Lead Underwriter

Introduction

At Pen, we don’t just underwrite risk, we unlock possibility. We’re a dynamic underwriting and distribution business backed by the strength of Gallagher and powered by a belief that every challenge has a solution. With entrepreneurial energy, niche expertise, and a bold growth mindset, we’re transforming what it means to be an MGA in today’s insurance landscape. Whether you’re shaping new products, solving complex problems, or collaborating across teams, your ideas and initiative will help deliver smarter solutions for our clients—and move the industry forward. Here, agility meets stability. Creativity meets execution. And your career meets real opportunity. At Pen, we champion innovation, value accountability, and thrive on building something better together. If you’re looking to join a team that’s rewriting the future of underwriting, we’d love to hear from you.

Overview

The role supports the profitable growth and controlled operation of Pen's Smart Follow & Facility Underwriting division.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Underwriting Lead is responsible for leading the day-to-day underwriting and technical operation of the in-house, rules-based Smart Follow facility.

Responsibilities underwriting oversight, referral management, delegated authority compliance, quality assurance, data reporting, operational robustness and performance monitoring.

The role acts as the principal technical contact for the smart follow and facility team and serves as the first escalation point below the Managing Director, ensuring business is written in accordance with agreed underwriting guidelines, authority levels and facility objectives.

How you'll make an impact

Underwriting leadership

• Oversee day-to-day underwriting activity and ensure risks are processed consistently within the facility rules and delegated authorities
• Review and determine referrals within personal authority, escalating material or complex matters to the Managing Director or capacity provider as required
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and case support to London and GCoE colleagues
• Maintain clear underwriting guidance, referral criteria, authority records and decision audit trails

Facility and workflow management

• Act as the day-to-day contact for underwriting queries from brokers, internal stakeholders and facility colleagues
• Manage referral queues, priorities and service levels across the facility
• Coordinate quote, bind, endorsement and renewal activity, ensuring hand-offs are controlled and timely
• Identify recurring referral themes or process constraints and recommend rules, workflow or training changes and escalate within the business as appropriate

People and stakeholder support

• Set day-to-day priorities for the underwriting team and support capability development
• Work closely with operations, technology, finance, claims and compliance stakeholders
• Escalate material performance, conduct, control or capacity issues promptly and clearly

Portfolio performance and MI

• Coordinate facility MI and reporting, including premium, utilisation, quote conversion, referral volumes, turnaround times and bordereaux quality
• Monitor capacity deployment and portfolio development against plan and agreed appetite
• Prepare performance materials for the Managing Director, Pen and Gallagher stakeholders, capacity providers and governance forums
• Use data to identify emerging trends, exceptions and areas requiring management action

Governance and quality assurance

• Lead underwriting file reviews, peer checks, process audits and remediation activity
• Ensure adherence to binding authority terms, underwriting rules, Lloyd's requirements and internal controls
• Coordinate responses to underwriting audits and support ongoing Coverholder oversight
• Ensure accurate records are maintained for underwriting decisions, referrals, endorsements and bound business

About you

Essential

• London Market underwriting experience, including facilities, delegated authority or program business
• Strong technical judgement and experience handling referrals or authority-based decisions
• Working knowledge of binding authorities, bordereaux, audit trails and delegated authority reporting
• Experience producing and interpreting underwriting and portfolio MI
• Ability to lead workflow, coach colleagues and communicate clearly with brokers and capacity providers

Desirable

• Experience in smart follow, consortium, follow-market or technology-enabled underwriting
• Formal team leadership or supervisory experience
• Experience using PPL and delegated authority or policy administration platforms

Core Competencies

• Technical underwriting judgement
• Referral and escalation management
• Portfolio and MI analysis
• Quality assurance and control
• Broker and stakeholder communication
• Team supervision and coaching
• Process improvement

Compensation and benefits

At Gallagher, we believe supporting our colleagues goes far beyond the role itself. For more information, visit our Benefits page.

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits programs designed to support your well-being 
• Career development opportunities and ongoing learning 
• A collaborative, people-first culture with accessible leadership 
• The opportunity to do meaningful work with global reach and local impact 

At Gallagher, we are dedicated to building an inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to join our Talent Community to stay connected to additional career opportunities. Although this role is listed as full-time, if you’re in a job-share partnership, work reduced hours, or have any other flexible arrangement, please still get in touch. We will also offer reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process if required, so please let us know.

Gallagher is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer (Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled)