Senior Wordings Manager:
Location: London (Hybrid)
We are partnering with a leading international specialty insurer to recruit an experienced Senior Wordings Manager. This is a high-profile leadership opportunity for an individual with deep expertise in underwriting governance, policy wordings and regulatory compliance, looking to influence underwriting excellence across a global insurance business.
Working closely with underwriting leadership, compliance and operational teams, you will lead a specialist function responsible for ensuring robust underwriting controls, customer-focused policy wordings and effective governance frameworks. This role offers the opportunity to shape strategy, improve operational effectiveness and build trusted relationships across the business.
As the leader of the Underwriting Policy & Standards function, you will oversee a team responsible for policy wording reviews, contract certainty and underwriting governance. You will be instrumental in transforming the function into a commercially focused partner to underwriting, delivering practical solutions that support underwriting performance, regulatory compliance and positive customer outcomes.
This position combines technical expertise, people leadership and stakeholder engagement, making it ideal for someone who enjoys balancing governance with commercial decision-making.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the Underwriting Policy & Standards function, taking overall responsibility for service delivery, team leadership and operational performance.
- Manage and develop a team of policy wording and governance specialists, fostering a collaborative, commercially focused culture.
- Conduct and oversee complex policy wording reviews, providing pragmatic and solution-led advice to underwriting teams.
- Lead the delivery of contract certainty processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, outsourcing or process enhancement.
- Oversee underwriting governance frameworks, including underwriting guidelines, delegated authorities and approval processes.
- Work closely with underwriting leadership, compliance and risk teams to ensure governance frameworks align with regulatory requirements and business objectives.
- Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as a credible adviser on policy wording, governance and underwriting standards.
- Support the ongoing development of underwriting controls while promoting efficient and commercially practical ways of working.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational performance, governance and customer outcomes.
- Provide technical guidance and leadership across complex wording, governance and regulatory matters.
- Contribute to strategic projects and broader underwriting initiatives as required.
About You: We're seeking an experienced insurance professional with strong leadership capabilities and a deep understanding of underwriting governance and policy wordings.
You will ideally possess:
- Significant experience within the London Market, company market or international insurance sector.
- Extensive knowledge of policy wording construction, underwriting governance and insurance regulatory requirements.
- Proven leadership experience, including managing, developing and motivating specialist teams through periods of change.
- Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance regulatory expectations against underwriting objectives.
- Experience implementing or managing governance frameworks such as underwriting guidelines, delegated authority oversight, contract certainty or comparable control environments.
- A practical, solutions-focused approach to resolving technical and governance challenges.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and underwriting teams.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.
Desirable Experience
- Experience operating within the London Market and regulated insurance environments.
- Knowledge of delegated authority business and associated governance frameworks.
- Exposure to automation, operational improvement or transformation initiatives.
- Experience working across complex, matrixed organisations with multiple stakeholders.
- Professional insurance qualifications such as Cert CII, Dip CII, ACII or equivalent, or relevant legal or regulatory qualifications.
Working Arrangements
- London-based with a hybrid working model.
- Regular interaction with underwriting teams, senior leadership and key internal stakeholders.
- Leadership responsibility for a hybrid team.
What's on Offer
This is an outstanding opportunity to join a highly respected international insurer during an exciting period of growth and transformation. You'll play a key role in shaping underwriting governance, influencing strategic decision-making and leading a specialist function that is central to underwriting excellence.
In return, you'll receive a highly competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, flexible hybrid working and excellent opportunities for professional development and long-term career progression.
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