Director of Underwriting

Mutual of Enumclaw was founded in 1898 by local farmers who wanted to look out for each other. That spirit continues to define our company culture. We are committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. Our employees are proud of our thoughtful approach to insurance, and it shows. In January 2024, we were recognized as Washington's Best Company to Work For (our twelfth year in a row as one of the top 100) by Seattle Business magazine, based on a survey of our employees.

Mutual of Enumclaw works exclusively with local independent agents to offer insurance products for individuals, families, farms, and businesses. We currently operate in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, and Wyoming.

The Director of Underwriting reports to the Underwriting & Development VP and participates in the development and execution of strategic business plans designed to increase presence in the market, retain the appropriate mix of business, and achieve business objectives.  This position drives efforts to achieve quality results and promotes a spirit of always doing the right thing on behalf of our company, business partners, and members.  The core duties include providing Underwriting expertise and leadership involving Underwriting practice, process improvements, expense management, internal auditing, competitive market analysis, Agency Relations/Producer Services, and product development collaboration.

Location: Hybrid position with approximately 15% travel required.

Hiring Range: $153,915 - $184,747

Salary Range: $153,915 - $218,716

*The hiring range represents Mutual of Enumclaw’s current hiring pay scale for this role. Mutual of Enumclaw reserves the right to modify or update this range any time. Exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience. Compensation is only one part of our entire total rewards package. To see some of the benefits and perks we offer, please click here.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Create and sustain a culture of ownership and accountability that encourages the high performance of individuals and teams.
• Lead and execute Underwriting training, operational, product, and technology-based strategic initiatives.
• Provide management oversight and direction for assigned underwriting managers and related teams.
• Manage, mentor, coach, and guide assigned Underwriting Managers and staff, perform effective succession planning.
• Responsible for team engagement and retention through practices that promote positive communication, recognition, teamwork, and effective employee relations practices.

Responsibilities:

• Self-starting leader with proven ability to see the vision and drive frequent and continuous organizational change and improvement that demonstrates Underwriting excellence and delivers world-class service and superior quality; proven ability to direct, lead, and influence the Underwriting teams to achieve and sustain department and company initiatives.
• Provide effective and efficient Underwriting management, operational policy services, technical direction, training, project management, competitive analysis, market expansion, and meet established deadlines.
• Use data analytics to identify trends and areas of opportunity. Provide accurate, timely, and digestible reporting that provides insights into our performance compared with our corporate objectives.
• Work cross-functionally to drive visibility and collaborative improvements for each area of opportunity.
• Guide problem resolution escalated by other business units, Agents, and assigned staff. Provide Underwriting and insurance industry expertise, mentoring, coaching, and knowledge transfer to guide the development of less experienced staff.
• Formulate, develop, and drive implementation of effective, profitable Underwriting business strategies appropriate for the Company's market position and business objectives.
• Recruit qualified staff for open positions; set performance objectives, implement performance planning and review processes; evaluate assigned staff's job performance.
• Devise, launch, and execute business development programs and services to achieve business plan objectives, profitability, and revenue generation.
• Nurture business relationships with our Agency partners by collaborating with Marketing to partner on Agency management initiatives.
• Gather, synthesize, and communicate market intelligence, pricing, and competitive practices information to members of the Marketing, Claims, and associated MoE teams and provide recommendations on how MoE can best compete in current business environments.
• As directed, perform assignments and assist with special projects and provide specialized support according to Department priorities.
• Drive process and practice improvements and develop Underwriting department procedures to refine/upgrade business processes and enhance customer focus.  
• Identify and remove barriers to effective interactions across the business unit.
• Accountable for Underwriting excellence, including the development and implementation of Underwriting guidelines, authority, and oversight of Underwriting audits.

Required Skills/Abilities: 

• Self-starter with a proven track record of developing and executing business strategies, driving customer experience, and aligning complex customer solutions at executive and department levels.
• Ability to research and resolve increasingly complex problems, prioritize project tasks and collaborate with team members in situations that are frequently ambiguous.
• Outstanding cross-organization collaboration and influence leadership skills.
• Superior communication skills (verbal and written) and well-developed presentation skills.
• Experience with coaching employees, delivering feedback, goal setting, and performance evaluation.
• Demonstrated quantitative and analytical skills. Strong attention to detail.
• In-depth knowledge of commercial lines marketplace and the ability to identify and respond quickly to emerging trends.
• Demonstrated effective business planning and execution.
• In-depth knowledge of contracts, legal requirements, and insurance regulations pertaining to the Company's lines of business and products.
• Highly proficient in relationship cultivation and management skills.
• Record of achieving profit and growth objectives.

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree in Insurance, Risk management, Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, Economics, or Business preferred; or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of progressive Underwriting experience, including at least 5 years of Commercial Package and/or Commercial Agribusiness Underwriting experience. Small business (BOP) Commercial Underwriting experience does not fulfill the requirements.
• 7+ years of leadership experience.
• Industry designations such as CPCU, CIC, AFIS, or ARM are preferred.

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, including video conferencing.
• Annual travel of 10-15% is required for Home Office and Agency visits.