Financial Lines Technical Underwriting Director

Financial Lines Technical Underwriting Director

Zurich North America (ZNA) is seeking a Financial Lines Technical Underwriting Director for Zurich E&S, ZNA’s independent business division servicing the excess and surplus lines industry. The new position will develop and implement underwriting rules, guidelines and products to support Zurich E&S financial lines offerings : Public and Private Management Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Miscellaneous Errors and Omissions, Cyber and related lines. The role will also monitor market trends for profitability indicators and emerging issues, ensuring the financial lines offerings remain current and appropriate to the customer segments served by the E&S unit.

Responsibilities :

Recommend and develop underwriting rules and guidelines, identifying opportunities to leverage objective data points as drivers of risk selection, coverage and terms.

Work with the Head of E&S, Head of Underwriting and Head of E&S Financial Lines to define appetite supported by market sizing and profitability assessments, and to identify corrective actions to enhance profitability.

Serve as SME in the Product Development process, collaborating with actuaries to ensure product changes are appropriately reflected in rating plans.

Assist in the identification and development of reporting capabilities to support monitoring of portfolio KPIs and insights, and report regularly to the line of business management team.

Provide training to underwriting teams on new products or processes and participate in ongoing Quality Assurance reviews.

Required Qualifications :

Bachelor’s Degree and 8 or more years of experience in underwriting, OR

High School Diploma or Equivalent and 10 or more years of experience in underwriting.

Preferred Qualifications :

CPCU

Advanced knowledge of line(s) of business and the legal and regulatory environment

Strong listening, verbal and written communication skills

10 or more years of financial lines underwriting, product or portfolio management experience

Extensive knowledge of surplus lines markets and products

Experience across an array of risk segments including large and mid‑sized risks, as well as underwriting knowledge of both primary and excess coverage and deal structures.

Demonstrated experience in drafting underwriting guidelines that align with business unit strategy objectives and corporate risk tolerances

Demonstrated ability to leverage data and technology to drive underwriting outcomes

Expertise in product forms, coverage and manuscripting

Experience in identifying emerging risks and trends

Excellent communications skills and ability to translate complex underwriting concepts into actionable protocols and processes

Ability to conduct market research including knowledge of reliable tools and resources

Strong portfolio management skills and a track record of strong underwriting performance in casualty

Location and Travel :

The new position reports to the Head of Underwriting E&S and will be located in Chicago, IL, Schaumburg, IL or New York, NY. Flexible work arrangements may be available. Some travel may be required.

Compensation :

Salary range : $130,000 – $213,000, with short‑term incentive bonus eligibility set at 20%.

Zurich is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race / ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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