Head of Professional Liability & Cyber - Middle Market

Zurich North America is hiring a Head of Professional Liability & Cyber – Middle Market for our Financial Lines Insurance Underwriting Team which handles all middle market and small and medium enterprise companies domiciled in the United States for our retail underwriting team. This role can be based in our New York or Chicago offices. While this position will be based out of our New York or Chicago office, you will have the flexibility to work on a hybrid basis. You will partner with your manager to set a flexible work schedule that supports you, our customers, and our brokers and agents. This role will require you to be visible in the marketplace to meet with our agents and brokers and be in the office/market three days per week.

 

As a member of Zurich's Underwriting management team, you will enjoy the opportunity to fully apply and hone your underwriting, portfolio management, team building and marketing skills. Specifically, you will manage a market facing underwriting unit, and aid in making appropriate underwriting, strategic, personnel and portfolio management decisions.

 

In this role you will be responsible for:

 

• Managing a national team of 20-25 market facing underwriters and 3-4 managers who underwrite and handle Professional Liability (Miscellaneous/Technology E&O, Employed Lawyers, Media Liability) and Cyber renewal and new business portfolios.
• Identifies new growth opportunities with key distributors for areas of responsibility.
• Ensure that accounts are qualified, and meet with the organization's appetite, balanced with sound business opportunity.
• Independently and in alongside underwriters or underwriting managers in areas supervised, plan and attend meetings with agents/broker/customer, both virtually and in person, with a planned and well-prepared purpose.
• Oversee negotiations of Terms & Conditions and closes deals.
• Ensure cross-sell within areas of responsibility to increase product density with the account.
• Provide continuous coaching on sales best practices, mentor staff to develop strong broker and client networks as related to industries underwritten by Business Unit.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a team of underwriters and underwriting managers as portfolio and distribution needs demand.
• Portfolio management of middle market professional liability and cyber business and involvement in strategic decision making to support a profitable portfolio. 
• Engage with product team and legal counsel to suggest and advise on underwriting needs

 

Basic Qualifications:

 

• Bachelors Degree and 10 or more years of experience in the Underwriting, Market Facing, Broker, Carrier or Risk Management area within the Commercial Insurance industry
  OR
• Bachelors Degree with 20 or more years of experience in Claims or Underwriting Support area within the Commercial Insurance industry
  AND
• Experience in a specialized line of business or segment
• 2 or more years of people management experience

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

• Bachelors Degree
• CPCU
• Advanced knowledge of professional liability, cyber, and media product lines and commercial insurance industry
• Strong Broker relationships nationally and the ability to foster and build new relationships
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong presentation skills including capability with creating PowerPoint presentations