Senior Underwriter

Reporting into the Technical Executive Underwriter, Senior Life Underwriter will be responsible for underwriting life, disability, critical illness and income protection within agreed underwriting authority limits.

The incumbent will also be responsible for risk assessment, policy decisions (changes/cancellation requests) and identify business trends in order to ensure profitability and that business targets are met.

Education:

• Revelant Degree (Bcom, Bsc or Nursing)

Experience:

• 5 years underwriting experience in long term insurance
• Proficient in the assessment and management of underwriting decisions
• Technical knowledge and experience with technology relative to industry.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Sound medical & life assurance knowledge
• Fluent in English both written and verbal
• Good computer knowledge - MS Outlook, Excel and Word are necessary
• Must have a mature, disciplined and driven personality
• Ability to work independently as well as being a good team-player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Technical knowledge and experience with technology relative to industry.
• Demonstrates the ability to understand and interpret key technology platforms relative to PPS
• Excellent understanding of current and emerging technological trends

Competencies:

• decision making
• Communication skills.
• Negotiation,
• Analytical and numerical skills
• Planning and organizing
• Attention to detail
• Client centricity
• Resilience
• Complex problem solving
• Adapting and responding to change
• Deadline/target driven, with ability to work under pressure
• Logical and analytical

Process optimization and efficiencies

• Responsible for underwriting life, disability, critical illness and income protection within agreed underwriting authority limits.
• Underwrite cases within the agreed service level agreements.
• Responsible for achieving and maintaining standards in underwriting.
• Provide constructive feedback to the Technical Executive Underwriter regarding matters arising.
• Assess and authorise specific underwriting cases.
• Responsible for financial underwriting to ensure accurate financial underwriting decisions.
• Participation in projects to improve departmental service-owning your role in the project and completing tasks as required by providing input.

Risk and Compliance

• Adhere to internal SLAs to ensure operational efficiency and achievement of agreed customer service standards
• Must understand the underwriting environment and general protocols and processes
• Ensure adherence to regulatory and compliance requirements

People and Culture

• Checking and Authorization of underwriting decisions in terms of published delegation of authority.
• Collaboration with relevant stakeholders: Claims, Marketing, Distribution and Intermediary Services
• Deal with Arbitration and Ombudsman cases and collaborate with other stakeholder during the Complaints process
• Contribute and assist to review processes and protocols where required to assist in PPS delivery of quality underwriting decisions
• Forge strong working relationships with stakeholder

Knowledge Champion

• Provide guidance and support to junior underwriters
• Empower team members with transfer of knowledge.
• Ensure that own knowledge is kept abreast with industry & regulatory information and changes through various internal and external information sources
• Provide technical information and support
• Referring cases to Reassurers
• Underwriting Life, Disability, Critical Illness and IP cover
• Discussing Counter-offer letters with Financial Advisors

Coaching & Feedback

• Support Managers and Learning and Development to identify learning objectives; implement training interventions and create development plans.
• Support active learning plan for onboarding of new employees and constant learning for all employees through coaching and other interventions.