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Chief Underwriting Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Berkley

SVP, Chief Underwriting Officer

Scottsdale, AZ · On-site

Responsibilities The Senior Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) is an executive leader responsible for driving underwriting excellence, portfolio performance, and strategic growth at ...

Westfield

Specialty Senior Underwriter

Berkeley Heights, NJ · On-site

$102K - $121K/yr

Reporting to the Chief Underwriting Officer A&H, you will be a key contributor to the overall management, growth, and profitability of our business. * Lead our entry into new products and markets ...

Westfield

Specialty Senior Underwriter

Berkeley Heights, NJ · On-site

$102K - $121K/yr

Reporting to the Chief Underwriting Officer A&H, you will be a key contributor to the overall management, growth, and profitability of our business. * Lead our entry into new products and markets ...

Westfield

Specialty Underwriter

Berkeley Heights, NJ · On-site

Reporting to the Chief Underwriting Officer A&H, you will be a key contributor to the overall analysis and management of our new and renewal business. * You will work directly with brokers to ...

New

Awac

AVP, Underwriting - Environmental

Los Angeles, CA

$130K - $175K/yr

Liaise with Chief Underwriting Officer, actuary, claims, accounting, IT and legal departments as appropriate. Manage and delegate authority. Job Qualifications: * At least 7 years relevant ...

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Chief Underwriting information

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$115K

$192.8K

$371K

How much do chief underwriting jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief underwriting in the United States is $192,837.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $132,500.00 and $257,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a chief underwriting officer make?

A chief underwriting officer typically earns a salary ranging from $150,000 to over $300,000 annually, depending on the company size, industry, and experience. They oversee underwriting policies, assess risk, and often have leadership responsibilities that influence compensation levels. Bonuses and incentives may also be part of their total compensation package.

What does a chief underwriter do?

A chief underwriter oversees the underwriting department, evaluating and approving insurance applications to assess risk and determine policy terms. They develop underwriting policies, manage a team of underwriters, and ensure compliance with company standards and industry regulations.

How much do head underwriters make?

Head underwriters typically earn between $100,000 and $200,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. Senior roles with extensive expertise and certifications can exceed this range, especially in large organizations or specialized sectors.

What is the difference between Chief Underwriting vs Underwriting Manager?

AspectChief UnderwritingUnderwriting Manager
CredentialsTypically requires professional underwriting certifications and extensive industry experienceRequires underwriting experience, often with certifications, but less senior-level credentials
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership, policy development, and high-level decision makingTeam management, daily underwriting operations, and policy review
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in large insurance companies, focusing on overall underwriting strategyCommon in insurance firms, overseeing underwriting teams and processes

The Chief Underwriting role focuses on strategic oversight and policy direction, while the Underwriting Manager handles daily team management and operational tasks. Both roles require industry experience and certifications, but differ in scope and seniority.

What is the highest paying underwriting job?

The highest paying underwriting roles are typically senior executive positions such as Chief Underwriting Officer or Head of Underwriting, which can earn six-figure salaries plus bonuses. These roles require extensive experience, advanced certifications, and leadership skills within insurance or reinsurance companies.
More about Chief Underwriting jobs
What cities are hiring for Chief Underwriting jobs? Cities with the most Chief Underwriting job openings:
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Chief Underwriting jobs near you
Infographic showing various Chief Underwriting job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 89% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $192,837 per year, or $92.7 per hour.
SVP, Chief Underwriting Officer

