Chief Underwriting Officer

Summary

Join Wakam's Underwriting leadership team as a seasoned leader to drive profitable business growth across Europe. Reporting to the Group CUO, you will spearhead the underwriting strategy and operations across all product lines, ensuring alignment with Wakam's strategic and financial goals. Key responsibilities include developing portfolio management standards, monitoring technical performance, guiding pricing and underwriting actions, and ensuring regulatory compliance. This role demands a proven track record in leading underwriting, pricing, or a line of business function in European or UK markets, along with advanced portfolio management skills and strong leadership capabilities. Fluency in French and English is mandatory. Wakam offers a full-remote work environment and a unique, collaborative culture.

Requirements

• Have around 10 years of relevant experience in leading Underwriting, Pricing, or a line of business function in European or UK markets
• Have experience overseeing a range of insurance product lines, especially in Motor, Home, and SME sectors
• Possess advanced skills in portfolio management
• Have exceptional communication, collaboration, and influencing skills, adept at building trusted relationships with leaders and stakeholders
• Have strong people management abilities, with a proven track record of developing and sustaining high-performing teams
• Be comfortable navigating ambiguity and adaptable to change. Take calculated risks and anticipate potential issues
• Have a passion for continuous innovation
• Be fluent in both French and English

Responsibilities

• Lead the underwriting strategy and operations across all product lines, ensuring alignment with Wakam Group's strategic and financial goals for profitability and efficiency
• Develop and manage portfolio management standards, monitoring technical performance, and guiding pricing and underwriting actions for each line of business alongside Business Heads and pricing actuaries
• Be accountable for the financial underwriting results of our European operations
• Provide leadership, support and guidance on the management of all aspects of underwriting and related activities
• Be responsible for the underwriting decisions in respect of material insurance risks
• Ensure all activities comply with regulatory standards and maintain robust governance
• Lead the creation and refinement of underwriting policies
• Oversee European Underwriting Committees and other necessary committees

Preferred Qualifications

• Think big
• Be biased for action
• Be curious and eager to learn
• Be able to say no and find solutions
• Aim for the moon (but please don’t stick on the moon)
• Have fun working together

Benefits

• Full-remote work is a reality at Wakam (there is even one Wakamee who works from his sailing boat ⛵) with our Wakam From Anywhere (WFA) program
• Every last Friday of the month, it's Free.day @Wakam, a day without meetings to take a step aside and dedicate ourselves to skills sponsorship or other activities (because we are curious, I remind you)