Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuel Industry Practice Underwriting Lead

Background:

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our newly created Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuels (REAF) Industry Practice in the UK & Ireland. The practice has been developed to drive accelerated, profitable growth in the broad range of energy transition technologies by developing industry specialism across lines of business. REAF IP puts the customer and their specific needs as the focus, developing tailored multi-line products and services, whilst reducing the complexity of the customer journey. REAF IP clients include developers and operators of renewable power assets (wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, hydro, wave & tidal), alternative fuel assets (biofuels, hydrogen, nuclear), the power grid and energy storage, and other transition technologies such as heating and cooling networks and carbon capture and storage projects.

Role Purpose:

The primary purpose of the role is the management and leadership of the Region's REAF Industry Practice. It is the ultimate underwriting leader within the region for REAF Property and Casualty construction and operations, and the execution leader for REAF more broadly across other lines of business.

The successful candidate must demonstrate strong competence and experience in the following areas:

Technical Underwriting Skills: The Manager will be expected to have strong experience in underwriting of traditional energy/power and/or renewable energy/alternative fuel construction and operational property risks, have a broad understanding of Chubb's appetite across all relevant lines of business, preferred occupancies and wordings, as well as those of key competitors. The Manager will be expected to work closely with risk engineers, identifying fee generation opportunities and applying coverage and placement structure decisions based on engineering's view of risk. Identify opportunities in emerging technologies, understanding expected investment and clients' current and future insurance needs. Engagement with Climate Tech Industry Practice where there is mutual learning on developing technologies e.g. renewable energy component manufacturing. Ultimately, the role must be capable of holding high levels of underwriting authority and be comfortable taking referral work from the REAF team.

The manager should also have a good awareness of the underwriting appetite and processes for other target lines of business such as Marine, Political Violence, Financial Lines etc to drive multi-line participation and collaboration and be closely connected to those leaders and communities.

Planning & Execution: Prepare and execute a business plan for the REAF Industry Practice with key actions and tactics. Delivery and execution of the financial plan across all lines of business is a critical responsibility for this role, ensuring that rate, retention, and new business numbers are planned and forecast accurately and that monthly production targets are met.

Target Operating Models: Lead and actively support adherence to Chubb's target operating models. This will require an understanding of the Operating Model that Chubb wishes to follow and pro-active execution to achieve the required outcome. Knowledge and regular use of Chubb's systems including but not limited to GenNext, Medix, PMR, QlikView and Insight therefore as a prerequisite. Drive and maintain best practice and disciplines around data capture and usage of key operational systems, such as Workview. Look for opportunities to continuously improve our processes to generate operational efficiency.

People Management: Leadership in a matrix environment of a team of underwriters across the region. This role will set the vision and plan, support the day to day needs of the team, plus play an active part in supporting the talent and development needs of underwriters. Setting learning and development schedule for underwriters.

Broker and market engagement: Understand the broker landscape for REAF across the region and directly support high value relationships and opportunities. Ensure focus around driving the pipeline of new business activity with underwriters and Distribution (both from short- and long-term perspective) to meet plan. Raise Chubb's profile as a REAF industry expert across all lines of business through marketing collateral and events, engagement with technical market bodies, plus speaking at client, broker, and industry forums/events.

Key responsibilities:

1. Underwriting Referral: act as the main referral point for REAF underwriters on P&C REAF business.
2. Multiline: Lead a multiline strategy with focus on cross-sell of additional lines to REAF clients. Work with LOB leaders and champions to create a broader REAF multiline community focused on working together to deliver multi line propositions for our REAF clients.
3. Delivering Plan: Prepare and execute a business plan for the REAF Industry Practice with key actions and tactics. Delivering and exceeding the REAF Practice financial plan.
4. Strategic focus: Working closely with Line of Business Heads and COG to formulate and deliver on an underwriting strategy. Ensuring quality control within defined area of responsibility by undertaking quantitative underwriting reviews, running regular management meetings. Supporting effective management of the portfolio.
5. Procedures: Meet company standards in respect of policy documentation, contract certainty and compliance and regulatory requirements.
6. Compliance: To be responsible for Peer review implementation across the practice and the completion of all audit requirements and actions within agreed timescales and adherence to all legal compliance standards.
7. Leadership: Promoting Chubb as a 'Go to' market to brokers and clients. Acting as a senior representative for Industry Practices (both internally and externally) for all lines of business, driving the strategic relationships, in terms of trading and execution with all our broking partners. Supporting and encouraging colleagues to drive the business. Responsible for the strategic and operational management of the team.
8. Product Development: Developing and seeking out new opportunities to innovate within the REAF practice, working with other stakeholders (including other Product lines) to generate new ideas. Regularly conduct and share market research and intelligence. Identify and harness new opportunities.
9. Training/People: Working with regional managers and COG ensure the provision of appropriate training and mentoring support in the team to support appropriate authority delegation. Ensure there is robust succession planning in place across the practice.
10. Operational Management: Understanding, interpreting, and communicating to the team effectively the Strategic Priorities of the Practice. Continually monitoring and effectively managing the allocation of resource to meet business objectives, ensuring external priorities and broker needs are constantly at the forefront of our decision-making process. Shaping and refreshing roles for employees, maximising both individual employees' and the team's potential. Manage, track and review performance of the team and individual team members.
11. Ignite: Develop and manage an Ignite strategy for REAF to enable growth in lower mid-market / SME.
12. Claims and Engineering: Regular engagement with claims and engineering function to ensure experience is fed back into the underwriting process.

Qualifications

1. Strong traditional energy and/or power, or renewable energy underwriting experience - construction and operational risks
2. Extensive knowledge of the Energy and Power sector and Energy and Power underwriting
3. Portfolio management capabilities
4. People management and leadership skills
5. Strong working knowledge of the REAF insurance market and competitors
6. Results driven with ability to make own decisions and work on own initiative
7. An experienced professional whose expertise is recognised externally
8. Being able to demonstrate examples of strategy development and operational improvement would be desirable
9. Ability to execute and influence at all levels both internally and externally

What we offer in return!

Pension and annual bonus scheme, 25 days annual leave plus ability to purchase 5 additional days, Private Medical cover, Employee Share Purchase Plan, Life Assurance, Subsidised gym membership, Comprehensive Learning & development offerings, Employee Assistance program

Integrity. Client focus. Respect. Excellence. Teamwork.

Our core values dictate how we live and work. We're an ethical and honest company that's wholly committed to its clients. A business that's engaged in mutual trust and respect for its employees and partners. A place where colleagues perform at the highest levels. And a working environment that's collaborative and supportive.

Diversity & Inclusion. At Chubb we consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness and respect, regardless of their age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or family circumstances.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please let us know in your application or in any future discussions with our recruiters.

About Us

Chubb is a world leader in insurance. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally.