Director of Underwriting, Educational Institutions

Director of Underwriting, Educational Institutions

Lead a Specialty Underwriting Team. Shape Strategy. Drive Profitable Growth.

At Utica National, specialization allows us to better understand the businesses and organizations we protect. Our Educational Institutions Unit brings focused underwriting expertise and insurance solutions to the unique risks facing educational organizations.

We're seeking an experienced Director of Underwriting to lead underwriting for this important specialty business. In this role, you'll combine technical underwriting leadership, portfolio management, people development, and agency partnership to drive profitable growth and strong underwriting results.

You'll work closely with the Educational Institutions business leadership and agency partners to continually refine our underwriting approach, respond to an evolving marketplace, develop underwriting talent, and deliver an exceptional experience to the agents and educational institutions we serve.

What You'll Do

As Director of Underwriting for our Educational Institutions Unit, you will:

Lead Underwriting Strategy & Execution

• Lead underwriting operations for the Educational Institutions business segment.
• Provide technical direction and oversight for risk selection, pricing, coverage, and underwriting decisions.
• Maintain strong underwriting quality through ongoing review and quality control.
• Monitor portfolio and loss performance and take appropriate underwriting actions to improve results.
• Evaluate changes in rates, coverages, rules, regulations, and other market factors and translate them into appropriate underwriting actions.
• Recommend changes to underwriting practices and strategies based on portfolio results and emerging trends.

Develop a High-Performing Underwriting Team

• Lead, coach, and develop underwriting professionals supporting the Educational Institutions portfolio.
• Establish clear expectations while promoting strong technical underwriting practices and sound decision-making.
• Identify development opportunities and provide training, coaching, and technical guidance.
• Support talent selection, performance management, career development, and succession planning within the team.

Strengthen Agency Partnerships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with agency partners serving the educational institutions marketplace.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to support profitable new business opportunities and retention.
• Provide underwriting leadership and expertise during key agency meetings and business reviews.
• Ensure underwriting strategies and service practices support a strong agency experience.

Drive Portfolio & Operational Excellence

• Partner with Educational Institutions business leadership to continually improve workflows, service, and underwriting effectiveness.
• Analyze loss experience and portfolio trends to identify opportunities and areas requiring action.
• Ensure underwriting practices balance disciplined risk selection with business growth objectives.
• Communicate changes in underwriting appetite, rates, coverages, procedures, and guidelines to agency partners and internal teams.
• Stay informed about trends and developments that may impact educational institution risks and insurance needs.

What Makes You Successful

We're looking for an experienced commercial underwriting leader who combines strong technical expertise with people leadership, business judgment, and relationship-building skills.

You may be a great fit if you have:

• 5+ years of commercial property and casualty underwriting experience.
• Strong technical underwriting and risk-selection expertise.
• Experience leading, coaching, or developing underwriting professionals.
• Strong understanding of commercial insurance coverages, pricing, portfolio management, and profitability.
• Ability to evaluate loss experience and translate insights into underwriting actions.
• Strong communication, decision-making, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience partnering with independent agents or brokers.
• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• CPCU, AU, or similar professional insurance education/designations preferred.

Salary Range:

$170,000 - $225,000

Benefits:

We believe strongly that talented people are core to our success and are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages, career advancement and challenging work opportunities. We offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan for full time employees that include the following:

• Medical and Prescription Drug Benefit
• Dental Benefit
• Vision Benefit
• Life Insurance and Disability Benefits
• 401(k) Profit Sharing and Investment Plan (Includes annual Company financial contribution and discretionary Profit Sharing contribution based upon annual company financial results)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition Assistance, Training, and Professional Designations
• Company-Paid Family Leave
• Adoption/Surrogacy Assistance Benefit
• Voluntary Benefits - Group Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness, Legal, ID Theft Protection, Pet Insurance
• Student Loan Refinancing Services
• Business Travel Accident Insurance
• Matching Gifts program
• Paid Volunteer Day
• Employee Referral Award Program
• Wellness programs
• Personal Insurance Discount

Additional Information:

This position is a full time salaried, exempt (non overtime eligible) position.

Utica National is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Apply now and find out what it’s like to be a part of an amazing team, thrive in an exciting environment and work for a company you can be proud of. Once you complete your application, you can monitor your status in the hiring process by logging into your profile. A representative from our Talent Acquisition team will be in touch regarding any change in your candidacy.