Head Underwriting

South Africa·Johannesburgmid

OtherHead

0 views0 saves0 applied

Apply Now

Quick Summary

Requirements Summary

Retail and/or Group Life underwriting Reinsurance engagement Experience investigations Operating model optimisation Qualifications Relevant degree Relevant insurance, actuarial,

Technical Tools

OtherHead

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

The Chief Underwriter is accountable for the end to end underwriting strategy, risk philosophy, governance, and technical consistency across Absa Life.
The role ensures that underwriting decisions balance profitability, customer outcomes, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency, while enabling product innovation and sustainable growth.
The Chief Underwriter acts as the ultimate technical authority for underwriting and provides strategic leadership across retail, group, and advised life products.

Define, own, and regularly review Absa Life’s underwriting philosophy and risk appetite
Ensure underwriting strategy aligns with business growth objectives, and reinsurance strategy
Lead responses to emerging risks (e.g. medical, behavioural, economic, and distribution‑driven risks)
Provide underwriting input into new product development and pricing changes

Act as the final technical referral point for complex, high‑risk, or non‑standard cases
Set and maintain underwriting rules, loadings, exclusions, limits, and authority levels
Ensure consistent application of underwriting decisions across teams, channels, and products
Chair or contribute to underwriting committees, technical forums, and governance structures

Partner with Actuarial and Reinsurance to monitor experience and take corrective action
Ensure data‑driven underwriting decisions using analytics, experience studies, and MI

Ensure underwriting practices meet Treating Customers Fairly (TCF), POPIA, and internal governance standards
Support internal and external audits from an underwriting perspective
Ensure underwriting decisions are defensible, documented, and aligned to policy terms

Serve as the primary underwriting interface with reinsurers
Lead reinsurance discussions on:
- Risk appetite
- Facultative cases
- Treaty structures and changes
Represent underwriting in regulator, reinsurer, and senior stakeholder engagements

Provide technical and strategic leadership to underwriting management and teams
Build a strong underwriting talent pipeline and succession plan
Champion continuous learning, technical development, and future‑fit underwriting skills
Foster a culture of sound judgment, accountability, and customer‑centric decision‑making

Reports to Head of Claims, Underwriting and Group Schemes

Requirements

~1 min read

Relevant degree
Relevant insurance, actuarial, or risk‑related qualification
Strong understanding of South African regulatory environment

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised

10+ years underwriting experience within life insurance
Significant experience in senior underwriting leadership
Proven exposure to:
- Retail and/or Group Life underwriting
- Reinsurance engagement
- Experience investigations
- Operating model optimisation