Executive Underwriter, Middle Market Life Sciences

Job Description

Liberty is seeking experienced Life Sciences Underwriters to join our dedicated and innovative Middle Market Life Sciences Industry Practice.  The Executive Underwriter role aligns with our mission to provide integrated, specialized, and comprehensive insurance products and services tailored to this unique industry via one multi-line underwriter.  This position is ideal for underwriters who enjoy the craft of specialized underwriting and have both experience with, and a strong interest in, a broad range of core Property and Liability lines including property, general liability, products liability, clinical trials liability, errors & omissions (E&O), cyber, excess/umbrella, workers’ compensation, auto, and multinational coverages.   As a Life Sciences Underwriter at Liberty, you will have the opportunity to serve a dynamic and growing community of biotech, pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, digital health, medical device, analytical laboratory, and research clients. You will work alongside a team of dedicated underwriting, claims, risk control, and other service professionals focused exclusively on addressing the evolving needs of Life Sciences insureds, agents, and brokers. This position balances limited renewal account responsibilities with significant capacity and focus on new business production, market expansion, and strategic business development.  You will be expected to help develop, grow, and maintain a profitable book of multi-line Life Sciences business through marketing, underwriting decision-making, agent/broker relationships, and utilizing Liberty's newly crafted Life Sciences underwriting support tools.  Based on the geographic spread of opportunity, 25% travel is expected.

Responsibilities - Executive Underwriter:               

• New Business underwriting for profitable growth.  Reviews, evaluates, and underwrites submissions; selects and assesses risks aligned with underwriting strategies and guidelines; rates and determines the premium and policy terms and conditions; utilizes broad range of supportive tools; obtains underwriting approval (as needed); creates/presents the proposal to the agent/broker; and successfully negotiates deals.               
• Services accounts after successfully winning the business in coordination with Liberty Account Analyst and Client Service Managers. 
• Meets with insureds and ensures Liberty's value-proposition is upheld.                  
• Manages portfolio of brokers/agents & clients. Demonstrates a high level of responsiveness and focuses on supporting agent and broker objectives. Establishes, develops, and maintains successful relationships with agents and brokers to facilitate marketing of products, with responsive service, site visits, in-person renewal meetings and enhanced knowledge of what matters most to each Life Sciences deal. Develops strong personal brand to build and maintain a long-term quality pipeline with agents and brokers.                 
• Actively identifies, manages, and solicits pipeline of opportunities for individual success.
• Articulates key coverage differences with a high degree of detail in this specialized, niche space.                  
• Has strong knowledge of key legal cases, legislation and regulation impacting area(s) of underwriting expertise and the LifeSciences industry.
• Shares knowledge based on technical expertise, including providing external thought-leadership.
• Mentors, coaches, and trains other underwriters and internal and external partners.
• Provides significant input into the business and marketing planning process, including advanced data-driven insights from portfolio analysis.
• Participates in projects and initiatives to help grow Liberty's Life Sciences Industry Practice, designed to drive underwriting and process excellence (e.g., member of a working team).
• Models effective collaboration across teams, stakeholders and partners (e.g., Distribution, Operations, UW Support, Claims, Actuarial, Directors of Underwriting in North America).

Qualifications:

• Degree in Business, Risk Management, or Scientific Field or equivalent typically required
• A minimum of 7 years expected, typically 10 years or more, of progressive underwriting experience and/or other related business experience
• A minimum of 5 years of Life Sciences underwriting experience                 
• CPCU or professional insurance designation preferred                  
• Proven analytical ability to evaluate and judge underwriting risks within scope of responsibility.  Advanced level of knowledge of insurance products and coverages, underwriting, pricing, risk selection & assessment, and market dynamics specific to the Life Sciences space            
• Proven track record of developing and underwriting profitable Life Sciences business            
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex analyses and information in understandable written and/or oral directives to other persons in the organization for underwriting or training purposes          
• Demonstrated effective communication and interpersonal skills in dealing with internal and external stakeholders
• Must demonstrate comprehension of most complex technical underwriting issues and be capable of defining and implementing necessary underwriting and administrative processes/workflows to properly manage or administer those issues

• Degree in Business or equivalent typically required
• A minimum of 7 years expected, typically 10 years or more, of progressive underwriting experience and/or other related business experience
• CPCU or professional insurance designation preferred
• Proven analytical ability to evaluate and judge underwriting risks within scope of responsibility
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex analyses and information in understandable written and/or oral directives to other persons in the organization for underwriting or training purposes
• Demonstrated effective communication and interpersonal skills in dealing with internal and external stakeholders
• Must demonstrate comprehension of most complex technical underwriting issues and be capable of defining and implementing necessary underwriting and administrative processes/workflows to properly manage or administer those issues
• Proven track record of developing and underwriting profitable business