Vice President Senior Underwriter - Terrorism & Political Violence

Job Description

Are you looking for your next opportunity?

Sompo has a unique opportunity for a VP, Senior Underwriter, Terrorism & Political Violence in our Underwriting team.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Underwriter (VP) to play a lead role within our Terrorism and Political Violence team in London. The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise and capabilities across all PV perils, as well as having strong broker relationships, people management skills and a very good understanding of geopolitical affairs.

Location: This position will be based out of our London office. We strive for collaboration which is why we offer a work environment where our employees thrive and develop long lasting careers.

Our business, your impact, our opportunity:

What you’ll be doing:

Underwriting:

• Lead the underwriting of complex standalone Terrorism and Political Violence risks in accordance with syndicate risk appetite, underwriting guidelines and authority limits.
• Assess, price, and underwrite new and renewal business within the Terrorism and Political Violence book of business.
• Monitor peril aggregations and ensure adherence to line size and capacity guidelines.
• Maintain a balanced and profitable portfolio in accordance with underwriting authority, appetite and underwriting guidelines.
• Ensure all underwriting activity complies with internal guidelines, regulatory requirements, and sanctions protocols.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of underwriting guidelines and appetite.
• Maintain accurate documentation and underwriting files in accordance with the underwriting guidelines.

Broker Engagement:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Lloyd’s and London market brokers, as well as monitoring team relationships and dynamics with each one.
• Represent Sompo at client meetings, the box at Lloyds and industry events.
• Monitor competitor activity and market trends to inform pricing and product development strategies. 

Geopolitical Knowledge and Risk Assessment:

• Conduct in-depth analysis of geopolitical developments, conflict zones, and Terrorism and PV trends to inform risk selection and underwriting strategy.
• Utilise third-party intelligence providers to maintain current knowledge of global hotspots, as well as their knowledge and expertise to inform underwriting on specific risks or within specific regions.

Collaboration and Development:

• Proactively contribute in the team meetings; offer ideas, suggestions, critique of strategy and provide space for others to do the same. Also, actively listen to your colleagues and be open to having your ideas/thinking challenged.
• Collaborate with actuarial, claims, and exposure management teams where appropriate.
• Contribute to product development, wording enhancements, and innovation in line with market needs.
• Support more junior team members and contribute to knowledge sharing within the team.

What you’ll bring:

The candidate needs to have:

• Minimum 5 years experience underwriting the following Crisis Management Products
  • Terrorism, Political Violence, and/ or Active Assailant
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong problem solving and decision-making abilities
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to work with a team-oriented approach
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a fast-paced, challenging environment
• Numerate and an eye for detail
• Ability to organise efficiently
• Strong time management
• Strong administration skills / file keeping
• Comprehensive computer skills, including Microsoft Office Excel etc.

At Sompo, we recognize that the talent, skills, and commitment of our employees drive our success. This is why we offer competitive, high-quality compensation and benefit programs to eligible employees.

Our compensation program is built on a foundation that promotes a pay-for-performance culture, resulting in higher incentive awards, on average, when the Company does well and lower incentive awards when the Company underperforms.  The total compensation opportunity for all regular, full-time employees is a combination of base salary and incentives that gets adjusted upfront based on overall Company performance with final awards based on individual performance.

We continuously evaluate and update our benefit programs to ensure that our plans remain competitive and meet the needs of our employees and their dependents. 

Below is a summary of some of the benefits we offer, which may vary depending on the country:

• Health & Wellness Benefits
• Retirement & Savings Plans
• Global Parental Leave & Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement & Professional Qualification benefits

Who we are and what we stand for:

At Sompo, our shared purpose is to create meaningful value for clients, communities, and each other. We strive to foster a workplace where everyone feels respected, included, and empowered to excel. As a global organization, we embrace diversity and champion equal opportunity. Guided by our core values—Accountability, Agility, Collaboration, Development, and Integrity—we build trust and support one another to achieve our goals worldwide.

Life at Sompo | Sompo

Our values come to life in how we hire and grow talent. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and organizational need, and we strive to ensure equitable access to opportunities so everyone can do their best work. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the recruiter in charge.