We’re looking for someone to join our Underwriting team as a Head of Underwriting & Assurance in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

You’ll Lead the Underwriting & Assurance team to deliver market-leading analytics and insight to drive the iterative optimisation of First Central’s underwriting footprint, while managing the ongoing monitoring of underwriting performance, in support of the delivery of the profit and volume targets for the business. You’ll also coach and develop a team of high performing, proactive analysts and optimise all processes they follow.

Job responsibilities

• Lead the development and iteration of the Underwriting & Pricing Strategy 
• Lead the iterative optimisation of the Underwriting Footprint through advanced analytics and insight to support business financial delivery 
• Lead and continually enhance the ongoing Underwriting Performance Monitoring and Assurance systems and processes in respect to profitability and volume, identifying issues and opportunities from a Pricing & Underwriting perspective that require action
• Summarise loss ratio and contribution by rating factor and factor combinations and recommend remedial action to improve account performance 
• Deliver expected loss ratio reports and risk indices to other department stakeholders to inform them of aggregate impact of pricing and underwriting activity 
• Own the assumptions and inputs for expenses, profit and capital into pricing models and production systems 
• Support the overall business planning and forecasting process, with particular focus on the Underwriting & Pricing Strategy scenario modelling 
• Input into the Pricing & Underwriting change programme to deliver capability improvements required for financial result delivery 
• Lead, motivate and develop the Underwriting & Assurance teams, and define the framework for the team goals and objectives
• Build a strong network of close relationships across the business 
• Anticipate stakeholder needs and proactively manage key relationships internally and externally
• Lead, influence, motivate and co-ordinate people to deliver enhancements through a multi-disciplined, agile approach
• Responsible for review and updates of the Underwriting control framework and environment, ensuring compliance with regulatory rules and requirements 
• Visibly sponsor and drive continuous improvement/change programmes to ensure best practice standards are adopted across all areas of Pricing & Underwriting
• Technical and Market Developments - actively lead the Underwriting team on external and internal technical and market developments, which may impact on policy wordings and underwriting risk management
• External Insight – proactively review and monitor the external marketplace, undertaking ongoing competitor insight to enable informed recommendations can be made to the GI Board on the strategic direction of the business
• Representation - ensure that the Underwriting function at FCG is represented in all technical matters with regulatory and other market bodies and other insurers 
• Ensure continuous reviews of Pricing & Underwriting changes implemented, to identify areas of learning and any recommendations for process improvement 
• Actively participate within Underwriting Management team and contribute to functional leadership responsibilities

Skills, knowledge & experience

• Excellent numerical mathematical skills, with a degree in a mathematics-related discipline or evidence of equivalent proficiency
• Advanced level knowledge of products such as Excel, Visual Basic, SAS, R, H2O, Java, Python, SQL, Emblem and geographic analysis tools
• Excellent appreciation of general insurance, preferably personal lines insurance
• Detailed understanding of appropriate statistical techniques for insurance risk analysis 
• Proven ability to plan and prioritise own work and the work of others
• Ability to grasp the significance and meaning of a range of technical and complex issues relating to underwriting, claims handling, pricing, reserving and financial analysis of insurance
• Strong financial analysis and modelling skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines while maintaining reliability and accuracy
• Strong interpersonal skills for interacting with people at all management levels, both internally and externally
• Ability to engage with technical specialists and layman equally well
• Ability to create and maintain a network of important contacts
• Ability to gain trust and co-operation
• Excellent coaching, development and management skills
• Inventive thinker who is flexible, tenacious with problems and able to create workable alternatives
• Knowledge of what data and analysis to ask for, ensuring that viable decisions and actions are likely outcomes
• Good project management experience, ideally in an Agile environment
• Aligned to the values of Ambition; Agility; Ownership; Collaboration

What can we do for you?

We believe we can offer you a great working environment as we’re so passionate about our people. Here are just some of the benefits and perks that we offer…
 

• Fantastic training and development opportunities
• Employee benefit packages to suit your lifestyle
• Flexible working
• YOUday – we give you an extra day off to celebrate a special day
• The opportunity to take a paid day off each year to do charity work
• A health cash plan
• Help with travel expenses
• The opportunity to buy additional holiday
• Company pension scheme
• Group life assurance
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Professional subscription fees paid
   

Employee wellbeing is high on the agenda here too. We provide a weekly free fruit delivery, discounted membership at a local health club and access to an Employee Assistance Programme, which promotes physical and emotional wellbeing at work and at home. In addition, we provide wellbeing events throughout the year to support physical and mental health.

For further information on what we can offer and to learn more about this role, feel free to contact our dedicated Recruitment team.

If you’d like to work for an award-winning employer in a fast-paced environment, apply now!

So, if you’re up for the challenge and would like to join our vibrant and busy team, we want to hear from you today.