Underwriting Manager, Specialty

AXA SA$160K — $205K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of commercial insurance underwriting experience, focused on Marine and Specialty products.
  • Proven leadership and supervisory capability, with a focus on team coaching and development.
  • Success in managing complex accounts and fostering broker relationships.
  • Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience.
  • Insurance designation (CIP, FCIP, ACII) is an asset.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the Marine & Specialty underwriting team to achieve profitable growth.
  • Manage and execute annual plans for Marine and Specialty portfolios.
  • Underwrite and oversee complex accounts within authorized limits.
  • Translate strategic directions into actionable team objectives.
  • Cultivate strong relationships with brokers and clients to enhance market engagement.
  • Collaborate across functions to reflect claims trends in underwriting decisions.
  • Monitor competitive landscape and communicate market developments.

Benefits

  • Inclusive workplace committed to equal employment opportunity.
  • Five Business Resource Groups that support diversity and inclusion.
  • Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
  • Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits available.
  • Recognition for diversity efforts through multiple awards including the Diversity Best Practices Index.
Full Job Description
Lead the Marine & Specialty underwriting team and portfolio, translating product strategy into disciplined execution, profitable growth and outstanding broker service. The role combines people leadership, portfolio management and hands-on underwriting responsibility across assigned Specialty product lines.

What you'll be doing

Portfolio management
  • Develop and execute annual plans for Marine and assigned Specialty portfolios.
  • Monitor premium, retention, profitability, rate, exposure and portfolio mix.
  • Identify growth opportunities while maintaining underwriting discipline.
  • Recommend corrective actions where portfolio performance falls outside plan.

Underwriting
  • Underwrite and manage complex or strategically important accounts within delegated authority.
  • Ensure appropriate risk selection, pricing, terms, conditions and documentation.
  • Provide referrals, technical guidance and peer review to underwriters.
  • Maintain compliance with underwriting authorities, governance standards and regulatory requirements.

Strategy execution
  • Translate the Head of Marine and Specialty's strategic direction into team priorities and measurable actions.
  • Support streamlined renewal approaches for suitable low-touch and no-touch business.
  • Help develop rapid-renewal and delegated-underwriting processes across selected Specialty products.
  • Improve underwriting capacity so the team can focus on new and higher-value business.

Market engagement
  • Build outstanding relationships with brokers, clients and distribution partners.
  • Represent Marine and Specialty capabilities in market meetings and negotiations.
  • Support new-business development and retention of key accounts.
  • Monitor competitor activity and communicate emerging market trends.

Cross-functional collaboration
  • Partner with Claims, Actuarial, Operations, Finance, Legal, Compliance and Reinsurance.
  • Ensure portfolio decisions reflect claims trends, exposure information and financial objectives.
  • Contribute to country, regional and product initiatives.
  • Provide clear reporting on performance, opportunities and emerging risks.
  • Robust understanding of underwriting governance and delegated authority.

You will lead, coach and develop a high-performing underwriting team.

You will report to Head of Large Commercial Canada

What you'll bring

We're looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

Required Skills and Abilities:
  • Significant commercial insurance underwriting experience, including Marine or Specialty products.
  • Previous team leadership, coaching or supervisory experience.
  • Experience managing complex accounts and broker relationships.
  • Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience.
  • Insurance designation such as CIP, FCIP, ACII or equivalent is an asset.

Desired Skills and Capabilities
  • Profitable portfolio growth and retention.
  • Achievement of rate, premium and underwriting-plan targets.
  • Robust governance and underwriting-quality outcomes.
  • Increased team capability, engagement and succession readiness.
  • Successful implementation of streamlined renewal processes.

What we offer

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture enables business growth and is critical to our success. That's why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It's about helping one another - and our business - to move forward and succeed.

  • Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
  • Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
  • Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
  • Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
  • Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter


Total Rewards

AXA XL's Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides enterprizing compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We're committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called "Roots of resilience", focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars:
  • Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society - are essential to our future. We're committed to protecting and restoring nature - from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard - by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
  • Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
  • Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We're training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
  • AXA Hearts in Action: We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL's "Hearts in Action" programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day - the Global Day of Giving.


For more information, please see axaxl.com/sustainability.

The Canada base salary range for this position is CAD (160,000 to 205,000). Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual's skills, experience and location. We strive for market alignment and internal equity with our colleagues' pay.

At AXA XL, we know how important physical, mental, and financial health are to our employees, which is why we are proud to offer benefits such as an enterprizing retirement savings plan, health and wellness programs, and many other benefits. We also believe in fostering our colleagues' development and offer a wide range of learning opportunities for colleagues to hone their professional skills and to position themselves for the next step of their careers.

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