Underwriting Manager

Midwest Employers Casualty (MEC) is a member of W. R. Berkley Corporation, a Fortune 500 company rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best. Based in Chesterfield, Missouri, MEC improves the quality of life for employees who are severely injured on the job and helps companies understand and mitigate workers' compensation injury risk. MEC offers a friendly, results-focused work environment and seeks employees who take initiative, adapt quickly, are dependable, and work well as part of a team.

The company is an equal opportunity employer.

Midwest Employers Casualty (MEC) is seeking an experienced underwriting leader to manage an established national team supporting complex individual self-insured workers' compensation programs.

This is not a traditional underwriting management role. Our customers are large employers that retain substantial workers' compensation risk and purchase excess coverage to protect against catastrophic losses. Success requires a blend of technical underwriting expertise, business judgment, relationship management, team leadership, and strategic account management.

The Underwriting Manager will lead a team of underwriters and underwriting support professionals while directly managing a limited portfolio of accounts. The role is responsible for driving profitable growth, developing underwriting talent, strengthening broker and customer relationships, and ensuring disciplined underwriting execution across the team.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead team performance against retention, premium, profitability, growth, and loss ratio objectives.
• Provide strategic direction on complex accounts, including risk evaluation, pricing, program structure, negotiations, and customer strategy.
• Directly underwrite a limited portfolio of national accounts.
• Partner with Business Development to identify and pursue profitable new business opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with brokers, customers, and internal business partners.
• Coach and develop underwriters to strengthen technical expertise, judgment, accountability, and decision-making.
• Review significant referrals and provide guidance on complex underwriting decisions.
• Collaborate with Claims, Analytics, Actuarial, and other business partners to deliver comprehensive solutions for customers.
• Identify opportunities to improve underwriting processes, effectiveness, and overall business performance.

Required

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of workers' compensation insurance experience.
• Alternative risk workers' compensation underwriting experience.
• Strong underwriting, analytical, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Experience evaluating and managing complex risks and large accounts.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and influence others.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Preferred

• Prior people leadership experience.
• Experience leading underwriting teams.
• National account, self-insurance, captive, casualty, or reinsurance experience.
• CPCU, ARM, or other relevant professional designation.