Let's Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

Lead and motivate the team of market facing underwriting managers

Manage resources – human, financial, processes.

Responsible for growth (retention, new business) and profitability of the commercial business.

Manages accurate and timeous placement of reinsurance on commercial business.

Manage and report on key measures such as GWP, cancellations, claims, complaints etc. for the commercial business.

Manage and report on management expenses for the commercial business.

Manages the process of implementing any offering or underwriting changes (e.g. setting up business requirements, obtain sign-offs and testing).

Manage and report on service delivery compliance of team.

To ensure sound underwriting principles are followed and work produced is at the desired quality levels. To assist with complex underwriting tasks within the team.

Support teams with broker engagements, leveraging business acumen to communicate complex underwriting decisions to brokers and or customers.

Works with the teams to provide solutions for brokers and end-customers to increase portfolio profitability and growth by understanding the customer needs.

Provide technical underwriting expertise to address technical enquiries.

Resolves above mandate referrals by combining research outcomes, past experience, intuition and commercial / business acumen to fully understand the risk and the impact of the referral.

Monitor and track compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.

Attend and participate in the Underwriting Committee meetings.

Track and monitor compliance to underwriting guidelines and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks identified.

Act as custodian of products within the Premier division, ensuring that products keep up with evolving trends, protect against emerging risks as well as remain competitive in the marketplace.

Continuous improvement to ensure effective service

Ensure statutory and legislative knowledge is always current in order to resolve customer complaints, to advise the business on corrective solutions to mitigate risks and to improve the customer experience whilst complying with governance requirements.

Ensure adherence to organisational policies, practices, guides, mandates and procedures.

Identify solutions to enhance cost effectiveness and increase operational efficiency.

Service delivery to ensure customer satisfaction

Identify and Implement agreed processes to manage achievement of service delivery goals. 

Maintain service, quality and desired outputs within a specific functional process through ensuring compliance to tactical policies, procedures and standards.

Establish productive operational relationships with key stakeholders in the various channels and administrative teams.

Share knowledge on, and participate in the creation of new standards, control systems and procedures to maintain service delivery.

Effective controls to manage risk

Identify and Implement controls identified in the standard processes to ensure operational risks are managed.

Identify operational risks that exposes the business, and make recommendations to senior management to mitigate any risks.

Ensure risk events are raised for any breaches or control failures.

Cost control and governance adherence

Proactively ensure use of time, resources, money, materials and equipment is in line with policies and procedures.

Comply with corporate governance policies, procedures and standards.

Quality people practices

Align own behaviour with the organisation culture and values.

Coach and mentor market facing senior underwriter(s) and underwriter(s).

Share and transfer product, process and systems knowledge to colleagues.

Ensure achievement of own performance objectives.

Actively share information with other team members regarding successes, issues, trends and ideas.

Actively participate in own professional development and career path.

Actively promote a culture of learning and high performance culture amongst team members (including Servicing & Sales and Distribution).

Share learnings from the Underwriting Committee meetings with team members.

Experience , Knowledge & Skills Required:

Operate within agreed mandates.

5 – 8 years’ experience in commercial or Agri underwriting.

5 – 8 years’ experience leading a team of specialist underwriters.

3 – 5 years’ experience in dealing with brokers.

Bachelor degree and/or equivalent NQF Level 5 (Licentiate or higher) qualification in general insurance is advantageous.

Knowledge of Assets All Risk wordings advantageous.

Competency Descriptors:

Strategic

Customer

Collaboration

Leading with Influence

Innovation

Manages the underwriting business with a team of underwriters. Develops the underwriting policy, procedures, and practices. Evaluates risks with high insured amounts, coverage complexity, and those in excess of field approval limits. Provides counsel to underwriters regarding risk evaluation and rating.

ResponsibilitiesUnderwriting Insurance Cases

Review and authorize complex, high-value, and/or unusual underwriting proposals from within the team to ensure that these proposals are constructed within acceptable commercial and risk parameters, leading on decisions relating to the highest-value and most complex or unusual risks.

Underwriting Automation

Guide the development and continuous improvement of automated underwriting processes and systems for a product or line of business, specifying process and system functionalities that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of underwriting.

Organizational Risk Management

Manage a significant portion of the organization's risk management and/or risk control processes. This includes contributing to the development and implementation of risk management policies and procedures.

Regulatory and Compliance Management

Monitor and manage a wide range of activities of a significant team, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements by liaising with all internal risk management functions while supporting the development and implementation of the organization's compliance policy.

Leadership and Direction

Communicate the actions needed to implement the function's strategy and business plan within the team; explain the relationship to the broader organization's mission, vision, and values; motivate people to commit to these and to do extraordinary things to achieve local business goals.

Performance Management

Manage and report on the performance of a substantial, diverse team; set appropriate performance objectives for direct reports or project/account team members and hold individuals accountable for achieving them; take appropriate corrective action where necessary to ensure the achievement of team/personal objectives.

Budgeting

Develop and/or deliver budget plans with guidance from senior colleagues.

Document Preparation

Write and edit material for various target populations, tailoring the tone and content to match the needs and expectations of each audience.

Financial Policies, Guidelines, and Protocols

Create a plan to deliver and review financial policies, guidelines, and protocols to ensure the company complies with regulations and good financial practice.

Organizational Capability Building

Use the organization's formal development framework to identify the team's individual development needs. Plan and implement actions, including continuing professional development specified by professional or regulatory institutions, to build their professional capabilities. Provide informal training or coaching to others throughout the organization in own area of expertise to enable others to improve performance and fulfill personal potential.

Skills

Accounting, Budget Management, Change Management, Data Compilation, Executing Plans, Financial Acumen, Legal Practices, Management Reporting, Numerical Aptitude, Policies & Procedures, Presenting Solutions, Professional Presentation, Risk Management, Servant Leadership, Underwriting Management

Competencies

Balances StakeholdersBuilds Effective TeamsBusiness InsightCommunicates EffectivelyEnsures AccountabilityFinancial AcumenInstills TrustManages Ambiguity

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Closing Date

08 July 2025 , 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

The Old Mutual Story!