Experience Aviva

Individually we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence. 

At Aviva Canada, we put people first, our employees, our customers, and our communities. We’re proud of a culture built on care, inclusion, and collaboration, where your voice matters and your growth is supported. We’re not just about insurance; we’re about making a real difference by protecting what matters most.

The Opportunity

The Professional Liability Manager is a senior underwriting role responsible for the profitable underwriting and portfolio management of complex Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions risks across a broad range of industries and professions.

This role combines advanced technical underwriting expertise with strong broker leadership, portfolio stewardship, and contribution to underwriting strategy and governance. The manager is expected to act as a technical authority, influence underwriting standards and appetite, and support underwriting excellence across the region.

You will play a key role in driving profitable growth, strengthening broker relationships, and ensuring disciplined risk selection and governance across the E&O portfolio.

What you’ll do

• Underwrite and negotiate complex new business and renewal E&O risks within delegated authority, ensuring alignment with risk appetite, pricing adequacy, and profitability targets.
• Lead underwriting decisions on higher-risk, non-standard, and specialized professional liability accounts.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of financial statements, business operations, professional services exposures, claims history, and qualitative risk factors.
• Manage an E&O portfolio with accountability for profitability, growth, retention, and underwriting quality.
• Identify emerging professional liability risks and market trends, recommending portfolio actions such as pricing strategies, appetite adjustments, and coverage enhancements.
• Ensure underwriting files meet Aviva’s documentation, compliance, and audit standards.
• Build and maintain senior-level, trust-based relationships with key broker partners across the region.
• Act as Aviva’s underwriting ambassador for E&O, representing the market in broker meetings and strategic discussions.
• Lead negotiations and presentations for large, complex, or strategically important E&O opportunities.
• Provide clear underwriting rationale, appetite guidance, and market insights to brokers.
• Support broker development through underwriting training sessions, product updates, and market briefings.
• Act as a subject matter expert for Errors & Omissions insurance, providing guidance and informal mentoring to junior and intermediate underwriters.
• Collaborate closely with Claims, Legal, Actuarial, Risk Management, and Reinsurance partners to support informed underwriting decisions and consistency.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of E&O underwriting guidelines, referral criteria, pricing tools, and wordings.
• Support regional and national initiatives related to E&O strategy, growth, and underwriting governance.
• Maintain strong underwriting discipline and control practices in line with Aviva’s governance framework.
• Ensure underwriting decisions comply with internal guidelines, regulatory requirements, and audit expectations.
• Participate in underwriting quality reviews and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support enhancements to underwriting governance, portfolio oversight, and risk management practices.

What you’ll bring

• 5+ years of progressive underwriting experience in Errors & Omissions / Professional Liability.
• Advanced technical underwriting expertise with the ability to assess complex financial, operational, and professional risk exposures.
• Proven success managing key broker relationships and negotiating complex E&O accounts.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including the ability to analyze financial statements and professional risk profiles.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with confidence engaging senior brokers and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, high-performance underwriting team.
• High attention to detail, strong analytical skills, and a commitment to underwriting governance and risk discipline.
• Post-secondary education in business, finance, or a related field.
• CIP, FCIP, or equivalent professional designation is strongly preferred.

What makes you stand out

• Deep expertise in complex or emerging Professional Liability / E&O classes.
• Experience influencing underwriting appetite, guidelines, or product development.
• Recognized as a technical resource and mentor within an underwriting team.
• Strong understanding of legal, regulatory, and claims trends impacting professional liability.
• Ability to balance commercial partnership with disciplined underwriting decision-making.

What you’ll get

• The salary band for this position ranges from $120,000 to $140,000. Please note that individual salary is determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as internal equity.
• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
• Hybrid flexible work model .
• Outstanding career development opportunities.
• We’ll support your professional development education.
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.
• Employee-driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity, and inclusion.
• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health.

Please note that we may use AI tools to help us through the recruitment process. This is a new position which has been posted internally & externally.

Aviva Canada has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. If upon commencement of employment you require a specific accommodation because of a disability, please contact your Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged. This process applies throughout your career with Aviva Canada.