Underwriting Team Leader

About us

Avencia are partnered with a leading insurer and Fortune 500 business who are looking to recruit an Underwriting Team Leader in their Leeds office.

The opportunity

It''s an exciting time to join as our business grows. The role is based within the renewals department as a Team Leader of the existing business-focused underwriting teams. The successful candidate will be working 3 days in the office / 2 days from home and dealing with a wide variety of Care, Social Welfare, Charity, and Not-for-Profit risks, in addition to the day-to-day leadership of the team.

The team is well respected in the industry, having built a strong reputation. As the Team Leader, you will lead and monitor all aspects of workflow, ensuring financial targets such as GWP, renewal retention, cross- and up-selling are achieved. You''ll be proactive, building and maintaining strong relationships internally and externally with brokers, while monitoring and analysing broker and underwriter activity to identify successes and areas for improvement.

Key accountabilities

• Provide leadership and direction to the renewal team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Lead and monitor team and individual performance, taking action where necessary
• Set SMART goals, manage resources, prioritise workflow, and review key deliverables
• Coach and develop the team to a high level of performance
• Deliver excellent service to brokers, prioritising renewals and mid-term adjustments to meet deadlines and maximise business development opportunities
• Identify and implement changes to deliver exceptional customer service
• Contribute to the profitability and financial performance of the business through efficient working practices
• Build and maintain excellent working relationships with the team and wider business
• Attend underwriting and broker meetings, providing insight into developments, trends, and feedback on market conditions
• Manage a portfolio of risks, underwriting large and complex renewal cases within defined underwriting authority

Skills & experience

• Strong people management and project skills, with the ability to structure task allocations around critical goals
• Underwriting experience, ideally within care/social welfare or commercial combined lines
• Excellent organisational and delegation skills
• Strong technical and communication skills (written and spoken)
• Proven ability to coach and develop team members
• High accuracy and attention to detail
• Track record in building and developing broker relationships
• ACII or similar qualification preferred

Benefits

• Excellent starting salary plus 25% annual bonus and strong benefits package
• 25 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays, with the option to buy/sell extra leave
• Company pension scheme, private medical and dental cover, life assurance, travel insurance, income protection, season ticket loan, and other benefits
• Opportunities to learn new skills and develop your career, with full support provided