Specialist or Senior Specialist, Surety

Position Summary

The role supports the national surety operation with high level technical underwriting expertise in Surety. This position undertakes the development, monitoring and implementation of national underwriting strategies to maximize profit, support prudent growth initiatives and ensure underwriting standards and discipline are maintained. The position requires maintaining good relations with the regional senior underwriting teams but an independent and objective approach to underwriting approvals and recommendations.

In addition, the role will provide general underwriting advice and counsel to regional teams at the account and portfolio level and support profitable growth for the surety divisions across Canada.

The main focus of the role is in contract surety, with a minor exposure to commercial surety as required.

This position reports to a Director, National Surety Underwriting, and works primarily with the Ontario and Atlantic regions, with some involvement in other regions.

Key Job Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the other members of the NSU team, managing of surety underwriting standards including large account authorizations, underwriting guidelines, special acceptances, watch list management, analytics and credit scoring, underwriting audits and controls, portfolio monitoring, and adherence to reinsurance.
• Liaise with regional distribution management to understand their challenges, opportunities and new products and work with the NSU team to develop underwriting solutions where possible and prudent.
• Review and if required approve the preparation and submission of special acceptances to the Reinsurers.
• Review, develop, test and assist in implementing improvements and/or changes to the IT underwriting system and database and advise regions of any amended procedures.
• Be aware of changing market conditions and trends that may have an impact on the surety industry, collect market and economic data relevant to our industry and communicate this to our regional surety divisions across Canada.
• Assist in developing and improving our internal training and educational programs and when appropriate conduct training and information seminars.
• Responsible for keeping the Director and VP NSU informed of key issues by monitoring critical monthly reports on exposures.
• Travel may be required to assist with audits, client visits or attending other National events.

Value is in strength of leadership skills, communication and motivational skills, engagement, relationship building with internal and external customers, sound technical underwriting knowledge, mentoring, organizational skills, effective delegation, coaching, and empowering staff, to contribute towards a high performance, collaborative, and engaged team culture and positive work environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years experience in Contract Surety.
• Highly organized, with the ability to work towards goals while adapting to change in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to persuade as well as challenge others.
• Can deal effectively and respectfully with individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and in collaboration with national departmental teams.
• Advanced computer skills in Excel, Word & PowerPoint.
• Willing to travel on occasion.
• University undergraduate degree preferred.
• An accounting designation is an asset.
• For candidates located in Quebec, bilingualism is required considering the necessity to interact on a regular basis with English-speaking colleagues across the country.
• No Canadian work experience required however must be eligible to work in Canada.

Please note that the posted salary range is for the Specialist role. We encourage candidates who may fall outside of this range to apply as well.

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Ce poste jouera un rôle essentiel au sein de notre équipe. | This position will fill an essential role in our team.

We are an equal opportunity employer

At Intact, our Value of respect is founded on seeing diversity as a strength. We strive to create an accessible workplace where employees feel valued, included and encouraged to share their unique perspectives. We encourage applications from individuals who are members of equity-deserving groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, Black people, and members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

As part of Intact’s commitment to reconciliation, we acknowledge that we work, meet and travel across the land currently called Canada, originally inhabited by First Nations, Metis and Inuit people. This history extends through many centuries and continues to evolve today.

We have policies to ensure equal access and participation for people with disabilities, including providing workplace adjustments (accommodations). A copy of applicable policies is available on request. If we can provide a specific adjustment to make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity. We’ll work with you to meet your needs.

Learn more about our recruitment process and your candidate journey here.

Please note that Intact does not provide sponsorship or other support for immigration-related matters including but not limited to employer-specific closed work permits. Candidates must be eligible to work in Canada from the anticipated start date and throughout their employment and are solely responsible for maintaining their work eligibility.

If you are an employee of Intact or belairdirect, please apply for this role on Internal Career Site.