General Manager - Underwriting & Reinsurance

About the role

The General Manager - Underwriting & Reinsurance oversees the company's technical results across underwriting management, reinsurance management, customer service and departmental operations. The role sets and enforces underwriting strategy, pricing and risk appetite across all non-life classes, designs and places a reinsurance programme and acts as an ExCo member shaping company strategy within Board-approved risk appetite, Group technical standards and the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to company strategy as an ExCo member and turn it into a three-year underwriting and reinsurance plan, defining target portfolio mix and growth and profitability targets
• Set underwriting policy, guidelines and risk appetite for every class, oversee acceptance of large, complex and non-standard risks and maintain a tiered authority framework
• Drive portfolio remediation (re-price, re-underwrite or exit loss-making segments) and ensure accurate risk surveys, risk engineering and loss prevention
• Own technical pricing and rating models, monitor loss ratios, combined ratios and rate adequacy monthly, and approve new products
• Design the annual reinsurance programme (treaty and facultative), lead renewal negotiations and manage reinsurer security, accounting and bordereaux
• Support risk-based capital, IFRS 17 and ORSA, maintain risk registers and controls, and uphold TCF, AML/CFT and sanctions screening
• Lead, develop and retain a technical team, promote professional qualifications (CII, IIK) and champion data, automation and digital underwriting tools

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree; MBA is an added advantage
• ACII qualification
• 10 years' experience, 5 in top management
• Good knowledge of general insurance products and good technical knowledge of underwriting and reinsurance
• Good communication, assessment and analytical skills, and ability to interact at all levels

Required skills

• People management, complexity management, team building and talent development
• Technical guidance and decision-making
• Computer literacy