Executive Head: Underwriting, Legal Risk & Regulatory

Stay safe online.Now more than ever it's important to be cybersafe. See Santam's tips to help you stay safe online. Learn more.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Executive Head: Underwriting, Legal Risk & Regulatory within Santam Specialist Solutions.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Management:

• Provide sustainable strategic input for your relevant business area that will contribute to the financial health of the organisation through sound governance practices.
• Provide detailed analysis and reporting on the Technical and Governance Areas.
• Actively seek ways to keep competitive advantage in the market.
• Encourage cross-selling initiatives within Specialist Business by helping underwriters identify opportunities
• Develop a Sustainable Risk Management Initiative that assists the underwriting & claims team and clients
• Monitor and report on cover trends and developments and the potential impact on the business.

Technical Underwriting:

• Provide oversight, input and coordination into all UW and RI commercial related matters, across SSS portfolio.
• Promote 'best practice' underwriting process to minimise underwriting operational risk
• General Technical support to Lines of Business
• Ensure adherence to underwriting governance and underwriting authorities.
• Research and Development on new products as required

Claims:

• Provide technical & strategic input and guidance to Claims Teams on large/complex claims related matters
• Monitor for possible aggregation across lines of business

Legal, Governance, Assurance and Risk Management:

• Co-operation with Group Shared Services in relation to information management and content of Treaty Agreements
• Overseeing the Coordinating and collating of audit feedback for business
• Adherence to the Santam Internal Control policy by implementing an effective system of internal control
• Implement an effective approach to the identification, assessment, monitoring, management and reporting of relevant operational risk exposures
• Drive a risk-aware and strong governance culture within SSS
• Alignment of our RI treaties within SSS to the group risk appetite strategy & direction
• Ensure reinsurance protection in close liaison with SSS Clusters that quantitatively and qualitatively supports underwriting operations
• Manage the QS arrangement with Syndicate 1918
• Promote solutions to minimise Risk of exposure to loss aggregation in conjunction with Lines of Business
• Produce and distribute Treaty overview across SSS

• Minimum 15 years in a similar role - CUO type roles, active underwriter roles, legal counsel and claims oversight roles
• Broad multi-class specialist risks experience is a requirement
• Reinsurance strategy, contracting and placement experience, in relation to specialist risks is a requirement
• Business degree and / or Legal Degree
• Proven leadership skills and experience
• Established relationships with key persons in the large global & SA National brokers is a requirement
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Underwriting Governance, Oversight & Product Solutions, Enablement and Portfolio Performance Management: RI Capacity & Policy Wordings
• Legal & Risk
• Strategic Initiatives
• Leadership Responsibility
• People Management

Our vacancies are advertised between 3-5 days depending on the market availability of the skills required.

Step 2: Could take a couple of days depending on the volume and the screening process, which varies according to the complexity of the role.

Step 3: Long-listed candidates are sent to the hiring manager to review and consider for the next stage of the selection process.

Step 4: Candidates may be contacted for a short screening interview to get to know them better and to ask any clarity seeking questions.

Step 5: We use a competency interview model. Interview dates will be confirmed via e mail. During the interview you will be introduced to the panel and the process will be explained. Remain calm and sell yourself. This is our opportunity to match your skills to the job. You only get one shot!

Step 6: Should we like what you bring to the table, depending on the job you are being considered for, you may be invited to complete a psychometric assessment. Further employment checks are conducted to ensure the validity of your credentials.

Step 7: Prior to an offer being made, there may be a second interview to meet with the Head of Department. If there is a need for any further interviews, bring the charm that got you through your first interview.

Step 8: You made it. Here we ensure we receive all your documents to get you onto our payroll system.

There is not just one way to be successful at Santam, nor is there one way to interview with us. Interviewing is a two way process - it helps us learn about you, and it helps you learn about us, our people, and what you could do here.

Santam has been officially recognised by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer 2025 for excellence in people practices. This is the ninth consecutive year that we have achieved this accolade.