Executive Director - Specialty

Primary Details

Executive Director – Specialty

The opportunity:

The Executive Director - Specialty is responsible for setting the strategic direction of QBE Re's product portfolio, ensuring underwriting quality, and driving the performance of product lines across the entire organisation. At QBE our Specialty business covers Marine, Aviation, Energy, War, Terror, Political Violence, Contingency, Credit, Kidnap and Ransom, Fine Art, Accident & Health, Medical and Life.  As a key member of the Reinsurance Executive Committee (ReDex), which provides strategic leadership for the reinsurance business, this role plays a pivotal part in shaping and executing the company’s reinsurance product strategies. Additionally, as the leader of the Global Product Committee, the Executive Director collaborates with a global network of product underwriters to implement these strategies and ensure alignment across all markets.

Your new role:

Leadership and relationship management

• A member of the QBE ReDex, leadership team responsible for setting and executing the strategic direction for QBE Re
• Product development and management – overseeing the Global Product Committee, which involves the development, management and innovation of specific product to meet strategic goals
• Collaboration and integration – facilitate collaboration across product underwriters in different regions to leverage Re’s global capabilities and expertise
• Establish and strengthen strong relationships with key stakeholders including cedants, brokers, industry bodies, business partners, retrocession Aires and colleagues, to maximize influence and achieve business objectives
• Network internally and externally to promote the interests of QBE Re and QBE EO

Business Planning and Strategy

• Create the annual business plans globally for Specialty
• Produce product strategies (including underwriting appetites, tolerances, and
• guidelines)
• Produce product plan narratives, in line with Group expectations. 
• Discuss and consider new opportunities and ensure adherence to the New Product Protocol, as required 
• Discuss regulatory environment and any required changes in products or related wordings. 
• Co-ordinate cross-platform deployment of capacity. Determine which platform will be utilised by client and product type, in conjunction with the Global Head of Performance and Portfolio Analytics to ensure alignment with QBE Re platform strategy.  
• Initiate new ideas and concepts to support the development and delivery of the business plan and strategic growth objectives
• Understand and comply with any Retrocession requirements to minimise risk and deliver to business plan objectives

Performance Monitoring and Management 

• Establish and communicate appropriate Risk appetites for the product and ensuring that the Underwriting Business areas operate within those limits
• Monitor ongoing adherence to product strategy
• Review performance of product plan post each key renewal season and/or each quarter. Agree with relevant regional Executive Director, any corrective actions necessary to achieve or exceed plan 
• Update on cedant, competitor and broker developments and ensure product strategies remain appropriate in the context of current market conditions, including appropriate engagement with Global Partnerships team. 
• Proactively conduct Post Event Reviews (PERs) and comment on ‘lessons learned’ and any required response
• Manage all relevant actions arising from any peer and/or independent reviews, including Cell Reviews
• Review and approve materials in advance of submission to both the Performance Management Group (PMG) and Cell reviews 
• Ensure awareness of any forthcoming Client / Broker meetings and Conference attendance

Exposure Management 

• Ensure Global consistency for exposure tracking and RDS management
• Review all relevant accumulations on a quarterly basis against pre-agreed underwriting tolerances and agree required actions. 
• Lloyds RDS methodology to be agreed by the Product Committees with support of exposure management team. Returns per scenario to be reviewed and approved quarterly
• Monitor and report on progress, identify deviations, recommend and implement remedial action, to achieve business objectives

Authorities and technical referrals

• Review large and complex referrals; making product specific underwriting decisions within QBE Re Underwriting Governance to ensure progress towards business plan objectives
• Act as a technical expert to support the identification of issues and opportunities within the product line to safeguard or enhance QBE Re’s market position; in event of loss use the Global Product Committee to delve into it and challenge, where possible
• Underwrite reinsurance deals in accordance with the business plan and personal authority; negotiating rates, terms and conditions for existing and new business, managing product and issue of contract certainty documentation, ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations and guidelines

About you:

• Relevant Reinsurance experience in at least one or several of the lines of business within specialty
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and interpersonal skills
• Good negotiating skills
• Ability to analyse and use data for decision making
• People management – proven ability to engage and lead a team
• Use of risk profiling, pricing tools and loss models
• Commercial acumen
• Ability to articulate strategic visions of the portfolio

Why QBE? At My Best?? 

At QBE, we want our people to feel rewarded and inspired to perform at their best, that’s why we have created “At My Best”. It’s our connection, our way of showing we have your back. We understand that one size doesn’t fit all and that priorities can change depending on your life stage. That is why our blend of wellbeing initiatives and benefits offer flexibility to suit what matters most to you. It’s in the culture of our business, our QBE DNA, to support our people. Everything we do is underpinned by our QBE DNA.??