Job Title: Underwriting Manager

Location:  Fort Worth, Texas   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage staff and resources within established budget to meet or exceed Service Level Standards established for underwriting processes and transactions
• Provide training, assistance and motivation to assigned staff to ensure prudent decision making and profitable results
• Implement underwriting philosophy, strategy and guidelines for personal lines property lines of business to develop profitable growth in all operating states
• Market penetration and agency management including building, maintaining and managing producer and customer relationships
• Directing timely exception level case underwriting of new business, renewals and endorsements
• Conduct employee evaluations, quality audits and implement improvement programs
• Provide direction, set goals and ensure that overall department goals are attained.
• Create an environment that fosters creativity, innovation, teamwork, engagement and growth.
• Resolve operational issues and disturbances
• Review and draft written responses to consumer, agent and DOI inquiries and complaints related to underwriting action
• Ability to effectively and professionally interact with all levels of internal and external business partners
• Ability and desire to be creative and adaptable in a changing business environment
• Evaluation and reconciliation of vendor billings
• Communicate with agents and other company personnel with regards to insureds, policies, coverages, etc. either by phone or written correspondence
• Supervise and conduct routine and special underwriting review projects
• Collaborate with sales, pricing, operations, claims, marketing to the betterment of the organization
• Act as underwriting contact for internal and external audits and exams
• Perform other related duties as required
• Some travel may be required

Education and /or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years of recent industry experience to include advanced knowledge and understanding of persona lines products (Homeowners and Umbrella) processes and fundamental underwriting principles
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex underwriting assignments
• Strong analytical, organizational and time management skills
• Superior written and verbal communication capabilities
• Excellent proficiency with all Microsoft Office programs
• Strong leadership, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to direct and lead a geographically disparate team of underwriters and support personnel
• Demonstrated commitment to superior customer service
• Understanding of state and federal regulatory compliance requirements
• Prudent, balanced and timely decision making skills
• Ability to smartly balance growth, retention and profitability goals
• Ability and desire to efficiently manage a time sensitive and often heavy workload
• Proficiency with Microsoft office applications including Access, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience managing call flows through Live Ops or similar call center management systems
• Experience managing work flow processes and assignments to team members to meet established Service Level Agreements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Continuing industry education progress toward or attainment of recognized designations
• Recent experience underwriting personal lines in FL, TX, SC, AZ, NV, CA HI
• Experience writing and implementing underwriting guidelines, processes and procedures
• Prior direct management experience
• Successful experience training and mentoring underwriters, customer service representatives and support staff
• Understanding of catastrophe risk analysis tools
• Experience with industry level, portfolio level, producer/underwriter level and policy level results reviews with development of appropriate action plans for results improvement
• Prior experience in automated underwriting systems development
• Prior experience with product development, competitive analysis and pricing evaluation