Head of Motor Underwriting
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Toowong, QLD, AUS
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- C level
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 10+ years
- Category
- Finance
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- 10+ years of domestic motor (car) experience in underwriting, product development, portfolio management or pricing; specific experience in the Direct/un-intermediated distribution space would be highl
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of short-tail insurance trends and best practices in relation to risk selection, underwriting rules/ guidelines, product features and benefits, and rating methods,
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory regimes, compliance and insurance legislation. Well-developed and demonstrated understanding of the legislative, regulatory and compliance obligations to operate in th
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory framework (both current and upcoming changes), compliance and insurance legislation.
- Strong leadership experience, including demonstrable examples of innovation, automation, and the development of contemporary practices.
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing teams, with experience mentoring, coaching and developing team members.
- Strong relationship management, collaboration and influencing skills. Ability to build credibility and trust in order to engage and influence.
- Proven ability to work in a collaborative style with different cross-functional teams on business goals and objectives.
- Sound numerical and analytical skills to monitor and interpret insurance portfolio data.
- IT literacy and the ability to quickly learn new systems.
- Excellent presentation and communication skills – both written and verbal, with experience writing board papers, managing stakeholders, partners and vendors.
- Attention to detail and accuracy.
- A “can-do”, team-focused attitude.
- Ability to work autonomously while maintaining focus.
- Creating and maintaining a high-performance culture.
- Working knowledge of common application software, e.g. MS Office suite; some experience with SQL/ SAS would be a bonus.
Nice to have
- Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline, e.g. business administration, economics, commerce, finance, law, actuarial science and/or professional qualification (e.g. ANZIIF) preferred; post-grad
Full description
The role
The Head of Motor Underwriting plays a central role in defining, implementing and delivering best-in- class risk selection and underwriting processes. The successful candidate will be critical in aligning underwriting strategies with the company's risk appetite and commercial objectives, whilst fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and regulatory adherence. As the leader of the Motor Technical Underwriting and Case Underwriting teams, responsible for delivering against the organisation's growth and profitability aspirations, the Head of Motor Underwriting will ensure ongoing and sustainable outperformance. The role will balance operational and strategic priorities, taking into consideration commercial, customer and regulatory requirements, whilst meeting internal service level agreements and working closely with internal stakeholders, across all functions, to add value to the end-to-end product cycle.
The Head of Motor Underwriting will evaluate the company's current underwriting approach and processes with the qualitative and quantitative acumen and commercial confidence required to challenge the status quo and drive continuous improvement and automation. Responsible for identifying and implementing initiatives aimed at optimising internal resources, automating referrals, streamlining processes, and improving outcomes for both customers and internal stakeholders.
Location: Brisbane (Toowong)
Position Accountabilities
The Head of Motor Underwriting is responsible for the overall strategic direction, performance, and governance of the motor underwriting function, ensuring alignment with the company's risk appetite, underwriting policy, commercial objectives, and regulatory obligations. This role provides leadership to the Technical Underwriting Manager and the Underwriting Manager, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and compliance.
What experience you’ll bring Qualifications and ExperienceEssential:
- 10+ years of domestic motor (car) experience in underwriting, product development, portfolio management or pricing; specific experience in the Direct/un-intermediated distribution space would be highly regarded.
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of short-tail insurance trends and best practices in relation to risk selection, underwriting rules/ guidelines, product features and benefits, and rating methods, including drivers and levers of profitable growth.
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory regimes, compliance and insurance legislation. Well-developed and demonstrated understanding of the legislative, regulatory and compliance obligations to operate in the current FSR environment.
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory framework (both current and upcoming changes), compliance and insurance legislation.
- Strong leadership experience, including demonstrable examples of innovation, automation, and the development of contemporary practices.