Head Of Underwriting

An exciting opportunity exists for a Head: Underwriting to join the Distribution Department. The successful applicant will be responsible for the overall management of the Commercial, Personal and Underwriting teams. This role will report into the Executive Head of Distribution and the successful candidate will participate in strategic and operational activities. This position is based in Centurion.

JOB DESCRIPTION
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the company's underwriting strategy, aligning it with overall business goals.

• Identify new market opportunities, analyse competitor strategies, and recommend strategies to enhance market penetration and competitiveness.

• Lead and inspire a team of underwriting managers, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

2. Operational Management

• Establish and maintain efficient operational processes and workflows within the distribution function.

• Develop and implement performance metrics and KPIs to monitor and measure operational effectiveness and ensure service level agreements are met.

• Identify areas for operational improvement and implement initiatives to enhance productivity, streamline processes, and reduce costs.

3. Increase overall profitability of the company

• Manage and optimise operational cost.

• Executing strategies to drive profitable loss ratios.

• Establish areas of focus for growth on new business.

• Establish strategies to support broker and policyholder retention.

4. Stakeholder and relationship management

• Identifying areas for improved relationships with insurers, brokers, business partners and key strategic clients.

• Develop improved relationship strategies within the organisation and our affiliates.

• Develop communication strategies with our affiliates.

• Liaising with our business partners on areas of improvement, development and opportunities for continued mutual growth and profitability.

• Maintain and enhance relationships with key customers and stakeholders, ensuring their satisfaction and loyalty.

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including underwriting, marketing, and product development teams, to align strategies and ensure seamless coordination across functions.

• Represent the company in industry forums, conferences, and events to enhance brand visibility and build strategic alliances.

5. Customer Service

• Ensure exceptional customer experience throughout the underwriting process by implementing customer-centric strategies and initiatives.

• Aligning customer service strategies and initiatives to the business strategy and focus areas.

• Seek opportunities for enhanced and unique service models driving our business strategy and goals.

• Develop and implement customer service standards and guidelines to deliver high-quality service.

• Monitor customer satisfaction levels, gather feedback, and implement improvements to enhance customer service and retention.

• Foster a customer-focused culture within the underwriting teams, emphasizing responsiveness, empathy, and proactive problem-solving.
6. Compliance and risk management

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

• Monitor and mitigate risks associated with underwriting activities, proactively addressing any potential issues or gaps.

• Stay updated on industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging underwriting models to identify opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:

• FAIS and RE compliant.

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related field will be an advantage.

• IISA professional insurance designation.

• Management Development Programme is advantageous.

• Key Individual qualifications would be advantageous
Work Experience
Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years work experience with at least 5 years of senior management experience.

• A proven track record of driving financial and operational performance within a division.

• Proven track record management broker relationships.

• Proven track record managing underwriting environments.

• Display a high tolerance for stressful environments.

• Must be willing to travel extensively throughout the country.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES
Minimum Requirements:

• Excellent leadership skills and the ability to lead through subordinate managers.

• Highly skilled in problem-solving and applying advanced analytical judgment to resolve complex or unusual business problems.

• A deep understanding and knowledge of the South African Insurance market.

• A deep understanding of the outsources and binder environment within the short-term environment.

• Sound knowledge of regulatory and legislative requirements.

• Excellent demonstratable knowledge and understanding of Commercial and Personal Lines Underwriting.

• Policy administration systems experience and an understanding of portfolio management principles. Experience in managing large book loss ratio and appropriate management of profitable short-term insurance environments.

• Good understanding how insurance systems work and a record of knowledge of the various systems within the outsourced and binder market.

• Analytically competent with a flair for MIS and reporting tools.

• Excellent writing capabilities with sound thought processes.

ATTRIBUTES
Attributes required for the position include but are not limited to:

• Extensive experience in the insurance industry, specifically in underwriting management, with a proven track record of driving profitable growth.

• Strong leadership abilities, with experience leading and motivating high-performing teams. Excellent understanding of the underwriting functions and market dynamics in the insurance sector.

• Sound knowledge of regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements relevant to the insurance industry.

• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

• Strategic mindset with the ability to translate business objectives into actionable sales plans.

• Analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.

• Strong business acumen and financial literacy.

ABOUT THE COMPANY
Brolink is a leading provider of insurance administration services, providing a comprehensive range of insurance products from South Africa's top insurers. Our portfolio includes personal insurance, commercial insurance as well as niche products such as agriculture, transport, engineering, and aviation.
As a short-term insurance administrator, Brolink provides a dedicated service to professional brokers in delivering on their clients' business or professional insurance needs.
Our mission is to connect brokers, insurers, policyholders and partners through our dynamic and innovative IT and expert people driven solutions. Our vision is to be the leading administrator and digital technology and integration platform provider for short-term insurance.

Applicants must have the following:

•Clear ITC

•Clear criminal record

•Excellent previous employment references.
Our values are Excellence, Integrity, Fairness.
Our Vision is to be the leading digital technology and integration platform for short-term insurance.
Qualified applicants are invited to apply by sending a CV to: before 30 May 2024.
Please note that this appointment will be made according to the company's Employment Equity targets and strategy. Provided you are not contacted within 2 weeks of job application deadline, please consider your application unsuccessful.