SVP, Chief Underwriting Officer

Berkley

Scottsdale, AZ • On-site

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Company Details
Vela Insurance Services provides specialized Excess and Surplus Lines Casualty and Professional Liability insurance solutions in the following four market segments: Construction, Specialty Casualty, and Professional Liability. We offer national service and local knowledge to our exclusive wholesale broker network and the businesses they serve.
The company is an equal opportunity employer.
Responsibilities
The Senior Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) is an executive leader responsible for driving underwriting excellence, portfolio performance, and strategic growth at Vela Insurance Services.
Reporting to the President, s/he will lead a unified underwriting strategy across all segments, ensuring profitable growth through a "One Underwriting" mindset.
This role will oversee the redesign of the CUO role to foster stronger collaboration with MSEs, foster a sales-driven culture, and align underwriting operations with emerging opportunities in technology, data analytics, and market diversification.
The CUO will champion a future-focused vision, enhancing leadership capabilities, talent retention, and broker relationships to build a defensible sales flywheel and promote sustainable profitability.
Responsibilities include:
  • Lead and Manage Underwriting Strategy Across All Segments: Develop and execute a comprehensive underwriting strategy that ensures profitability, optimizes portfolio performance, and aligns with Vela's three-year strategic vision. Drive cross-functional collaboration to address gaps in vision, alignment, and execution, particularly in an E&S market with intensifying competition. Work closely with SLT constituents to form and execute optimal profitable growth strategies, track portfolio performance and adjust plans to ensure success.
  • Foster a High-Performance Sales Culture: Integrate underwriting with sales and marketing to create a unified "One Team" approach. Support the redesign of the CUO role to include additional MSEs, ensuring consistency in best practices and capabilities, and clearly defining shared accountability for results.
  • Drive Product Development and Innovation: Lead the identification and development of new insurance products, leveraging data analytics and AI to meet emerging market needs. Oversee the upgrade of product development (PMO) and analytics into the Underwriting Operations Group, focusing on digitization, STP, and predictive analytics to enhance decision-making and upstream risk selection.
  • Enhance Leadership and Talent Development: Address leadership gaps by recruiting industry leaders with proven experience to introduce complementary business segments. Implement a robust recruitment, retention, and
  • performance management program, including a UA role Internship and Trainee Program, to build a pipeline of talent and promote career laddering.
  • Build a Defensible Sales Flywheel: Establish and collaborate with a newly formed Distribution Strategies Group to develop a market-competitive hybrid technology, sales, marketing, and relationship-driven engine. Promote success for underwriters (UWs) through sales oriented mindset, equipped with tools to drive territory growth, full integration of Kalepa into workflows, additional AI tools, and dashboards to support decision-making at all levels.
  • Strengthen Broker Relationships: Through Distribution Strategies Group formation, work closely with MSEs to redesign the role of a production underwriter to include goals for assigned regions and teams, creating an incentive-based compensation plan for production UWs. Design sales and underwriting acumen training with a career laddering approach, including territory responsibility and reviews. Organize an annual broker qualification trip and establish a Producer Council to strengthen ties with key brokers.
  • Promote Entrepreneurial Mindset: Encourage individual contributors to drive product diversification and sustainable profit growth through select product initiatives. Support the "One Team" model with Broker Specialists at the forefront, assigning underwriters to the same brokers for renewal UWs and underwriting operations support.
  • Leverage Data and Analytics: Invest in data and analytic tools to maximize accuracy, efficiency, and speed. Oversee pricing model upgrades, and underwriting analytics/AI investments through the Underwriting Operations Group.
  • Address Legacy Business Challenges: Surgically address legacy operating activities to ensure continuity and stability in profitability
  • Develop Future Value Propositions: Work closely with the President and SLT to create a clear, ambitious vision for employees and brokers, emphasizing entrepreneurial contribution, leadership accountability, and a "One" mindset. Play a key role in the development and execution of Vela's new strategic vision.
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
  • Four (4) year College Degree, or commensurate experience and training
  • Industry designations preferred: CPCU, ASLI, ARM
  • Minimum of 15+ years' commercial lines underwriting experience, with strong foundation in portfolio analytics
  • Strong sales acumen and drive - Demonstrated success in building and sustaining a sales-driven culture
  • Demonstrated success in product development, innovation, and launching new products
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills
  • Demonstrated technical expertise in underwriting
  • Experience in and understanding the competitive E&S marketplace is a significant advantage

Additional Company Details
We do not accept any unsolicited resumes from external recruiting firms.
The company offers a competitive compensation plan and robust benefits package for full time regular employees which for this role include:
• Eligible to participate in annual discretionary bonus.
• Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, Wellness, Paid Time Off, 401(k) and Profit-Sharing plans. '
The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment.
Sponsorship Details
Sponsorship not Offered for this Role

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