Branch Manager/Senior Underwriter

Purpose of the Role:

• The Senior Underwriter/Branch Manager is expected to ensure profitable growth of the Branch Office business whilst maintaining sound underwriting standards within prescribed underwriting authority.
• The Senior Underwriter/Branch Manager will develop, retain, and expand business relationship with all producer channels within the Mombasa Branch; Manage relationships to ensure that service levels meet or exceed customer expectations across all products and services; Develop sales plans for producers recommend, and promote company products and services, based on the channel needs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Underwriting

• Accepts, declines, or modifies new and renewal submissions submitted by brokers.
• Identifies exposures and analysis required to underwrite an account, as well as the coverage policies, and determines the exposures to loss assumed and restricted by the insuring agreements and the exclusions.
• Manages a book of business and participates in the formulation of the budget relative to branch budget/goals.
•  Establishes new business production goals and submission flow relative to the book of business.
• Handle referrals to head office as appropriate
• Provides technical direction to junior underwriters.

Portfolio Management

• Ensure adherence to all underwriting guidelines
• Manage the branch portfolio in profitable and sustainable growth, closely following claims activity trends
• Ensure adherence to all reporting requirements
• Ensure adherence to all control framework requirements
• Weekly reporting on key performance indicators for new and renewal business

Business Development & Retention

• To drive and work with producers and underwriters to identify new business opportunities and procure new business.
• To work with producers to identify business opportunities and build accounts pipeline through the producer’s networks and clientele base.
• To accompany producers for presentations and client visits.
• To work with producers and underwriters to achieve targeted retention ratio.
• To work with producers to target profitable market and secure healthy business portfolio and business mix.

Receivables

• Liaise with Collections team to provide statements on a monthly basis and discuss the receivables position with the brokers.
• Ensure cash and carry rule is observed

Service Issues Management

• Review Service status report from Salesforce to monitor achievement of Service standards with brokers.
• Liaise with Head of Operations to improve service turnaround times and enhancement of Service report for Management purposes.
•  Liaise with Product Towers to improve product requests and quotation turnaround times to enhance producer relationship and increase chances of hit ratio success.

Audit & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to audit/compliance and regulatory requirements in areas of responsibility.

What We are Looking For:-

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing/Insurance or Business from a recognized institution.
• Insurance Technical Qualifications CII/ACII or AIIK
• Marketing professional qualifications – desired
•  Proficient in IT applications widely used for business.
• Relevant experience in Insurance and other financial services, in related Underwriting/BDM role.

Skills & Competencies:

• Excellent knowledge of the insurance distribution channels.
• In depth knowledge of the current business and marketing trends.
• Insurance Industry knowledge including underwriting concepts, local practices and processing essentials.
• Confidence to prepare and present tailored presentations to a varied set of audience.
• Strong client management skills and ability to keep promises.
• Confident negotiator and ability to “close the deal.”
• Demonstrate experience driving growth through innovation – use of data analytics and insights in decision making.
• A demonstrated ability to communicate and influence at varying levels.
• Highly motivated and ability to work under own initiative and as part of a team.
• Time management – Ability to prioritize and manage workloads.
• Problem solving aptitude