Chief Underwriting Officer Construction Program

Chief Underwriting Officer – Construction Program

Job Summary

Seeking an experienced and highly skilled Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) to lead the underwriting strategy, portfolio performance, and carrier/reinsurance relationships for a growing construction-focused MGA/MGU. This is a unique opportunity to join an organization at an early stage and play a pivotal role in building a best-in-class construction underwriting platform. The ideal candidate will bring extensive expertise in commercial construction underwriting, particularly in California construction risks, and possess a strong reputation within the reinsurance and underwriting community.

Compensation Package

• Base Salary: $200,000–$300,000 (commensurate with experience and market profile)

Responsibilities

As the Chief Underwriting Officer, you will:

• Serve as the senior underwriting authority for the construction program.
• Develop and maintain underwriting guidelines, appetite, pricing philosophy, and risk selection standards.
• Underwrite and oversee California construction risks, including homebuilders, general contractors, primary general liability, excess liability, and construction-related casualty exposures.
• Build a disciplined and profitable portfolio while supporting strategic growth initiatives.
• Establish underwriting authority levels and referral protocols.
• Collaborate with the brokerage sister company to leverage market intelligence, distribution, and producer relationships.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with carriers, reinsurers, actuaries, and other key market partners.
• Represent the organization as a credible underwriting authority with reinsurers and capacity providers.
• Participate in the development and negotiation of reinsurance and capacity arrangements.
• Monitor portfolio performance, including loss ratios, severity trends, and overall profitability.
• Develop underwriting standards and processes to support organizational scaling.
• Mentor and build an underwriting team as the program grows.
• Partner with senior leadership on strategic growth initiatives and new product opportunities.
• Maintain a strong market presence and reputation within the construction insurance community.

Qualifications/Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• A minimum of 7+ years of commercial insurance underwriting experience, with preference for senior-level expertise.
• Deep knowledge of commercial construction insurance, particularly in California construction risks.
• Strong technical underwriting skills across primary general liability and excess liability.
• Experience underwriting risks related to homebuilders, general contractors, and construction-related exposures.
• A proven track record of profitable underwriting and disciplined risk selection.
• Established relationships and credibility with reinsurers, carriers, brokers, and wholesale distribution.
• A reputation as a technically sound and respected underwriter within the market.
• Experience developing or managing underwriting guidelines, appetite, authority, and portfolio strategy.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with the desire to build and grow a new underwriting platform.

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