Assistant Vice President - Specialty Underwriting

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Job Summary:

The Specialty Unit AVP is responsible for providing strategic oversight and leadership in underwriting performance and operational efficiency, ensuring alignment with the broader organizational goals. This role requires a visionary approach to directing the underwriting team, fostering a culture of excellence, and driving profitable growth and sustained retention across the entire EMC footprint. Serves as the primary subject matter expert, offering guidance and expertise to underwriters while maintaining direct accountability for monitoring business performance. Assess underwriting results, analyze trends, and exercise sound judgment in making final decisions on complex and high-value accounts. Collaborates closely with Industry Segment Managers to develop and refine growth and profitability strategies. Oversees the workload and performance of the underwriting team, setting clear expectations and driving operational efficiencies. Fosters strong partnerships with regional offices and sales managers to support agency management initiatives and strengthen key relationships. Ensures pricing adequacy by monitoring pricing structures and implementing necessary adjustments. Oversees the Letter of Authority process and conduct thorough file audits, guaranteeing compliance with underwriting standards and best practices.

Essential Functions:

• Oversees and directs the underwriting operations within the business unit, ensuring adherence to established guidelines while contributing to the development and implementation of new underwriting standards specific to the Specialty unit.

• Demonstrates sound and effective underwriting practices across all individual accounts, lines, and business classes within the unit.

• Reviews and manages referrals beyond Assistant Manager and Manager authority, providing well-founded recommendations for complex cases, including challenging accounts, strategic communication approaches, and agency relationship management, with clear justification for proposed actions.

• Continuously monitors business performance to ensure underwriters operate within designated authority limits, established guidelines, and service directives, while maintaining alignment between pricing and quality across the portfolio and achieving targeted rate objectives.

• Engages in strategic collaboration with the Specialty Vice President and Industry Segment Leaders to define underwriting policies and procedures, establishing both short-term and long-term objectives.

• Plays a key role in the unit’s five-year business plan, leading discussions on underwriting trends and their impact on overall profitability.

• Contributes to the formulation and execution of underwriting guidelines, pricing models, and business strategies to enhance operational effectiveness.

• Partners with Industry Segment Leaders to develop and implement targeted approaches for addressing profitability challenges, ensuring seamless communication of these strategies across the underwriting department.

• Works in close coordination with regional offices, Sales Directors, Territory Managers, and Specialty Unit Industry Segment Leaders to devise and execute comprehensive initiatives aimed at expanding specialty lines offerings.

• Engages collaboratively with team members to establish performance objectives, systematically monitoring progress, conducting evaluations, and providing strategic coaching.

• Oversees the recruitment process, including interviewing candidates, making hiring decisions, and recommending salary adjustments.

• Leads succession planning efforts by identifying high-potential talent and establishing development strategies for critical roles.

• Champions diversity and inclusion initiatives, fostering an environment of innovation by supporting new ideas and guiding potential improvements.

• Works closely with the Business Unit Human Resources Business Partner Manager to assess departmental and individual training needs, ensuring effective delivery.

• Meets with and educates agents to develop their understanding of EMC products, specialty underwriting appetite, systems and services to help generate a flow of quality new business opportunities.

• Works with the Industry Segment Leaders to deliver effective presentations to existing and potential new agents as well as agent associations to develop and strengthen EMC’s brand in the marketplace and agents impression of EMC.

• Analyzes insurance trends within the specialty unit across the United States, focusing on general coverages, rates, and market conditions.

• Continuously monitors the competitive marketplace by tracking the strategies of competitors, regulatory changes, and economic factors that may influence market dynamics.

• Possesses a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape across the United States, actively analyzing evolving legislation and shifting market dynamics to ensure strategic alignment with business unit objectives.

• Provides detailed recommendations for value-added services or coverages to enhance EMC's competitiveness.

• Coordinates with other business units, such as Lines of Business (LOB), Claims, Marketing, Premium Audit, and Loss Control, to identify and address improvement opportunities that will drive profitable growth and mitigate threats to profitability.

Education & Experience:

The education and experience below are required for the job unless labelled as preferred: 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

The knowledge, skills and abilities below are required for the job unless labelled as preferred:

• Superior knowledge of underwriting and risk analysis 

• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions 

• Strong computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office and social media 

• Ability to oversee multiple projects at one time and make decisions under challenging circumstances 

• Excellent ability to translate technical ideas into more general terms for business customers 

• Ability to explore new and different processes, services, technologies, and partnerships to enhance EMC’s business 

• Superior written and verbal communication skills  

• Excellent leadership skills and ability to motivate team  

• Excellent ability to effectively communicate products, procedures, business planning and system information  

• Exceptional customer service skills 

• Ability to speak effectively before groups  

• Occasional travel; a valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle report per company standards will be required if driving 

The hiring salary range for this position will vary based on geographic location, falling within either the $138,330-$198,267 range or the $152,515-$218,599 range. A hiring range represents a subset of the full salary range.  The actual salary will depend on several factors, including relevant education, skills, and experience of an applicant, geographic location, and business needs. 

Our employment practices are in accordance with the laws that prohibit discrimination due to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, active military status, citizenship status, marital status or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

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