Vice President - E&S Brokerage - Excess

Skyward Specialty Insurance is an A (Excellent) AM Best-rated specialty carrier operating exclusively in the E&S and specialty admitted markets. Our E&S Excess Brokerage is 100% committed to the wholesale distribution channel — we partner with select producers who understand our appetite and rely on us for thoughtful, profitable solutions on non-standard accounts that don't belong in the standard market.

The Head of E&S Excess Liability Underwriting is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategy, profitability, and day-to-day management of Skyward's E&S Brokerage Excess Liability book. You will lead a team of 7 underwriters, reporting directly to the President of E&S Property & Casualty and Inland Marine. This is a player-coach role — you will set the underwriting vision and drive profitable growth while remaining hands-on with complex accounts, coverage structure, and broker relationships across a diverse range of challenging commercial risks.

Underwriting Leadership & Strategy

• Own the underwriting direction, risk appetite, and portfolio composition of the E&S Excess Liability book, spanning contractors, manufacturers/distributors, industrial and commercial, LRO, mercantile, amusement, entertainment, equipment rental, new ventures, and unique/unusual accounts

• Set and enforce underwriting standards, attachment point discipline, coverage structure guidelines, and pricing parameters consistent with the book's profitability objectives

• Lead complex and large-account underwriting decisions; serve as the technical authority and escalation point for the team

• Maintain clear appetite boundaries — avoid invasive medical, NY Labor Law exposure, and accounts that belong in the standard market

• Structure layered excess solutions above both occurrence and claims-made underlying policies with discipline around underlying carrier quality (AM Best B+ VII or better)

Portfolio Management & Profitability

• Monitor and actively manage loss ratios, combined ratios, and portfolio trends by class and segment; take corrective action when performance deteriorates

• Partner with actuarial and finance on pricing adequacy, rate monitoring, and reserving inputs for an excess book

• Track submission flow, hit ratios, and renewal retention to identify where the book is healthy and where it needs recalibration

• Manage premium concentration by class and ensure the portfolio is not over-indexed to any single segment or industry

• Profitable growth is the mandate — new premium only has value if it performs

Team Management & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 7 excess liability underwriters across experience levels

• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability frameworks, and a culture of sound underwriting judgment

• Recruit and retain underwriting talent; build bench strength as the book grows

• Create a team environment that rewards technical rigor, coverage sophistication, and strong broker responsiveness

Wholesale Distribution

• Cultivate and deepen relationships with key wholesale broker partners; serve as a senior point of contact for strategic accounts

• Collaborate with production and distribution leadership to identify appetite expansion opportunities and address gaps

• Represent Skyward at industry events, broker meetings, and wholesale market forums

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with claims, actuarial, legal, and product teams to ensure the excess book is supported end-to-end

• Provide competitive intelligence and market feedback to inform product and pricing strategy

• Partner with technology and operations to improve submission handling, underlying policy verification, and underwriting workflow efficiency

Experience

• 10+ years of E&S or specialty casualty/excess liability underwriting experience, with meaningful time in a wholesale/non-admitted environment

• Prior leadership experience managing underwriting teams; comfortable operating as both a strategic leader and technical contributor

• Demonstrated track record of building or managing a profitable excess liability book across a diverse commercial class mix

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of commercial excess and umbrella underwriting, including attachment point analysis, underlying policy review, and coverage gap identification

• Strong command of coverage structure for both occurrence and claims-made underlying policies

• Familiarity with ISO and proprietary excess forms across multiple lines

• Experience underwriting a diverse class mix including contractors, habitational, amusement, and new ventures

• Ability to evaluate underlying carrier quality and program structure for risks with non-standard primary placements

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong communicator and relationship builder — credible with wholesale brokers and internal executive stakeholders alike

• Data-driven decision-maker with the ability to translate portfolio analytics into underwriting strategy

• High accountability orientation; comfortable owning results and making difficult calls on appetite and pricing

• Collaborative and team-oriented, with genuine investment in developing underwriting talent

Compensation & Benefits

The applicable base salary for this opportunity is $235,000 - $270,000. The base pay offered will be determined by factors such as experience, skills, training, location, certifications, education, and any applicable minimum wage requirements. In addition to the base salary, this opportunity may be eligible for performance-based incentives.​  We are excited to offer a competitive total rewards package which includes health and welfare benefits, tuition and professional certification assistance, 401k savings, elective participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Program, paid time off, paid holidays, and child bonding leave, as well as other employee assistance.

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