Job Description

Roles & Responsibilities

Job Purpose

To head the Commercial Lines Underwriting Department, taking full ownership of underwriting strategy, portfolio profitability, reinsurance structuring, and team leadership across all commercial classes of business. The role holder will be responsible for establishing underwriting standards, driving profitable growth, managing key broker/client relationships, developing Omani talent within the department, and representing the company in the local and international reinsurance markets.

Key Responsibilities

Departmental Leadership

Head the Commercial Lines Underwriting Department, setting overall underwriting strategy and direction.

Establish and maintain underwriting processes, manuals, guidelines, rating sheets, and pricing tools.

Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-line underwriting team across offices.

Report on portfolio performance, underwriting results, and profitability to senior management.

Underwriting & Portfolio Management

Oversee underwriting across all commercial lines: Property, Engineering, Energy, Liability, Marine (Cargo & Hull), Aviation and Motor.

Evaluate and approve large/complex risks within delegated authority limits.

Conduct industry and sector-specific risk analysis to guide underwriting appetite.

Monitor loss ratios, client/broker profitability, and take corrective underwriting action as needed.

Reinsurance Management

Structure, negotiate, and place treaty (proportional and non-proportional) and facultative reinsurance programs.

Arrange binders, line slips, and underwriting facilities to optimize capacity and risk retention.

Manage relationships with reinsurers and international company markets.

Coordinate reinsurance recoveries for large and complex claims.

Product Development & Compliance

Design, develop, and launch new commercial insurance products.

Lead product filing and ensure ongoing regulatory compliance for all commercial lines products.

Ensure underwriting practices align with local regulatory requirements and internal governance/sanctions policies.

Broker & Client Relations

Build and strengthen relationships with brokers, and corporate clients to drive GWP growth.

Represent the department in negotiations with local and international markets.

Omanization & Talent Development

Identify, coach, and mentor Omani employees within the underwriting team to build a sustainable local talent pipeline.

Design and implement a structured on the job training and knowledge transfer plan covering underwriting techniques, reinsurance principles, and product development.

Set clear development milestones for Omani staff to progressively take on higher underwriting responsibilities and authority levels.

Support succession planning by preparing capable Omani nationals for future underwriting leadership roles.

Report periodically to management on Omanization progress within the department.

Cross Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Actuarial on pricing, reserving, and IBNR evaluations.

Partner with Claims to manage large/complex loss handling and reinsurance recoveries.

Drive adoption of technology platforms (policy issuance systems, underwriting/mobility tools) to enhance departmental efficiency.

Key Requirements

Education & Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or higher diploma; professional insurance qualification required (ACII/Cert-CII, FIII, or equivalent).

Experience

Minimum 18 20 years of progressive experience in commercial lines underwriting, including proven experience heading an underwriting department or function.

Strong multi-line technical expertise across Property, Engineering, Energy, Liability, Marine, Aviation, Motor.

Extensive reinsurance experience treaty structuring, facultative placement, and broker/reinsurer negotiation.

International market exposure (Lloyd's, UK/EU, Middle East, Africa, Far East) strongly preferred.

Track record of product development, regulatory filing, and building underwriting infrastructure from the ground up.

Experience managing and developing multi-cultural underwriting teams, including mentoring of local/national talent.

Skills

Strong strategic and technical underwriting judgment.

Excellent negotiation, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

Analytical and technology-driven approach to underwriting and portfolio management.

Strong regulatory and compliance orientation.

Coaching and people-development skills, with commitment to national talent development.