VP, Middle Market Underwriting

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Please Note: This position is open to working remotely in the United States.

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Job Description Summary

Are you a proven leader with strategic, creative and technical commercial product and underwriting skills? Do you have deep insights into the insurance industry and competition with the ability to translate those insights into strategic and technical underwriting practices and partner with Underwriting Leaders to implement the practices across Commercial Lines Middle Market insurance? If you have these abilities and a drive to achieve financial goals, set strategic vision and make a difference, then we want to hear from you!
As the National Technical Underwriting Middle Market leader, you will be accountable for overall high quality underwriting execution. We’ll count on your leadership to drive implementation of underwriting excellence for the commercial Middle Market business unit by setting strategic direction, process improvement, quality standards, and managing products, catastrophe exposure, and portfolio. You will provide leadership and strategic direction for Construction, Custom Solutions (core industries), Senior & Community Care, Inland Marine, and N2G (international) national practices. In addition, you will have full responsibility for underwriting products, guidelines, risk selection, rates, rules, and pricing direction for new and renewal business. We’ll count on you to create specialized risk management and insurance solutions for middle market sized national businesses with unique, complex risk profiles via independent agency broker channels.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Partners with field underwriting teams and national industry leaders to develop strategic and operational plans that have a substantial impact on the short and long-term success of the Middle Market business.

• Oversees achievement of continued profitability, growth and/or operational efficiencies for Middle Market book of business including multiple product lines or segments by monitoring competition and setting underwriting profitability and expense strategy.

• Establishes strategic underwriting objectives, underwriting authority levels and product development direction in partnership with field underwriting, inside underwriting, industry experts, underwriting capability and risk management teams.  

• Remains in tune with industry trends, market conditions and customer sentiments to assess risk tolerance, market appetite and address emerging issues.

• Collaborates with field underwriting, centers of excellence and business unit stakeholders to promote one company with key distribution professionals.

• Oversees underwriting performance based on financial analysis to drive data informed decision making.  Includes rate, reserve adequacy, operational, planning and product reviews.  Provides results to members of the executive management team and presents plans to resolve issues.

• Contributes to the establishment and coordination of underwriting audit criteria to follow in accordance with national practice industries, product organization, underwriting performance and departmental standards.

• Partners with Risk Management, Actuarial, Claims, Operations, Legal and Compliance to address governance and compliance issues related to underwriting practices.

• Ensures smooth transition of underwriting performance of new partners, ventures and acquisitions.  

• Responsible for the overall technical development of Middle Market team’s underwriting expertise, efficiency, productivity and strengthening of overall Middle Market underwriting acumen.  

• Oversees associate management including performance management, engagement, salary planning and administration, training and development, workflow and organization planning, day-to-day management, hiring and placement, and disciplinary actions for direct and possibly indirect reports.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: This job reports to SVP, Middle Market. Manages a Product/Portfolio Management Leader, Property & Casualty Line of Business Technical Leaders, and an Underwriting Capabilities Leader

Typical Skills and Experiences:  

Education: Undergraduate studies preferably in business or a related field, graduate studies preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: CPCU, ARM or other industry designations preferred.

Experience: Typically, 15 years of Middle Market and/or other related commercial lines underwriting, including at least 10 years of management experience.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Strong underwriting, insurance industry and operations and overall business acumen including commercial property and casualty products, finance and actuarial concepts, pricing models, regulatory environment, reinsurance, account management, producer management and product development.  Exposure to Field and Corporate and Staff Underwriting functions preferred with multi-line experience.  Demonstrated competency in strategic and organizational agility and managing a vision and purpose.  Strong problem-solving skills and proven record of strong decision quality. Strong analytical skills and aptitude for financial evaluation of business performance Ability to collaborate and build strong relationships across the organization. Can influence and drive results, deal with ambiguity, and communicate effectively at all levels in the organization. Innovative self-starter with a proven track record of setting goals and delivering results. Extensive underwriting expertise with the ability to integrate knowledge across product lines and segments. Required skills: courage, communicating effectively, engaging and motivating people, negotiation, influencing others, focusing on service, managing and improving processes, executing well, planning and organizing work.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and Human Resource Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:   

Overtime Eligibility: Exempt (Not Eligible)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Some travel required.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 03/23/2026. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at 888-944-2247.

For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

NOTE TO EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:

We value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager in any form without a signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file and search engagement for that position will be deemed unsolicited in nature. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is subsequently hired as a result of the referral or through other means.

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range. Note on Compensation for Part-Time Roles: Please be aware that the salary ranges listed below reflect full-time compensation. Actual compensation may be prorated based on the number of hours worked relative to a full-time schedule.

The national salary range for VP, Middle Market Underwriting : $211,071.00-$351,783.00

The expected starting salary range for VP, Middle Market Underwriting : $211,071.00-$351,783.00