Senior Underwriter - Contract Surety (Walnut Creek, CA)

Be Here. Be Great. Working for a leader in the insurance industry means opportunity for you. Great American Insurance Group's member companies are subsidiaries of American Financial Group. We combine a "small company" culture where your ideas will be heard with "big company" expertise to help you succeed. With over 30 specialty and property and casualty operations, there are always opportunities here to learn and grow.

At Great American, we value diversity and recognize the benefits gained when people from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences work collaboratively to achieve business results. We are intentionally focused on fostering an inclusive culture and know valuing diversity is an essential leadership quality. Our goal is to create a workplace where all employees feel included, empowered and enabled to perform at their best.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

• Has responsibility for low to moderately complex risk selection/rejection, pricing, retention, growth, and profitability within scope of authority and per divisional objectives.

• Uses independent judgment and initiative to support business goals.

• Maintains a high level of customer service.

• Receives and analyzes submissions and determines terms to offer (policy limits, credit limits, deductibles, coverage options and conditions, work programs, etc.).

• Prices business in accordance with company guidelines.

• May conduct investigations of new and existing accounts through business owners (banks, owners, creditors, debtors, architects, engineers, criminal record checks, on-site visits, etc.).

• Assesses risk quality and compliance within company guidelines.

• Orders and analyzes miscellaneous business reports needed in the rating and underwriting processes, including credit checks, bank agreements, financial statements, and underwriting surveys.

• Makes recommendations on risks over authority.

• Enters, maintains and monitors accounts using underwriting, analysis, and desktop systems.

• Prepares effective internal and external communications on underwriting issues.

• Develops and maintains effective business relationships with internal and external customers/coworkers in order to attract and retain profitable business.

• Visits producers and principals in order to retain existing accounts, build and maintain business relationships, and develop new opportunities in support of divisional objectives.

• Interprets, explains, and markets products and services.

• Visits producers/insureds in order to retain existing accounts, survey exposures, build and maintain business relationships, and develop new opportunities in support of divisional objectives.

• Applies underwriting rules and guidelines, rating manual rules, and insurance laws and regulations.

• May provide guidance and assistance to lower level associates.

• May have responsibility for performance and coaching of staff and may have a participatory role in decisions regarding talent selection, development, and performance management for direct reports.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience. Master's in Business Administration (MBA) preferred but not required.

Field of Study: Finance, Accounting or a related discipline

Experience: Generally looking for 3+ years of related experience. Progression toward certification in area of expertise preferred; appropriate certifications could include Associate in Surety and Fidelity Bonding (AFSB), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and/or Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU).

Business Unit:

Bond

Salary Range:

$100,000.00 -$175,000.00

Benefits:

We offer competitive healthcare, retirement, and paid time off benefits for full-time and part-time benefit eligible employees.