Senior Director, Commercial Lines Corporate Underwriting

Do you value integrity and innovation? How about passion and caring? Great! Us too, and that's why you'll fit right in. Our intentional culture promotes trust and participation, encouraging you to bring your heart and mind to work every day.

Out-of-Scope

Permanent, Full-Time

Work Location: The preference is for candidates in Saskatchewan, but the role is eligible for hybrid/remote work and candidates in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto will be considered.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the development of commercial lines underwriting governance, process, standards, reporting and monitoring across SGI CANADA.  In this role you will lead teams to research, define and implement best practices and risk appetite for SGI CANADA which will support corporate priorities of operational excellence and sustainable growth while maintaining a global view in the process design, monitoring and governance of underwriting and an integrated view with product management.

Key Accountabilities

Note: This section is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities – other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

Underwriting Process Analysis, Development, Monitoring & Reporting

• Facilitates continuous review and reporting of underwriting processes and procedures for SGI CANADA for efficiency, quality and compliance to determine areas for optimization and opportunities for further automation.

• Leads in the establishment, monitoring and review of underwriter performance standards and defines when front line intervention is necessary.

• Develops and ensures consistency in common processes, practices and training for commercial lines underwriting.

• Oversees analysis to determine which risks (customers) are automated, which are referred to underwriting and which risks (customers) are not accepted and communicating this criteria to brokers.

• Segment identification and risk appetite to identify the areas and reasons for current success and research new opportunities for growth.

• Identifies and addresses gaps such as approach to segment expertise, training and portfolio underwriting.

• Oversees the routine monitoring of metrics such as success, decline and loss ratios by broker and class in order to provide feedback to front line underwriters and business development.

• Defines and develops tools and reporting to support frontline underwriters in portfolio underwriting.

• Monitors and maintains knowledge of industry trends, developments, and regulatory changes.

• Gathers, assesses and communicates market intelligence to internal stakeholders, including Product Management, Business Development, Customer and Marketing Strategy, and Claims.

Underwriting Strategy & National Governance

• Leads in the development and execution of a national corporate underwriting strategy for commercial lines that is aligned with national objectives and corporate priorities.

• Leads in the evaluation of an increasingly broad level and complexity of emerging risks with varying liability exposures in order to define and review risk appetite for commercial lines.

• Ensures the underwriting program and guidelines align with established corporate and department risk appetite and accuracy of rating model.

• Leads team to research, define, implement and monitor best practices in commercial underwriting and maintain standards in an evolving industry.

• Leads team to research innovations in commercial lines in areas such as technology, automation and best practices in order to continue to grow and offer innovative underwriting process in a lagging commercial lines industry.

• Audits best practices and processes along with reporting and monitoring on the impact of key decisions.

• Leads the research, development and monitoring of underwriting rules and guidelines for SGI CANADA front line underwriters to follow.

• Provides strategic guidance and support on key underwriting and growth initiatives such as commercial lines reinvention.

• Works with brokers and other areas to identify customer gaps and needs, conducts analysis and determines action required (i.e. stop gap measure or routine product reviews).

Internal and External Relationship Management

• Collaborates with Product Management to ensure products/coverages are developed in alignment with the defined risk appetite and corporate strategies and ensures alignment between the strategy, product and front line underwriting.  

• Liaises with Product Management, Operations and Actuarial to ensure that underwriting practices and product pricing achieve an appropriate balance between profitability and growth while adhering to defined best practices and risk appetite for SGI CANADA.

• Liaises with other insurance companies’ product/customer leaders and industry contacts.

People Leadership

• Builds a high performing workforce by actively leading human resource activities.

• Ensures development of divisional succession plans.

• Builds a culture of leadership and accountability to effectively deliver on the strategic and corporate strategies, ensuring integration with employee performance development and career development plans.

• Drives performance through team members and is committed to leadership development across the company, supporting employees and workforce readiness through mentoring, training and development opportunities.

Corporate Management

• Ensures programs and policies are in alignment with corporate, strategic and divisional strategies.

• Manages risk in area of authority.

• Prepares, reviews, manages and/or approves departmental/divisional budgets.

• Prepares decision requests, decision and/or information items and/or SGI board items.

• Ensures that the Health, Safety and Emergency Management Policy is applied in area of responsibility, including development, implementation and managing of program components specific to departmental health and safety requirements.

• Makes decisions for departmental operations that are efficient, effective and in alignment with strategic direction and priorities.

• Ensures department and program policies, procedures and guidelines are in compliance with applicable federal and provincial legislation and regulations; implements and evaluates changes to legislation and regulations in area of authority.

• Establishes and maintains an effective system of internal controls to support reliable financial reporting and compliance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations within the span of control, and communicates the importance of internal controls to staff.

Education and Experience

• Four-year degree from an accredited post-secondary education institution in a relevant field of study such as Business or Mathematics and Applied Sciences.

• Twelve years’ experience comprised of eight years leadership experience with increasing responsibility and four years’ experience in a technical insurance, statistical, actuarial, or finance position.

Knowledge , Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of all lines of insurance.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of insurance.

• Knowledge of the insurance market.

• Knowledge of statistical models and their application.

• Knowledge of organizational units and how they interact to support the Corporation’s operations.

• Knowledge of project management methodologies.

• Ability to develop clear and concise business cases and strategy proposals.

• Ability to apply analytical information and drive business value.

• Ability to analyze and interpret financial statements and reports.

• Ability to analyze and research problems or opportunities until resolved.

Pay Range:$137,715.00 - $183,633.00

Posting Close Date:

April 11, 2025

As you prepare to submit your application, and cover letter if applicable, please highlight the achievements that demonstrate why you're a great candidate for this role.