Underwriting Operations Manager (Life Insurance) - Sandton
Grow People Partners · Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Overview
Grow People Partners is hiring a Manager for Underwriting Operations in Sandton, Johannesburg. You will lead a team of junior and senior underwriters, combining technical risk evaluation with leadership and regulatory knowledge. This is a permanent full time role reporting to the Head of Underwriting, perfect for an experienced underwriting professional ready to step into management.
About the role
As the Manager of Underwriting Operations, you will lead a team of junior and senior underwriters at our head office in Sandton. Your role blends technical risk evaluation with team leadership and regulatory oversight to protect profitability and improve operational efficiency.
Key areas you will be involved in:
- Managing staff capacity and ensuring the right skills are in place
- Improving cost effectiveness and operational efficiency across underwriting functions
- Monitoring SLAs and quality standards, and driving continuous improvement
- Working with actuaries to build and calibrate automated underwriting rules engines
- Conducting complex medical risk assessments and financial underwriting evaluations
- Managing reinsurance strategies including Facultative and Treaty structures
- Contributing to cross functional forums and helping formulate business area strategy
To apply, please submit your CV and relevant qualifications through the PNet listing.
Requirements
- Grade 12 with Mathematics (essential)
- Minimum 2 to 3 years of management experience
- Industry certifications, regulatory approvals, and several years of hands-on experience in risk assessment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio) and Adobe
- Experience interacting directly with external parties and internal stakeholders
- Ability to conduct interviews with prospective candidates and make placement decisions
- Strong analytical skills for business process analysis
- Deep knowledge of Facultative and Treaty reinsurance structures
- Proficiency in medical risk assessment to accurately classify risk categories
- Ability to evaluate financial data, verify debt-to-income metrics, and calculate insurable interest
Responsibilities
- Manage a team of junior and senior underwriters, ensuring optimal staff capacity with correct skills
- Contain and improve cost effectiveness of underwriting functions
- Implement initiatives to improve operational efficiency and customer experience
- Ensure SLAs are adhered to and delivered at agreed quality standards, setting targets for continuous improvement
- Monitor external perception ratings and ensure scores are within agreed targets
- Identify and report on service failures and errors
- Contribute to cross functional forums to improve efficiencies in other areas
- Ensure all correspondence is professional and aligned with organizational standards and protocols
- Help manage and determine the budget for the business area
- Interact with executive management in other business areas to ensure clear communication and service delivery
- Help formulate strategy for the business area
- Perform complex medical risk assessments to classify risk categories accurately
- Evaluate key financial data, verify debt-to-income metrics, and calculate insurable interest
- Collaborate with actuaries to build, audit, and calibrate automated underwriting rules engines
- Manage reinsurance strategies including Facultative and Treaty structures
Job details
- Organisation
- Grow People Partners
- Location
- Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng
- Job type
- Full time
- Experience level
- Mid (2+ years)
- Education
- Matric
- Salary
- R120k to R160k per month / monthly
- Category
- Banking & Insurance
- Application Method
- Apply online
Success Guide
This is a solid step up for an experienced life insurance underwriter who is ready to lead a team. The role combines technical know how with people management, so when you apply, highlight both your hands on underwriting experience (especially medical and financial risk assessment) and any times you have supervised or mentored colleagues.
Grow People Partners will likely be looking for someone who understands reinsurance structures and can work closely with actuaries. Brush up on your knowledge of Facultative and Treaty reinsurance before your interview. Also be ready to talk about how you have improved processes or managed SLAs in a previous role.
Make sure your CV clearly shows your management experience (at least 2 to 3 years) and your matric certificate with Maths. Good luck!
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