Director of Underwriting- Medical Malpractice

Job Title: Director of Underwriting
Location: Jacksonville, FL (On-site)
Reports to: Chief Underwriting Officer

A regional insurance provider is seeking an experienced Director of Underwriting to lead its underwriting operations and manage the performance of its policy portfolio. This individual will oversee a team of underwriters and serve as the primary liaison to executive leadership on underwriting strategy, risk management, and process execution. The Director will ensure alignment with organizational goals and support disciplined underwriting practices that maintain profitability and compliance across multiple states.

Core Responsibilities:

🛡 Risk Management & Evaluation

• Lead the assessment and selection of risks, ensuring underwriting decisions align with the company’s pricing and exposure guidelines.

• Ensure consistent documentation standards, sound judgment in risk acceptance, and premium adequacy.

• Guide the team in balancing growth opportunities with portfolio integrity and loss ratio targets.

📋 Underwriting Standards & Guidelines

• Establish and evolve underwriting rules, workflows, and submission standards for both direct and agency business.

• Collaborate with executive leadership to ensure underwriting strategy supports company objectives.

• Stay informed of regional and national market dynamics and adjust guidelines to reflect industry shifts and compliance updates.

💻 Technology Integration & Operational Efficiency

• Use policy administration systems and analytics tools to enhance underwriting workflows.

• Work with internal service and IT teams to improve policy issuance, payment processes, and digital delivery.

• Apply data-driven insights and emerging technologies, including AI tools and external risk platforms, to refine risk assessment.

📈 Strategic Growth & Market Insight

• Contribute to market planning by identifying opportunities in underrepresented geographies or specialties.

• Partner with distribution leaders to support agency expansion and top-line premium growth.

• Support product development efforts to close gaps in offerings and improve competitive positioning.

📊 Portfolio Oversight & Financial Review

• Analyze book performance by territory or medical specialty, in partnership with actuarial resources.

• Identify trends and recommend actions to maintain or improve underwriting profitability.

• Manage departmental budgets, allocating investments in systems, staffing, and training.

⚖ Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure underwriting practices comply with applicable state and federal regulations.

• Maintain up-to-date documentation and procedures to reflect the company’s regulatory commitments.

• Lead internal initiatives to prepare for audits, reviews, or regulatory inquiries.

👥 Leadership & Team Development

• Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and performance management to the underwriting staff.

• Promote a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on learning, improvement, and customer responsiveness.

• Manage organizational change through clear communication and proactive engagement during process or system transitions.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or industry designations (CPCU) preferred.

• Minimum of 10 years of casualty underwriting leadership at a P&C insurance company.

• 5+ years of experience in Medical Professional Liability (MPL) underwriting preferred.

• Active Florida 2-20 General Lines license, with willingness to obtain other state licenses as needed.

• Strong leadership, team development, and strategic planning skills.

• Knowledge of multi-state regulatory environments and rate/filing processes.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

• Excellent communication, decision-making, and organizational skills.

• Proven ability to build trust with internal and external stakeholders.