Branch Underwriting Manager - Leeds / Newcastle

At AXA Commercial, we support our business customers, large and small, by making it easy for them to do business with us in the way that suits them. Whether they insure with us via brokers, directly on the phone or online through comparison sites, we've got them covered.

We're currently looking to expand the commercial team and bring to market a great opportunity to join us as a Branch Underwriting Manager. This role provides a fantastic opportunity for you to build key foundations and shape the narrative, that will provide AXA the exposure and scope required for growth. Reporting into the Branch Manager you’ll lead and manage the operational underwriting function of our Leeds and Newcastle Branch, applying underwriting and pricing strategy and policies, to build technical excellence and deliver profit and income targets.

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team, and our customers. You'll work at least 60% of your week away from home, at our office locations in Leeds and Newcastle, visiting clients or attending industry events.

What you’ll be doing:

• Deliver planned underwriting result through underwriting account management financial planning, account monitoring and analysis of underwriting trends.
• Take responsibility for profitability, underwriting governance and control of all business traded through the Branch.
• Demonstrate loss ratio control by effectively implementing and monitoring underwriting controls.
• Build a reputation as an underwriting expert and build confidence in the Branch’s underwriting capability.
• Set and monitor underwriting standards across the Branch ensuring effective management and deployment of empowerment, whilst creating clarity for underwriters seeking to progress through licence levels.
• Coach and develop underwriting staff, fostering a culture of high performance.
• Lead teams to deliver upon financial KPI’s including New Business, Retention, Rate, Pipeline and GWP.
• Lead underwriting relationships with key customers and brokers.
• Role model good decision-making behaviours, on technical and trading issues, that sets the tone to deliver strategic objectives.
• Manage the underwriting team through effective performance management to continuously develop the capabilities of the Branch.

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role, we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure we’re able to effectively manage interest. Therefore, if you’re interested in joining us at AXA, please don’t hesitate to apply.

What you’ll bring:

• Previous experience of working at a senior level within a commercial insurance environment.
• Sound understanding of insurance market and processes.
• Excellent relationship management skills and experience of building successful long-term relationships both internally and externally.
• People and resource management skills and the ability to lead and motivate teams.
• Pragmatic decision-making ability with good analytical and numerical reasoning skills.
• Long and short-term planning and analytical skills with proven experience of both operational and strategic planning.
• Experience in decision making on a wide range of technical underwriting scenarios, including large case and portfolio management within a Commercial environment.
• Technical underwriting expertise in a commercial insurance environment.
• Understanding of the profitability of business within the intermediary channel.
• ACII qualifications are desirable.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

This position has been defined as an Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) role under the IDD regime which means that in addition to pre-employment screening checks, the successful candidate will be subject to background screening every 4 years with an annual declaration in interim years.

What we offer:

At AXA UK, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary
• Annual company & performance-based bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Car allowance
• Up to 21 hours volunteering leave per year
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• AXA employee discounts
• Private heath cover
• Wellbeing services & resources

To apply, click on the ‘apply for this job’ button, you’ll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long-term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, we’re proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to mel.ainscough@axa-insurance.co.uk.

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Who we are:

AXA Commercial protects businesses, from multinationals to micro start-ups, giving them the confidence to thrive. We’re currently making our biggest ever investment to develop the expertise and skills we need to be the best. We’re a vibrant community where everyone is supported to learn, develop, and take ownership of their work.