Surety Home Office Underwriting Officer

Job Summary:

Reviews new and existing small to mid contract risks submitted by assigned field offices to confirm compliance with Liberty Mutual Surety's underwriting strategies, guidelines and marketing objectives. Utilizes objective perspective to identify omissions in underwriting detail, if any, confirm attributes and/or weaknesses of case and ratifies parameters of credit recommended for specific risks, with primary objective of achieving profitability for the department. Makes appropriate recommendations to senior Home Office staff on business above authority level or outside of standard underwriting guidelines. Manage audit function associated with the Surety Plus contract book of business using analytical tools.

Liberty Mutual Surety, a business unit of Liberty Mutual Insurance, is the world’s largest globally Surety, including in the United States. Conducting business worldwide through fronting relationships and Liberty-owned subsidiaries, we provide bonds in over 60 countries for construction firms, manufacturers and suppliers, and commercial enterprises on an account and transactional basis. We are committed to building mutually profitable relationships by providing smart business solutions, ease of doing business, and consistent, responsive service.  Liberty Mutual Surety is dedicated to the communities we serve and highly values a diverse workforce in more than 18 countries.

Responsibilities:

• Underwrites new and existing contract account submissions of a wide range in size and complexity utilizing underwriting authority granted by Chief Underwriting Officer.
• Makes thorough evaluations and assessments of a contractor's financial, technical, organizational, and management capacities, as well as a subjective judgment of character, normally based upon data/insights provided by the field organization. In some cases, will meet with client to facilitate above assessments.
• Monitors existing contract book of business from an underwriting standpoint using analytical tools.
• Continuously evaluates the qualitative characteristics of the business (new and existing) in each of the field offices assigned to be his/her responsibility.
• Assesses and identifies changes in all aspects of the business including, but not limited to, work program to financial strength criteria, nature of work performed (inherent risk), accuracy and timeliness of data flow, and exposure analyses.
• Coordinates and surfaces issues to more senior Home Office staff and Bond Managers in the field offices on a regular and timely basis.

If the selected candidate lives within 50 miles of a GRS office, then the selected candidate should be prepared to come into the office two days/week. This policy is subject to change.

Ideally, the selected candidate can work a standard Pacific Time Zone schedule.

• Degree in Business or equivalent typically required.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience with progressive surety underwriting responsibility expected.
• Prior field experience, including management experience, with an emphasis on underwriting large/complex obligations/programs desired.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage underwriting oversight, preferably in multiple offices.
• Must possess in-depth knowledge of surety industry, products, and operations, including the ability to analyze highly complex obligations/programs.
• High level knowledge of Surety line(s) of business and can identify risk and takes reasonable effort to mitigate negative consequences.
• Expert-level analytical abilities and decision-making skills to evaluate and judge underwriting risks within scope of responsibility.
• Demonstrates an understanding of reinsurance, macro-economic issues and geo-political risk.
• Results-oriented and proven track-record of taking individual initiative, exercising solid business judgment, and strategic thinking required.
• Exceptional negotiating skills required.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong executive presence with internal and external senior-level Executives required.
• A proven coach and mentor with active participation in developing field and/or home office talent.