VP, Underwriting

RenaissanceRe is a leading writer of Property & Casualty Reinsurance. For over 25 years, we have helped customers and communities recover and build resilience through our industry-leading ability to understand risk, source efficient capital and rapidly pay claims.

Our global team shares a passion for solving our customers’ biggest problems through a collaborative and entrepreneurial culture that empowers employees and rewards creative thinking.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The VP, Underwriting, will be responsible for the production, marketing and technical underwriting of property reinsurance, predominantly Property Catastrophe Lines. Successful candidates will have a strong International Property Catastrophe Excess of Loss background, with established broker and client relationships.

This individual will work closely with the broader underwriting team to deliver coordinated support to the organization’s International clients.  Drawing on deep expertise and market experience, the VP Underwriting, will regularly travel to engage with clients and contribute to thought leadership, representing RenaissanceRe’s sector views and underwriting approach. As an experienced member of the Underwriting team, the successful candidate will also be expected to train, mentor, and develop junior underwriting talent. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Analyze, model and make risk decisions on assumed International Primary Catastrophe Excess of Loss submissions
• Use third party vendor models as well as proprietary tools and systems to effectively evaluate, compare, and report on reinsurance transactions; interpret and challenge the modelled results and, where relevant, include non-modelled data to enhance the assessment of risk
• Make informed underwriting decisions in alignment with RenaissanceRe’s risk appetite and tolerance levels
• Advise other underwriters on International Property Catastrophe risk decisions
• Work with clients and brokers to understand client risk transfer goals, identify and structure creative solutions, and lead negotiations to achieve mutually desired outcomes
• Proactively monitor the profitability of reinsurance transactions throughout their life cycle
• Contribute to the design and development of proprietary tools that will enable improved analyses, reporting, and insights at the deal, client, and portfolio level
• Protect and grow strong broker and client relationships, traveling regularly to maintain strategic engagement, leading effective meetings and discussions, and communicating our underwriting requirements and philosophies
• Contribute to the development of the organization’s understanding of market trends, risk, and capital, including developing internal views and conveying those views to clients and brokers through meetings, presentations, and white papers
• Develop relationships across the broader International Property underwriting team to enable effective internal coordination across reinsurance transactions, claims, and capital utilization for RenaissanceRe’s large International clients
• Act as a trainer, leader and potentially manager for underwriting analysts; mentor, coach and help to maintain a high-performing team
• Contribute to the continuous improvements of processes, communication, and documentation across the Underwriting function; encourage and train others in effectively using these processes

Candidate Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 - 10+ years of experience working in progressively senior and technical underwriting or broking roles at a sophisticated re/insurer or reinsurance broker, with deep knowledge of global insurance and reinsurance markets
• A reputation for developing, managing and enhancing relationships with global brokers and clients
• Strong understanding of actuarial concepts, knowledge of relevant vendor catastrophe models (e.g. RMS, AIR, EQE), and ability to critically evaluate complex model results
• Deep experience evaluating portfolios and structuring thoughtful solutions
• Excellent mathematical, statistical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work with and contribute to the design of complex risk systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively across all levels
• Entrepreneurial and agile work style; able to lead and work collaboratively within a team environment as well as roll up sleeves as an individual contributor
• Emotional and organizational intelligence and interpersonal versatility; demonstrates sensitivity, respects cultural differences, and acts in an ethical manner always
• Ability to multi-task in a timely, accurate manner and provide feedback efficiently in a fast-paced underwriting environment
• Undergraduate degree expected, ideally within a quantitative discipline such as science, engineering, economics, finance, math, or statistics; relevant advanced degree in business or hard sciences ideal but not required

This is a fast-paced business environment, demanding a strong work ethic and a results-oriented approach.

We seek diversity, create equity, and practice inclusion. Our people are at the heart of everything we do.

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We provide equal opportunity to all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, disability, military status or other legally protected categories.

Our people are our most valuable resource and core to our success. This is a fast-paced business environment, demanding a strong work ethic and a results-oriented approach. We offer competitive compensation and benefits, a comprehensive talent development program, and a reward system in which employees share in the success of the company. We are an engaged member of the communities in which we live and work and have a locally-led giving philosophy with generous employee matching program, global and local community grants and employee volunteerism.

We seek diversity, create equity, and practice inclusion. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, disability, military status or other legally protected categories.