• Hartford, CT
• Scottsdale, AZ
• Alpharetta, GA

Overview:

The Team Lead, Underwriting Support Operations role will provide leadership and daily direction to assigned resources in the execution of strategies to deliver effective support to the assigned lines of business. The incumbent will work with the Manager, Underwriting Support Operations to identify and implement process changes and measurement with the goal of driving greater efficiencies across the various lines of business.

The role will include organizational oversight (planning and executing business tasks) for a defined group of staff (10 to 12 employees), ensuring a high level of service and effective quality control through the routine achievement of established standards of performance for these areas.

The incumbent will develop an efficient and highly functioning team within the framework of the staffing model and administrative responsibilities for the Underwriting Assistants across assigned locations or Lines of Business. The individual will report to the Manager, Underwriting Support Operations.

In addition to team management and leadership, the incumbent will have responsibility for his/her own Underwriting Assistant tasks for an assigned Underwriter(s) and will perform as a floating resource for scheduled and unscheduled absences that occur on the team.

Duties/Responsibilities/Tasks

Strategic

• Ongoing analysis of existing Underwriting Assistant staff in terms of productivity, workflow, roles, and structure to maximize efficiencies and improve service both internally and externally.
• In conjunction with the Manager, Underwriting Support Operations, and the SPRQ Integration Lead, contribute to the development of consistent processes and workflows across the Casualty business, as appropriate.
• Monitor service standards to improve productivity, efficiencies, and speed to market. Recommend enhancements or new measures to sustain effective activity.
• Monitor quality metrics to assure accuracy and productivity of Underwriting Assistants. Recommend enhancements or new measures to sustain level of quality and accuracy for the team, department and function.
• Partner with Manager, Underwriting Support Operations, HR and Casualty unit heads to identify methods to attract, retain, develop and hire additional staff.
• Contribute to a 1-3-year IFG Companies' strategy to drive greater operating efficiencies by working with Manager, Underwriting Support Operations, SPRQ Integration Lead and assigned resources to foster an environment of continuous improvement in our Casualty field operations.

Supervision and Internal Client Support

• Lead resources in the achievement of department Service Level Agreements and Quality Standards while operating within the agreed staffing model, workload benchmarks for Underwriting Assistants and established annual budget. With the agreement of the Manager Underwriting Support Operations, adjust staff UW assignments and task accountability to assure workloads and service and quality standards are routinely achieved and or exceeded. Utilize overtime expenses as appropriate and dictated by business activity.
• Support one underwriter directly, act as floating resource for team to cover scheduled and unscheduled absences, and peak time demands. In this capacity, assist in setting up files, rating, booking and issuing for the business unit, together with soliciting underwriting information from agents and brokers.
• Complete a quarterly assessment of assigned unit and department performance.
• Conduct annual performance evaluation and communicate annual performance goals in a timely manner to individual staff resources. Provide ongoing performance management including feedback, coaching, development, and mentorship of direct reports.
• In collaboration with Manager, Underwriting Support Operations, contribute to development and maintenance of a SharePoint site to store and educate Underwriting Assistants on procedures and training material.

Quality Control / Compliance

• Assure Casualty Underwriting Operations Quality Control program is implemented effectively and performance is measured across the business supported.
• Perform periodic quality control reviews and audits for underwriting assistants, addressing deficiencies as necessary.
• Assist with physical audit processes for the casualty units including internal and corporate audits.

Systems (SPRQ, Phoenix, GROW, Document Workflow) and New Product Initiatives

• Collaborate with the SPRQ Integration Lead in the development of business requirements/specifications for IT projects and initiatives, as required, by providing subject matter expertise and guidance as applicable.
• Collaborate with the SPRQ Integration Lead on user acceptance testing of IT solutions and training activities, including identifying resources to directly participate in testing as needed.
• Collaborate with SPRQ Integration Lead within Casualty Underwriting Operations, IT and other areas of the company on implementation/rollout activities related to IT releases.
• Coordinate systems and procedural training on new products/initiatives for delivery to the Underwriting and Underwriting Assistant communities the incumbent supports.

Administrative and Information Sharing

• Develop strong working relationships with internal counterparts in the casualty underwriting community, IT, corporate support areas and with the business leader accountable for the support the incumbent provides.
• Be responsive to internal client inquiries, and reinforce the importance of the value of responsiveness with assigned resources.
• Be the first point of contact for all policy administration, processing systems, helpdesk, accounting, etc. (point of contact for Accounting and helpdesk) for assigned Underwriting Assistant Team.
• Responsible for scheduling and executing new hire and refresher training for UW’s and UA’s for assigned team.
• Display proficiency in producing reports required to monitor resource activity for the team.
• Update casualty unit heads whose business the incumbent has accountability for, quarterly on service, quality and staffing benchmark performance, identifying challenges, opportunities, issues and solutions to ongoing achievement of standards and benchmarks.
• Work with the appropriate casualty unit heads to determine support and administrative needs on an ongoing basis.
• Assist each unit manager in the implementation of new products in line with business plans.
• Assist the casualty units in the utilization of CRM to ensure that functionality supports business functions.
• Perform other duties and administrative tasks as assigned.

• Bachelor's Degree
• At least 3-5 years experience supervising a team of Underwriting Assistants in the commercial insurance space
• Completed insurance related courses and/or a licensed agent

• Exhibits adaptability
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated effectiveness and interpersonal skills