Senior Manager, Underwriting

The Senior Manager – Underwriting is a pivotal leadership position within the Underwriting team, responsible for driving underwriting strategy, overseeing complex and high-value life insurance risk assessments, and ensuring consistent portfolio profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and develop the underwriting team to achieve individual and organisational performance goals.
• Oversee the underwriting of complex, large-sum, and high-value life insurance applications, ensuring sound risk selection.
• Develop, implement, and periodically review underwriting policies, guidelines, and best practices.
• Monitor portfolio performance, identify trends, and proactively manage risk exposure across the book of business.
• Review and approve underwriting decisions above delegated authority thresholds, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Actuarial, Product Development, Sales, Claims, and Compliance teams.
• Ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements, internal governance standards, and reinsurance treaty obligations.
• Drive process improvements and lead the adoption of new underwriting tools, technologies, and data analytics.
• Prepare management information reports and present portfolio insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Manage key external relationships with reinsurers, brokers, intermediaries, and distribution partners.
• Contribute to product development initiatives, and new business feasibility assessments.
• Handle escalated underwriting queries, complex risk assessments, and disputed decisions with sound judgment.
• Represent the underwriting function in business planning, strategy sessions, and regulatory discussions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, medicine, or a related field.
• Professional underwriting qualification preferred (e.g., FLMI, ALU, DipCII, or equivalent).
• Minimum of 10-15 years of underwriting experience in life insurance.
• At least 3–5 years in a team leadership or senior managerial underwriting role.
• Strong knowledge of underwriting principles and practices.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with reinsurance arrangements and treaty management is a significant advantage.
• Prior involvement in product development, pricing, or portfolio strategy is desirable.