Underwriting Manager

Senior Manager, Underwriting

Location: Southern California
Work Arrangement: Hybrid, 3 days in office
Position Type: Permanent
Compensation: $150,000 to $220,000 base salary

Position Overview

An established commercial P&C insurance organization is seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Underwriting to lead a middle-market underwriting operation. This is a hands-on leadership role combining people management, underwriting oversight, agency development, production, and portfolio management.

The ideal candidate will have a strong middle-market Commercial Lines underwriting background, with significant experience underwriting Construction risks. The position will lead approximately 7 to 8 underwriting professionals while remaining involved with larger, more complex, and unusual accounts.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop approximately 7 to 8 underwriting professionals
• Oversee underwriting quality, productivity, and adherence to underwriting guidelines
• Partner with regional leadership on business strategy and execution
• Contribute to and execute business plans focused on profitable premium growth
• Remain involved in underwriting large, complex, and unusual commercial risks
• Monitor portfolio performance, including loss ratios, sales goals, profitability, and growth
• Manage and develop independent agency relationships
• Drive production through agency engagement, territory development, and business planning
• Oversee agency appointments and evaluate agency performance
• Conduct underwriting file reviews and ensure compliance with company and regulatory standards
• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate underwriting staff
• Collaborate with Claims, Risk Control, and other internal partners
• Travel as needed for agency visits, meetings, and relationship development

Underwriting Focus

• Middle-market Commercial P&C
• Construction
• Larger and more complex commercial accounts
• Oil & Gas / Energy experience is highly desirable
• Strong emphasis on balancing growth and underwriting profitability

Candidate Requirements

• Minimum of 5 to 7+ years of Commercial Lines underwriting experience, with more experience likely preferred for this level of leadership
• Strong middle-market Construction underwriting experience required
• Construction experience should involve true middle-market risks rather than primarily small artisan contractors
• Previous leadership or management experience
• Experience directly overseeing and developing underwriting professionals strongly preferred
• Experience handling larger commercial accounts
• Strong agency management, production, and business-development experience
• Deep understanding of ISO forms, pricing, coverage analysis, and risk selection
• Demonstrated ability to manage both profitability and growth within a territory
• Strong analytical, communication, relationship-management, and leadership skills
• Carrier experience preferred, but candidates from an MGA environment may be considered if they have true underwriting authority
• Oil & Gas / Energy underwriting experience is a strong plus

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced Commercial Lines underwriting leader with deep middle-market Construction expertise who can effectively balance people leadership, technical underwriting, agency relationships, production, and profitability.

This could be a strong fit for a Senior Underwriting Manager, Underwriting Manager, Regional Underwriting Manager, Commercial Lines Manager, or experienced underwriting leader who has managed a team while maintaining responsibility for a substantial middle-market book of business.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Leadership responsibility for an established underwriting team
• Competitive $150K to $220K base salary
• Hybrid work arrangement
• Significant involvement in underwriting strategy and portfolio performance
• Opportunity to remain hands-on with complex middle-market risks
• Strong agency relationship and business-development component
• Ability to influence both profitable growth and team development