AVP, Underwriting - National Accounts Property (Risk Management)

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Officer position responsible for providing overall underwriting direction and execution for National Accounts Property Risk Management business in the Northeast region. Leads a team of underwriters and ensures effective management to drive underwriting excellence and implementation of strategic objectives and policies for large property business unit, in accordance with the company’s strategic plans.

The National Accounts Property (NAP) business unit offers policy holder’s solutions for large national and global businesses with unique, complex risk profiles to provide customized risk management and insurance solutions via retail and wholesale distribution channels. Our underwriting departments are specialized based on program structure type (ground up vs. shared and layered) and distribution channel (retail vs. wholesale).
NAP consists of four sub-business units:
• Structured Risk – Ground Up and Large Quota Share Placements
• Risk Management – Retail Broker driven Shared & Layered Placements
• E&S Select Risk – Wholesale Broker driven Shared & Layered Placements
• Equipment Breakdown

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:

• Implements strategic objectives, underwriting strategies, operational plans and best practices with substantial impact on the short-term success of a product line or segment.

• Ensures the achievement of continued profitability, growth and/or operational efficiencies for large property business through assessment of risk tolerance, market appetite and emerging risk issues.

• Effectively manages a team with diverse levels of experience with a strong focus on retaining and providing continuously learning and growth opportunities for those individuals

• Can attract top talent as the need arises

• Leads, directs and has full management accountability for staff in area of responsibility with an emphasis on talent management and succession planning in accordance with strategic direction. Manages performance, execution of underwriting strategies and guidelines and external visibility.

• Evaluates underwriting performance based on financial analysis.  Includes rate, reserve adequacy, operational, planning and product reviews.  Provides results to members of the underwriting management team and develops plans to resolve issues.

• Monitors the usage and profitability of alternative pricing programs.

• Drives adherence to underwriting authority delegation, audit criteria and catastrophe management for large property.

• Collaborates with CNA field and business unit leaders across the company to promote one CNA with key distribution partners and cross-sell opportunities.

• Maintains relationships with brokers, agents and customers to assess risk tolerance, market appetite and emerging issues.

• Collaborates with business partners in Risk Control, Actuarial, Claim, Operations and Compliance to address governance and compliance issues related to underwriting practices.

• Provides guidance and direction in the development of underwriting and training tools in partnership with Global Property Organization.

• May take lead responsibility for the development of underwriting strategies and position papers for emerging issues when assigned.

May perform additional duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationship

Vice President and Head of Risk Management

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Knowledge of critical catastrophic loss with international exposure on large and complex deals generally greater than $1B in TIV.

• Understanding of working through broker manuscript forms or other company forms in addition to experience on globally fronted deals as a reinsurer.

• Experience working with Actuary, ERM, Claims, CAT modeling, CededRe, etc. in order to effectively book manage in addition to compiling reports and analysis of large amounts of information.

• Remains informed on key issues and nuances of the commercial property insurance market at a macro level and be able to communicate that with our brokers, clients and more junior underwriters.

• Leadership and management skills demonstrating a high level of integrity and professionalism with experience leading underwriter at varying levels of experience.

• Strong broker relationships in the Northeast with senior property