Underwriting Manager – Workers Compensation

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Illinois, +5 more states.

📋 Description

• Translate MEM’s underwriting appetite and strategic direction into explicit guidance that fosters consistent, portfolio-aligned decision-making.

• Guide the team to consider the broader context beyond individual transactions, ensuring that underwriting decisions reflect overall portfolio outcomes.

• Monitor the composition of the book-of-business, identifying trends, concentrations, and opportunities for proactive strategic modifications.

• Contribute to underwriting strategy discussions by leveraging insights from market conditions, loss trends, and portfolio performance.

• Mentor underwriters to enhance judgment and decision-making in alignment with performance and profitability objectives.

• Oversee daily underwriting operations to ensure alignment with departmental goals and overarching business objectives.

• Manage risk selection, pricing, and reinsurance decisions within established authority to uphold quality and profitability.

• Distribute workload evenly across the team to ensure strong service levels and consistent outcomes.

• Collaborate with underwriting leadership to guarantee consistent implementation of best practices throughout the organization.

• Ensure that underwriting decisions adhere to company guidelines, authority levels, and compliance standards.

• Analyze historical loss data and financial trends to inform risk selection and portfolio strategies.

• Support the creation and evolution of underwriting guidelines based on market and business requirements.

• Participate in quality assurance initiatives by reviewing underwriting work, pinpointing improvement opportunities, and driving corrective actions.

• Maintain high documentation standards and readiness for audits.

• Cultivate underwriting judgment within the team, empowering individuals to make confident, independent decisions.

• Develop personalized growth plans that support development at every stage of an underwriter’s career.

• Conduct meaningful performance discussions centered on decision quality, consistency, and strategic alignment.

• Identify opportunities for hiring, promotion, and role alignment that enhance overall team capability.

• Build strong relationships with agency partners and Sales Executives to expand in-appetite business.

• Collaborate across departments—including Safety, Claims, Finance, and Sales—to achieve aligned outcomes.

• Lead the coordination on complex accounts through account reviews and cross-functional engagement.

• Represent underwriting with professionalism and clarity to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Provide insights and recommendations regarding profitability, premium planning, and portfolio performance.

• Support strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing underwriting operations and competitiveness.

• Contribute to improvements in underwriting tools, systems, and processes.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Insurance, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

• CPCU or AU designation is preferred.

• A valid driver’s license is required.

• 6+ years of underwriting experience, with a preference for property and casualty experience.

• Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate a team effectively.

• Strong communication skills with the capability to translate complex concepts into clear directives.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health Plans: Medical, Dental, and Vision.

• Employer-Paid Life and Disability Benefits: Life Insurance (3x base salary), AD&D, Short and Long-term Disability.

• Wellness and Recognition Program: Employer-paid incentives for employees and their spouses.

• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care options.

• Health Savings Account: Generous employer contribution.

• Time Away from Work: Generous PTO, 11 Holidays + 4 Early Releases, 16 Hours Volunteer Time Off, 20 Days Paid Parental Leave, Marriage, Bereavement, and Jury Duty leave.

• Employee Assistance Programs.

• 401k Retirement Plan: Employer match and profit sharing.

• Adoption Assistance and Tuition Assistance.