National Financial Lines Underwriting Manager

A new transformational adventure awaits you… 

How does 5 weeks leave per year, an impactful career that you’ll truly love, and working for a trustworthy organisation that empowers wellbeing and is accelerating digital transformation sound like to you? 

As one of Forbes 2024 ‘World’s Best Employers’ and Fortune's ‘World's Most Admired Companies’ for 2025, Zurich - a leader in the insurance industry - is on a journey towards a brighter future… A brighter future for you - focused on your career, your wellbeing, and your community - as well as our customers and the planet. 

This exciting adventure will drive positive impact towards our vision to be Australia’s leading digital insurer. So, if you want to be part of a values led global organisation, where real growth and transformation is happening, along with our track record of making a real difference of continuously taking steps toward a sustainable future for our people, customers, communities, and our planet…read on!

Let’s create a brighter future together, let’s make a difference  

It's important to know, what you do matters. At Zurich, we don't just cover, we care.

A fantastic opportunity exists to join Zurich’s General Insurance team as a National Financial Lines Underwriting Manager for Australia and New Zealand.

This principal leadership role will oversee the Financial Lines portfolio in the Australian and New Zealand markets, responsible for developing and executing product and underwriting strategy, the commercial proposition to market, governance, compliance and financial performance of the Financial Lines portfolios across Australia and New Zealand, which include D&O, management Liability, Professional Indemnity and Cyber portfolios across SME, Mid-Market and Corporate segments and open market, scheme and partnership channels . You will foster effective collaboration across internal and external stakeholders to cultivate a strong market presence for the Financial Lines portfolios. The role has a primary focus to lead and mentor a team of state underwriters, assisting with account activities and ensuring a high degree of stakeholder engagement.

Working in an agile environment, your Financial Lines and leadership expertise will chart the continued evolution of our product offering to meet the needs of our customers.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Developing and executing product proposition and strategic plans
• Maintaining and developing localised Financial Lines underwriting appetite and guidelines
• The financial performance of the portfolios within the span of responsibility
• Ensuring new and renewal business is underwritten within delegated authority levels and underwriting guidelines inclusive of supporting the wider team with referrals and market negotiation
• Proactively driving new business pipeline development to assist state and country teams

• Developing and maintaining relationships with brokers and customers in support of business retention and acquisition
• Creating continuous learning/development for underwriters
• Achieving profitable growth and portfolio performance for Financial Lines portfolios including D&O, PI, and Cyber for all market segments and channels
• Maintaining a strong external and internal profile with Customers and key stakeholders
• Promoting a culture around data driven decision making, innovation and building technical craft excellence.

Important to your success - let's grow together  

• Relevant tertiary qualifications or appropriate equivalent (Financial markets, Economics, Financial management)

• Minimum 10 years underwriting and leadership experience across a range of technical disciplines
• Comprehensive understanding of the General Insurance industry & products

• Understanding of Financial Lines customers, business, and Commercial value proposition

• Stakeholder management experience; ability to lead & mentor a high performing team in a matrix structure

• Proven technical capability in Financial Lines
• Demonstrated experience in business growth and delivering change in a complex insurance environment

• A strategic mindset; knowledge of operational and financial Management
• Excellent communication & stakeholder management skills

Belong. Zurich is here to support you 

There are so many reasons why Zurich is a great place to be and the right choice for you, but here are just a few.

• 5 weeks leave per year for permanent staff through our Z leave initiative, as well as 15 days personal/carer’s leave (as we empower our people to manage their own wellbeing), plus access to Family Care (parental leave)
• Hybrid working arrangement - office 3 days and WFH 2 days p/w standard for FT employees
• Access programs to stay healthy and feel healthier along with receiving a AUD$500 wellbeing payment per year, plus a AUD$295 new starter e-voucher for your WFH set up (flex work - hybrid working), and other great benefits through our Shine portal
• Grow, and thrive in your career (we support and encourage it) with award winning training programs. As our strength is our people and we value your individuality
• Work with global, diverse, and inclusive teams; Explore your passions, fuel innovation, drive equity, collaborate and make a positive difference beyond your role

• Global mobility opportunities across more than 200 countries worldwide

• Volunteer and work in our state-of-the-art Green Star rated offices (when you are in the office) and dress for your day
• We plant a tree for every new employee
• Not to mention our various employer of choice awards/memberships – WGEA; Family Inclusive workplace; Gold AWEI employer, Pride in diversity… to name a few.

We could go on, but the main point is that Zurich is a great place to be, where you can truly belong, be yourself, have work/life balance, and thrive in a supportive environment.

Zurich is an equal opportunity employer.  We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is fair and accessible for all candidates. If you require any special accommodations to participate in our recruitment process, we encourage you to please let us know at the time of your application.

So, if you want to come on an adventure that will build a brighter future together, and feel a sense of togetherness, then please apply today to start your adventure!