Programs Underwriting Director

The Programs Underwriting Director is responsible for the strategic oversight, profitable growth, and ongoing stewardship of our network of Managing General Agent (MGA) partnerships in the US. The role manages relationships with distribution partners and internal stakeholders to ensure profitable growth, underwriting discipline & operational excellence. Operating within our carrier's Delegated Underwriting Program team, this role operates as the carrier-side owner of the program business, directly aligned with segment objectives and responsible for disciplined execution across the portfolio.

The Director oversees all phases of program lifecycle management, for their assigned programs, including due diligence, onboarding, portfolio management, performance remediation, in addition to, guideline creation, product creation and product filings while enforcing rigor in underwriting standards, documentation, and data integrity. This individual serves as the primary resource for our MGA relationships and internal stakeholders, ensuring that priorities are delivered on schedule, needs are aligned, and operational infrastructure is in place. The position requires the ability to keep concurrent workstreams moving, identify risks early, and maintain clear accountability across all interests.  This is a coordination-intensive role that requires strong organizational discipline, deep familiarity with delegated authority structures, and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Relationship Management & Growth

• MGA Relationships: Serve as the primary MGA contact to build trust and maintain alignment with carrier principals.

• Internal Collaboration: Build strong internal networks across underwriting, actuarial, claims, finance, and technology to support program goals.

• Market Expansion: Source and evaluate new program opportunities to grow the segment according to corporate strategy.

• Partner Support: Anticipate partner needs and proactively share data, market intelligence, and solutions that align with company risk appetite.

Lifecycle & Operations Management

• Due Diligence: Organize, facilitate, and execute thorough due diligence on prospective program partners.

• Program Launches: Manage new program builds and ensure clean transitions to steady-state operations with clear workflows and reporting baselines.

Underwriting Governance & Auditing

• Delegated Authority: Oversee the formal delegation of underwriting authority.

• Referral Underwriting: Evaluate and clear complex underwriting referrals that exceed partner or staff authority limits.

• Annual Audits: Establish monitoring procedures and lead annual program audits to verify compliance with guidelines and filed rates.

Product, Filings & Contracts

• Product Development: In partnership with MGAs, lead research, design, and implementation of new insurance products and enhancements.

• State Filings: Participate in the regulatory filing process for forms, rates, and rules, and directly resolve Department of Insurance (DOI) objections.

Financials, Analytics & Claims

• P&L Accountability: Own the assigned program budget and drive the portfolio to meet premium, growth, and profitability targets.

• Economic Optimization: Track initiative financial metrics, including GWP and commission structures monthly.

• Bordereaux Governance: Enforce the timely collection, accuracy, and completeness of partner premium remittance and bordereaux files.

• Performance Remediation: Review monthly loss trends and execute swift corrective actions to address adverse claim development or underwriting drift.

• Claims Monitoring: Oversee claims performance, including watch-list programs, reserve adequacy, and emerging risk identification.

Project Management & Reporting

• Tracking & Escalation: Maintain project plans, timelines, and risk registers, while escalating competing priorities to leadership.

• Executive Visibility: Prepare concise performance dashboards, milestone trackers, and briefing materials for senior executives.

• Self-Reviews: Perform internal division self-reviews to ensure all operational documentation remains completely audit-ready.

• Travel: Travel overnight as required by the business (up to 35%).

Education, Experience, Competencies & Values

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year College or university preferred

• Demonstrated track record of managing portfolio profitability, executing remediation strategies, and managing complex portfolios within an insurance carrier environment

• 15 plus years of property and casualty experience with significant focus on program underwriting, strong filings expertise, and proven ability to operate with discipline, precision, and accountability in a highly structured environment.

• Medical Malpractice  and Professional Liability underwriting preferred

• RPLU and/or CPCU or other insurance designations a plus

• Strong command of compliance requirements across jurisdictions, including management of data calls, audits, and program specific obligations is required.

• Ability to maintain consistent, structured communication across internal stakeholders including underwriting, claims, actuarial, and compliance functions to ensure alignment and timely decision making.

• Must be knowledgeable in insurance policy contracts, medical malpractice liability, general liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, managed care liability, excess/umbrella liability, reinsurance and SIR and deductible programs.

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly with Microsoft Excel; experience with Salesforce is a plus.

• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills

Competencies & Values

• Care - a commitment to understanding, supporting, and respecting our colleagues, customers, business partners, and communities. Be compassionate and charitable.

• Connection - an emphasis on building trust and long-lasting relationships. Understand the importance of, and commit to, open communication and being responsive, flexible, and solution-oriented.

• Collaboration - a culture that encourages working together to generate new ideas and creative solutions. Ask for and listen to feedback as a way to achieve better outcomes.

• Continuous Development – a belief and commitment to progress, innovation, and learning. A focus on improving and developing products, services, and ourselves.

Base salary range is $150,722  - $203,918. Individual compensation packages are based on a variety of factors that are unique to each candidate including location, skill set, experience, qualifications and education.

If you're a caring and customer focused individual who enjoys working with passionate team members, Coverys is the right company for you!