management actions. You bring strong leadership presence, the ability to synthesise complex information into clear conclusions and the credibility to influence senior stakeholders across underwriting, finance, risk and capital management.

• Proven experience analysing and managing complex underwriting portfolios, with the ability to translate evidence into explicit portfolio choices, capacity recommendations, steering actions and measurable performance improvement.
• Deep expertise in capital-allocation processes, capacity-setting frameworks and the analysis of risk, return, diversification and capital consumption, with the ability to develop and challenge senior-level allocation recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to interrogate large and complex datasets, test hypotheses and produce decision-ready insight using Palantir or comparable modern data and analytical platforms.
• Strong understanding of underwriting economics, market dynamics and portfolio management within reinsurance or commercial insurance.
• Proven ability to present complex analytical conclusions clearly and concisely and to influence senior stakeholders across underwriting, finance, risk and capital management.

For London, the base salary range for this position is between GBP 180,000 and GBP 270,000 for a full-time role. The specific salary offered considers the scope, complexity and responsibilities of the role, as well as the applicant's education, qualifications, expertise, skills and experience.

Our company has a hybrid work model where the expectation is that you will be in the office at least three days per week.

Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. We anticipate and manage a wide variety of risks, from natural catastrophes and climate change to cybercrime. Combining experience with creative thinking and cutting-edge expertise, we create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 15,000 employees across the world.

Our success depends on our ability to build an inclusive culture encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We embrace a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and develop professionally regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, skillset, thought or other characteristics. In our inclusive and flexible environment everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and their passion for sustainability.

If you are an experienced professional returning to the workforce after a career break, we encourage you to apply for open positions that match your skills and experience.

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