Head of Underwriting

Join our dynamic and rapidly growing team at Barbon, where innovation meets integrity. As a leader in tenant referencing and specialist lettings insurance, we thrive on energy, creativity, and a passion for excellence.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Head of Underwriting to lead and direct underwriting strategy, operations, and policy development across product lines. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our business operations maintain the highest levels of integrity and ethics in a fast-paced environment.

If you're ready to take on a high challenging leadership role in a high-energy environment where your expertise can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. Apply now and become a key player in shaping the future of Barbon!

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, manage, coach and support the Team Leaders for the Underwriting, Product Governance Teams, ensuring that SLA’s are adhered to and improve business efficiencies through controlled empowerment roll-outs to the Sales Teams.
• Monitor and report on performance and suitability of each product against set parameters throughout their lifecycle.
• Drive any product rationalisation projects across the Groups brands and review rationalisation opportunities.
• Chair the Product Governance Committee and maintain and develop the product governance framework itself ensuring the group’s processes incorporate the latest legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain, with the support of the Underwriting Technical Analyst, a specific product based management information reporting suite and issue a "Product Performance Dashboard" at agreed intervals to the PGC and other key stakeholders.
• Be the point of contact for insurer relationships and manage these effectively.
• Manage the relationship with insurers. Overseeing regular underwriting meetings and QBR’s as well as demonstrating a strong understanding of the contractual arrangements and profit share scheme.
• Contribute and ensure smooth implementation of strategic business objectives and product development.

SMCR Regulatory Responsibility

• Under the FCA’s Senior Manager & Certification Regime (SMCR) this role is deemed to be responsible for the following certification function:
• Significant Management Function - this role has significant responsibility, including key decision making for insurance sales
• The job holder will be required to meet the requirements of the Certification Regime, including but not limited to:
• Fitness & Propriety assessments
• Completion of 15 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) on an annual basis
• Adherence to Conduct Rules

Education / Qualifications

• At least 4 GCSE’s/O Levels (grade c or above) including Maths and English
• Cert CII, progression towards or at the very least a commitment to enrol for these Insurance qualifications upon appointment
• Dip CII / ACII or progress towards (or comparable in other financial services sectors) (desirable)

Experience and knowledge

• At least 3 years general insurance / financial services experience working with insurance products

Skills / Aptitude

• Collaborative Working - Encourages Co-Operative Working
• Communicating Clearly- Promotes Two-Way Communication
• Leading & Developing- Enables the Performance of Others
• Thinking Customer- Strives to Deliver Excellence
• Commercial Mind-set- Identifies opportunities to reduce costs
• Analysing & Initiating- Applies Analytical Rigour
• Adapting & Responding- Adapts to Change
• Taking Ownership- Seeks New Opportunities
• Creating & Innovating- Encourages Innovation
• Planning & Prioritising-Plans and Monitors

Further information

As well as a competitive salary we offer the following benefits -

• Competitive holiday allowance with the annual option to buy additional days
• Death in Service benefit of x4 salary
• Company pension scheme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave packages
• A flexible benefits package which allows you to add additional benefits to your overall package
• Our benefits portal offers discounts on technology & electronics, cinemas, restaurants, days out, mortgage advice, travel and many more
• Referral schemes
• Discounted rates on PIB products
• We offer a first-class employee benefits and welfare package to support our employees with financial management, cycle to work scheme, counselling support, health screening, will writing, menopause support, books, stopping smoking and much more
• If supporting the local community, engaging with charities and having the opportunity to 'give something back’ interests you, you have the opportunity to take an extra day to support this with a Volunteering day.
• We also offer a wide range of discounts including a kids pass - giving you discount to over 4500 attractions and activities, discounts at hairdressers and beauticians, climate change projects with lots of other options to choose
• PIB has a comprehensive learning & development framework, including professional study options and apprenticeships which are available to all employees, and which will support your career development

We are proud of our success and growth and have been recognised for many industry awards across our business. If you wish to work for a company that truly puts people at the heart of their organisation, then we would love to hear from you. PIB operates a flexible working policy, and our management teams will talk to you about how that would meet both your flexible working needs and those of the business and role you are applying for. We would love to hear from you if you want to hear more about opportunities in PIB.

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to hiring a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.

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