If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Technical Director, Underwriting - P&C (Property - Underwriting Center of Excellence) 

This position is part of the Center of Excellence team and collaborates with Nationwide’s Excess and Surplus/Specialty (ESS) and Commercial Lines Value chains.  Familiarity with both standard commercial lines and excess and surplus lines is preferred. 

Focus areas include: 

Best-in-class underwriting Pricing Risk selection Governance 

This position works with each business unit to drive profitable outcomes by: 

Developing and maintaining clear appetite and underwriting guidelines Implementing portfolio best practices Keeping an eye on emerging risks Providing data-driven insights for the assigned lines of business. 

Ideal candidates have a strong background in property underwriting with an emphasis on catastrophe management. Additional experience in other insurance disciplines (such as analytics, claims, product, actuarial, or risk management) is beneficial. 

This role involves working with ambiguity, leading project teams, and challenging norms. The Center of Excellence team collaborates across Nationwide offices and remote worker locations, using frequent video conferencing. This position reports to the VP-Property Underwriting Performance.  

Pay band H3 (Internal use).

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Job Description Summary

Developing the underwriting strategy and ensuring it meets our risk appetite is essential to Nationwide's profitability and overall success. Our team utilizes our analysis and problem solving skills to enable solutions that drive underwriting efficiency and streamlined approaches. If you are a creative problem solver, have strategic agility, and are an excellent communicator, we want to know more about you!

As a Technical Director, you'll provide management of commercial or personal line product(s) for a line of business. We'll count on you to develop and recommend underwriting or product policies, procedures and standards. You'll ensure coordination between home office and field operations and support the development and implementation of strategies that support multiple product related profitability objectives.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Leads the development of strategy and direction for the assigned product(s). Leads key initiatives to address the product strategy and profitability objectives. Reinforces understanding, communication and execution of product/underwriting strategy.

Provides technical assistance and support to state/regional underwriting and services leadership. Maintains relationships with new entities, access points and distribution channels that need the support and expertise of product/underwriting staff operations.

Manages projects for assigned profitability initiatives. Ensures that each area within the function is following the formal project management process for those projects designated as high priority.

Serves on various committees, project teams and industry boards as assigned.

Ensures product functional audits, training, vendor selection and management, employee career enhancement, competitive monitoring, systems, and liaison to other business units.

Identifies market trends, publishing insights, and understanding the market dynamics for the area of responsibility. Includes responsibility for defining performance indicators, account segmentation and identification of key account characteristics that drive performance.

Sets and administers levels of authority for company on assigned line of business.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Staff Vice President or Officer and leads a team of up to three Underwriting professionals.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Bachelor's degree or post-graduate studies preferred.

License/Designation/Certification: Relevant professional designation such as CPCU highly desirable.

Experience: Typically, 10 years of property and casualty (personal and/or commercial) lines underwriting, including at least five years of management experience. Exposure to both field and staff office operations preferred.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Requires proven knowledge of property/casualty products, insurance company operations, field and staff functions, industry trends, and project management. Demonstrated decision-making and strategic abilities. Demonstrated ability to drive for results, deal with ambiguity, communicate with upper management, and conceptualize strategic objectives. Ability to lead staff, committees and project participants in all aspects of product/underwriting activities.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and HR Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Frequent travel may be required.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to the principal and essential functions of the job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 01/12/2025. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at 888-944-2247.

For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range.

The national salary range for Technical Director, Underwriting - P&C : $110,000.00-$212,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Technical Director, Underwriting - P&C : $119,000.00 - $179,000.00