Job Description

Job description:

Provide strategic and operational leadership across all underwriting functions within the organisation's non-life insurance portfolio across South Africa. The role ensures consistent underwriting excellence, drives sustainable profitability, and supports the delivery of innovative and competitive insurance solutions. This includes oversight of underwriting strategy, governance, technical standards, and risk appetite across multiple regions and product lines

Responsibilities:

Underwriting Strategy & Governance:

- Develop and implement group-wide underwriting strategies aligned to corporate objectives.

- Define and maintain underwriting policies, technical standards, and risk appetite frameworks across all lines of business.

- Ensure alignment of underwriting practices across all regions and product verticals.

- Lead strategic underwriting reviews, market positioning, and product differentiation initiatives.

Operational Oversight:

- Oversee underwriting performance across all business units and regions, ensuring consistency, compliance, and operational efficiency.

- Review and authorise complex or high-value risks beyond regional authority levels.

- Continuously assess underwriting effectiveness, drive improvements, and introduce best practices.

Risk Management and Compliance:

- Embed a strong risk culture within underwriting operations.

- Ensure underwriting activities comply with all regulatory requirements (e.g., FSCA, PA), internal audit, and risk frameworks.

- Monitor claims experience, market developments, and emerging risks to proactively adjust underwriting criteria.

Leadership & Talent Management:

- Lead and manage a team of senior regional underwriting managers and specialists.

- Establish clear performance goals, monitor outcomes, and implement development plans for underwriters at all levels.

- Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous technical development.

Product and Portfolio Management:

- Collaborate with product development, actuarial, and pricing teams to support the design and review of competitive, profitable short-term insurance products.

- Ensure underwriting insights are incorporated into pricing and product strategy.

- Evaluate the performance of the insurance portfolio, identifying opportunities for growth or corrective actions.

Stakeholder Engagement:

- Act as a technical authority and strategic partner to executive leadership, claims, distribution, actuarial, and risk teams.

- Engage with brokers, intermediaries, and strategic partners to promote underwriting excellence and product understanding.

- Serve as the escalation point for underwriting issues impacting key clients or portfolios.

Reporting & Analytics

- Lead the development of group underwriting reports and performance dashboards.

- Analyse underwriting KPIs (e.g., loss ratio, new business conversion, retention, portfolio mix) to inform executive decision-making.

- Translate insights into actionable strategies for improved underwriting profitability.

Qualifications & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Insurance, Risk Management, Business, Actuarial Science, or a related field.

Professional qualifications (AIISA, FIISA, or equivalent) strongly preferred.

Minimum of 10 years' experience in non-life (short-term) insurance, including 5 years at senior management or group level.

Demonstrable experience managing underwriting teams across multiple lines (e.g., motor, property, liability, commercial).

Solid understanding of the South African insurance market and regulatory environment.

Competencies

Expert knowledge of underwriting practices, pricing principles, and short-term insurance products.

Strong strategic thinking, analytical skills, and commercial acumen.

Leadership ability to manage, motivate, and develop cross-functional teams.

High-level stakeholder management, negotiation, and communication skills.

Data-driven approach with experience in underwriting systems, data analytics, and performance reporting tools.

Ability to manage change and lead group-wide initiatives.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: Remote