Head of Programs

Where you’ll work 

As a key business division of AXA XL our Programs business contains Property, Casualty, and Professional Liability risks. As the Head of Programs, the leader of this team will set strategy and direction for the team in support of the Region’s and broader organization’s goals. In this role, the leader will have full P&L responsibility including accountability for both financial and operational plans ensuring profitable growth along with creating a culture of underwriting excellence and relentless performance management.  

The role directly reports to the Head of Wholesale Solutions, whose responsibility includes the enterprise-wide programs strategy.   

What you’ll be doing 

What will your essential responsibilities include? 

• Leading all underwriting operations across an integrated insurance company with an extensive network, working in collaboration with colleagues across the Americas to bring Programs products to market, and seeking to ensure sustained profitably and growth.   
• Full P&L responsibility for the Programs portfolio, continuously monitoring performance of each program in the portfolio.   
• Manage the Programs overall risk appetite in collaboration with the Americas leadership team, including gross and net strategy and property CAT exposure across the portfolio.   
• Develop and manage a robust new business pipeline to onboard new program opportunities aligned with our profitability goals.   
• Presenting to the Americas CUO and CEO on a regular basis, including coverage of, but not limited to, performance against plan, underwriting strategy updates, and the monitoring of new business initiatives.
• Creating and executing the Americas Programs annual business plan and strategy, ensuring consistency with agreed risk appetites. Responsible for underwriting profit and loss within Americas Programs, including revenue management on a gross and net level, and business acquisition expense management. 
• Overseeing the recruitment and retention of key Programs Underwriting staff with leadership, guidance, and motivation in order to maintain a productive, efficient, and competent workforce, all while ensuring that appropriate underwriting governance is maintained through policies, procedures, reviews, audits, and training. 
• Promoting the professional growth of a diverse and engaged underwriting community, while planning effectively to maintain the organization’s business continuity goals.
• As a member of the Wholesale Solutions Leadership team, the Head of Programs is responsible for a regional business that will achieve sustained top quartile underwriting performance, including innovation and new offerings, pricing, risk appetite, and capital allocation within the product portfolio.

What you'll bring

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills: 

People Skills:

• Analytical & Strategic Mindset: Set and communicate a clear, multi-year direction for the Programs business. Integrate portfolio data, market dynamics, customer insights, and financial implications to make sound strategic decisions and adjust course as conditions evolve.
• Customer Centricity: Place program partners, brokers, and clients at the center of decision-making while balancing customer needs, underwriting discipline, and sustainable profitability. Build an organization that delivers a consistent, responsive, and differentiated experience.
• Agility / Curiosity & Innovation: Anticipate shifts in customer, partner, and market needs, remain curious about emerging risks and opportunities, and adapt strategy and execution as conditions evolve. Encourage experimentation, continuous learning, and responsible innovation across the Programs business.
• Influence: Shape decisions across senior leaders, underwriting teams, and external partners without relying solely on positional authority. Build alignment around strategy, risk appetite, portfolio actions, and change through credible judgment and compelling communication. 

Business Skills:

• Business and (Re)Insurance Acumen: Apply extensive knowledge of the insurance and reinsurance value chain, delegated arrangements, market cycles, financial drivers, and competitive dynamics to lead the Programs P&L and make enterprise-minded decisions.
• Relationship Management: Build and sustain strategic relationships with MGAs, program administrators, brokers, clients, regulators, and colleagues. Establish trust, clarify mutual expectations, resolve complex issues, and create opportunities for profitable growth.
• Presentation /Storytelling: Communicates complex information clearly and persuasively, tailoring the message to the audience and using data, insights, and compelling narratives to influence decisions and drive understanding. 

Technical Skills: 

• Portfolio Management: Lead portfolio strategy across Property, Casualty, and Professional Liability Programs. Monitor performance, concentrations, exposures, pricing, terms, and diversification, and direct actions that align the portfolio with risk appetite and P&L objectives.
• Product Knowledge: Applies deep knowledge of relevant insurance products, coverages, exposures, policy structures, and market practices to assess risk, support underwriting decisions, and deliver effective solutions for clients and brokers.
• Natural Hazard Assessment: Applies knowledge of natural hazards, catastrophe risk, exposure data, and relevant modeling and assessment techniques to evaluate risk, identify potential vulnerabilities, and inform underwriting and risk-management decisions. 

Essential Position Information 

• Located at the current AXA XL office location (NY, PA, CT, MA, AZ, CA) Work arrangement and primary office location will be confirmed for the selected hiring market.
• Employment type: Permanent 
• Working hours: Full time, Standard business hours, with flexibility to support business and market needs across the Americas. 
• Extensive, progressively responsible experience in Programs and Delegated Authority, including leadership of complex underwriting portfolios, full P&L accountability, portfolio and risk-appetite management, delegated underwriting governance, and strategic relationships with MGAs and program administrators.
• Bachelor’s degree in risk management, Insurance, Business, Finance, or a related field preferred. Advanced degree or relevant insurance designation, such as CPCU, is valued. 
• Travel requirements: Over 30% and as business needs require. 
• Applicants for this role must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future. 

Who we are

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.

How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business − property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.

With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward.

Learn more at axaxl.com.

What we offer

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic.   At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It’s about helping one another — and our business — to move forward and succeed.

• Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
• Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
• Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
• Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter

Learn more at Inclusion & Diversity at AXA XL | AXA XL. AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Total Rewards

AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides enterprising compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars:

• Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society – are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature – from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard – by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
• Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
• Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
• AXA Hearts in Action:  We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day – the Global Day of Giving.

For more information, please see Sustainability at AXA XL.

The U.S. base salary range for this position is USD 181,400 to 336,800. 

Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual’s skills, experience and location. We strive for market alignment and internal equity with our colleagues’ pay.

At AXA XL, we know how important physical, mental, and financial health are to our employees, which is why we are proud to offer benefitssuch as an enterprising retirement savings plan, health and wellness programs, and many other benefits. We also believe in fostering ourcolleagues' development and offer a wide range of learning opportunities for colleagues to hone their professional skills and to positionthemselves for the next step of their careers. For more details about AXA XL’s benefits offerings, please visit US Benefits at a Glance 2026.