Vice President, Life Sciences Underwriting Manager

Company Details

W.R. Berkley Corporation is a Fortune 500 Company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company is made up of dedicated and passionate people committed to delivering the highest quality insurance products and services to specialized markets worldwide.

Our culture is one of innovation, creativity and teamwork. Our team is highly motivated, passionate about our business, and deeply experienced in developing and delivering product and service solutions in the life science marketplace. You will join a highly respected team of experienced, successful professionals with deep expertise in this market as they build the company of the future.

At Berkley Life Sciences, we insure the future of life science innovators today. We do so by serving as a preferred market for the life science industry around the globe, offering a broad range of sophisticated property & casualty products and services designed to meet our customers’ individualized needs.

The company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Berkley Life Sciences professionals cohesively respond to the unique challenges faced by our life science customers. We are looking for talented and dedicated professionals to join our team.

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This role, a key contributor within the Berkley Life Sciences organization, is responsible for developing and executing a strategic vision that enables the long-term profitable growth of all products within the organization. This role serves as a strategic connector between field underwriting teams, senior management, and external broker partners, ensuring alignment, consistency, and momentum across territories. This includes developing the annual operating plan objectives (top and bottom line) and long-term strategic plan along with a focus on tactical broker / producer development planning.

Additionally, this position has direct management of other underwriting leaders as well as responsibility for the team and its results.

Specific Duties

• Provide leadership and direction to the team in order to meet the goals for new business, retention, rate and customer service. Act as a catalyst for field activity, encouraging travel and proactive business development.
• Coach, mentor and develop team by establishing clear goals and providing regular feedback as well as training and career development opportunities; empower UW leaders to assume responsibility for their functions within the team.
• Distribution management – develop and grow a knowledgeable producer population with an appropriate split between retail and wholesale channels.
• Responsible for results of the team; review results with the CUO; proactively offer suggestions to improve performance and/or remove obstacles as necessary.
• Cycle management- devise strategies and protocols to grow profitably during all market cycles.
• Maintain business assignments, adjust as necessary, and implement contingency plans to address vacations and other time off.
• Build strong relationships with brokers to ensure you meet or exceed financial goals including growth, profit, retention, and new business. Manage senior-level relationships with key brokers. Represent BLS externally to expand market presence and broker engagement.
• Responsible for account solicitation, risk selection and analysis including the corresponding documentation, pricing and marketing of Berkley Life Sciences products and services for new and existing customers.
• Portfolio management to reflect an appropriate balance between segments and diversification of line of business.
• Stay current with all compliance, procedural and workflow changes.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with underwriting associate, operations, legal, home office underwriting and claims. Maintain and evolve the structural framework implemented across the underwriting teams.
• Engage in innovation initiatives, product launches, marketing campaigns and short-term projects as appropriate to contribute positively towards success of the overall team and company.
• Build team confidence through training, coaching, and field presence.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 10…