Senior Commercial Surety Underwriter - Bonds Division

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.

Great American's Bond Division has been underwriting surety and fidelity bonds for over 90 years. Great American is known for expert underwriting, solid financial strength, market leadership and creative solutions to all bonding needs. With a highly diverse product line, Great American is one of the top surety companies in the United States.

https://www.greatamericaninsurancegroup.com/about-us/business-operations/division/bond

Our Bonds Division is hiring for a Senior Commercial Surety Underwriter to be located in the Northeast region. This will be a fully remote opportunity with the expectation of travel. This position can be located in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania areas.  

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

• Leads the evaluation and underwriting of new and renewal business, ensuring alignment with Company underwriting guidelines and risk appetite.

• Reviews and evaluates complex financial statements, credit reports, and business operations of applicants.

• Determines coverage and sets terms, conditions, and pricing by evaluating the applicant’s financial capacity, past performance, and risk factors.

• Collaborates with actuaries, agents, brokers, and clients to obtain necessary information and provide guidance.

• Ensures proper documentation of underwriting decisions and compliance with state and federal insurance regulations.

• Evaluates complex policy renewals and modifications, identifying opportunities for policy enhancements and risk mitigation.

• Communicates underwriting strategies and decisions effectively to internal teams, agents, and brokers.

• Stays updated on industry trends, regulatory changes, and market conditions.

• Maintains effective business relationships with internal and external customers/coworkers, focusing on generating new business and retaining profitable business.

• Interprets, explains, and promotes products and services to drive market growth.

• Monitors and evaluates underwriting practices, assisting with implementing strategic adjustments to improve overall effectiveness and outcomes.

• 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 in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related field or equivalent experience.

• Experience: Generally, 5 or more years of underwriting, finance, banking, or related experience. Continuing progress toward and/or the completion of a professional designation preferred but not required, such as Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding (AFSB), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and/or Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU).

Scope of Job/Qualifications: Performs work under limited supervision and technical direction. Works with significant latitude and authority on complex assignments. Demonstrates advanced analytical, risk assessment, and problem-solving skills. Strong understanding of financial statement analysis and risk management. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Advanced negotiation and decision-making ability. Viewed as a senior resource on the Financial Products Underwriting team. Provides technical advice and support to lower-level positions. Position requires occasional travel up to 25%.

Business Unit:

Salary Range:

Benefits:

Compensation varies by role, position level, and location. Individual pay is influenced by skills, education, training, certifications, experience, and the role's scope and complexity, along with business needs.

We offer a competitive Total Rewards package, including medical, dental, and vision plans starting on day one, PTO, paid holidays, commuter benefits, an employee stock purchase plan, education reimbursement, paid parental leave/adoption assistance, and a 401(k) plan with company match. These benefits are available to eligible full-time and part-time employees.

Your recruiter can provide more details about our total rewards and specific compensation ranges during the hiring process.