Senior Natural Catastrophe Analyst

Job Type:

Build a brilliant future with Hiscox
 

Senior Natural Catastrophe Analyst

London based - min of 2 days in the office

Background

We are hiring a senior natural catastrophe research analyst to support our Hiscox analytical capabilities and growth across the Hiscox Group. This is a great opportunity to join a strategic and technologically focussed team that influences the way the Hiscox takes risk as a group. You will have the opportunity to add value to decision making and change the direction of the group at the highest level!

The Team

The Group Exposure Management team is part of the wider Underwriting Risk and Reinsurance team that reports to the group CUO. We work closely with the catastrophe modelling and capital management teams in order to gain a full understanding of underwriting risk across the group.

The team objectives are:

• Ensure catastrophe exposures are understood, measured, communicated, and are in line with internal and external appetites – no surprises. 
• Own, manage, and embed the Hiscox View of Risk for Natural Catastrophe risk, but also with a lense on non-natural perils
• Ensure best practice in Catastrophe Risk Analysis and compliance with regulatory requirements 
• Ensure Hiscox is taking the right sized bet in the right places 
• Meet internal committee, regulatory, and rating agency reporting requirements 
• Support reinsurance purchase 
• Provide inputs to other internal teams – Risk/Capital 

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Natural Catastrophe Analyst to support the Group Exposure Management function’s work on Natural Catastrophe perils. You will play a crucial role in delivering the research and exposure management agenda in order to ensure that the latest scientific and industry knowledge is captured within the Hiscox View of Risk and communicated effectively to business units. To achieve this, the role will cover topics such as climate change research, model validation, back-testing and calibration, tool development, scenario design and deployment, and portfolio optimisation. The impact of natural catastrophes on our business is of critical interest to a range of stakeholders including Underwriting Management, our Boards, Investors, and Regulators with growing expectations on all fronts. You will therefore have good visibility across a range of different business functions and at different levels.  

Key Responsibilities

• Support delivery of the Hiscox view of risk for natural catastrophes to ensure Hiscox remains within our catastrophe risk appetite and that it has been validated accordingly
• Deliver research projects, including catastrophe model validations, including designing and undertaking tests, and helping to produce the required regulatory documentation
• Lead ad hoc project work to further improve the Hiscox understanding of risk
• Help ensure we fulfil our natural catastrophe regulatory obligations
• Provide catastrophe risk expertise to internal stakeholders as required (e.g. underwriters, exposure management, risk analysts)
• Represent the group exposure management function internally to business units
• Stay up-to-date on the latest scientific understanding of natural catastrophes and market developments
• Represent Hiscox at industry events
• Establish and maintain connections with research institutions and academia
• Help foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the team

Person Specification

• 2+ years experience in the insurance market, with working knowledge of catastrophe modelling systems (e.g. Moody’s, Verisk EES).
• Ability to think critically in order to form scientific and business judgements
• Interest in natural hazard science.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for a range of expert/non-expert audiences.
• Aptitude for technical coding (we use SQL, R, Python, but no specific knowledge is essential).
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and build effective relationships with stakeholders from different business units and at various levels.
• Well organised and deadline focused.

Nice to have

• Experience of capital modelling.
• Masters or PhD in atmospheric sciences, geosciences, engineering, or any other numerical subject.
• Previous experience of evaluating catastrophe models.

About Hiscox

As an international specialist insurer we are far removed from the world of mass market insurance products. Instead we are selective and focus on our key areas of expertise and strength - all of which is underpinned by a culture that encourages us to challenge convention and always look for a better way of doing things.

We insure the unique and the interesting. And we search for the same when it comes to talented people. Hiscox is full of smart, reliable human beings that look out for customers and each other. We believe in doing the right thing, making good and rebuilding when things go wrong. Everyone is encouraged to think creatively, challenge the status quo and look for solutions.

Scratch beneath the surface and you will find a business that is solid, but slightly contrary. We like to do things differently and constantly seek to evolve. We might have been around for a long time (our roots go back to 1901), but we are young in many ways, ambitious and going places.

Some people might say insurance is dull, but life at Hiscox is anything but. If that sounds good to you, get in touch.

Diversity and Hybrid working

At Hiscox we care about our people. We hire the best people for the job and we’re committed to diversity and creating a truly inclusive culture, which we believe drives success.

We have also learned over the past few years that working life doesn’t always have to be in the office, and now it is safe to do so we have introduced hybrid working to encourage a healthy work life balance.

This hybrid working model is set by the team rather than the business to enable you to manage your own personal work-life balance. We see it as the best of both worlds; structure and sociability on one hand, and independence and flexibility on the other.

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