Aviva are currently in the market for an experienced Underwriting Philosophy Manager to work collaboratively with our Chief Underwriting Officer and join our Underwriting Strategy Leadership Team.

In order to be considered, you must have extensive experience of underwriting all key Protection products coupled with excellent knowledge of the UK Protection market including key Distributors and competitors as well as a passion to work at pace and lead a team of technical experts to deliver the right outcomes for our customers and our business.

This role is responsible for the management of the Individual Protection Underwriting Philosophy Team. It requires the role-holder to lead a team of technical experts to ensure Aviva’s Underwriting Philosophy:

• Remains aligned to medical, product and market developments including the identification of new risk factors to enhance underwriting sophistication

• Is commercially appropriate and aligned to Aviva’s risk appetite

• Delivers excellent customer outcomes

• Complies with all relevant legislation and industry codes

• Is maintained in a risk considered way, ensuring all appropriate governance is adhered to

In 2020 Aviva introduced “Smart Working”. This means we offer you the opportunity of working from home, but also coming in to one of our offices when required.

Duties & Responsibilities

The role holder will be responsible for:

• Maintaining and updating Aviva’s Underwriting Philosophy, including following all appropriate internal and external governance.

• Assessing complex medical information, to ensure Aviva write sustainable levels of profitable new business and deliver claims experience in line with expectations.

• Ensuring that the automated decisions made by Aviva’s Underwriting Rules Engine (URE) are aligned to Aviva’s risk appetite.

The role holder will:

• Lead a team of technical experts across multiple sites, including managing their performance and development

• Need to have the ability to distil complex information and analysis into business recommendations to support commercial outcomes

• Build strong professional relationships across both internal stakeholders within Health & Protection and external stakeholders such as Reinsurers and key Distribution partners.

• Represent Aviva at relevant industry events / bodies

• Work to ensuring Aviva’s Underwriting Philosophy is communicated clearly to our operational Underwriters and support in the training and development of new Underwriting recruits

• Ensure that the work delivered by them and their team complies with all relevant legislation and industry codes and complies with Aviva’s internal and external governance practices

• Deliver outcomes both individually and through a small team of technical experts

• Work collaboratively with other areas of the Underwriting Strategy Team and Underwriting Operations Team to ensure they drive optimal outcomes for Aviva

Skills & Experience required

• Extensive experience of underwriting all key Protection products (including Life, Critical Illness and Income Protection)

• Experience of Protection Claims would be preferred, but is not essential

• Excellent knowledge of the UK Protection market including key products and Distributors

• Relevant CII qualifications desirable

• Strong team leadership skills

• Proven background in mentoring members of your team

What will you get for this role?

• Competitive salary depending on skills, experience, and qualifications

• Generous defined contribution pension scheme

• Annual performance related bonus and pay review

• Holiday allowance of 29 days plus bank holidays and the option to buy/sell up to 5 additional days

• Up to 40% discount for some Aviva products through “My Aviva Extras” plus discounts for Friends and Family. (Some exclusions apply)

• Excellent range of flexible benefits to include a matching share save scheme

Working at Aviva

At Aviva, we’re people with a purpose. To be with you today, for a better tomorrow.

We bring this to life by ensuring managing risk is at the heart of the way we all work. We love people who do the right thing for our customers, and our colleagues. We want people who speak up, who take responsibility, and who make good decisions.

The way we do this is important too. We’re all about our people – that’s you – so we can be pretty flexible. If you want to work from home some of the time or change your hours so you can pick up your kids or care for someone in your family, we’re very open to that. In fact, we don’t advertise roles as either part or full time, because we know each person has different needs, just as each business area has different needs. So, it’s up to you to discuss working hours during your interview.

We care deeply about being inclusive and that means we encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees to bring their whole self to work and that starts with you.

We interview every disabled applicant* that meets the minimum criteria for the job. Once you’ve applied, please send us a separate email stating that you have a disclosed disability and we’ll make sure we interview you.

We’d love it if you could submit your application online. If you require an alternative method of applying, please give Dylan Wood a call on 07385 426164 or send an email to Dylan.wood@aviva.com.

*As defined in The Equality Act 2010*. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean you should provide us with evidence which demonstrates that you generally meet the level of competence required and have the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential to perform the role