Head Underwriting

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together one story at a time. 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. Job Description Key Accountabilities 1. Underwriting Strategy & Risk Appetite 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 2. Technical Governance & Decision Authority 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 3. Portfolio Performance & Analytics Partner with Actuarial and Reinsurance to monitor experience and take corrective action Ensure data driven underwriting decisions using analytics, experience studies, and MI 4. Regulatory, Compliance & Risk Management 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 5. Reinsurance & External Stakeholder Engagement 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 6. Leadership & Capability Building 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 Reporting Line Reports to Head of Claims, Underwriting and Group Schemes Required Experience & Qualifications Experience 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 Qualifications 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 At Absa, our story is not a single narrative. It's thousands of individual journeys unfolding across Africa and beyond.From colleagues serving customers in local communities to teams shaping financial solutions across borders, Absa is built on people who bring their lived experiences, ambitions and perspectives into the workplace every day. Whether you're starting your career, a seasoned leader or somewhere in between, your contribution is seen, valued and connected to something bigger.Our presence across Africa - which spans personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, and insurance - exists because of the people who show up in their roles with purpose. Across Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, our colleagues are shaping what Absa becomes in each market.Beyond the continent, teams in global offices and a technology hub support and extend the stories that prove that African talent can lead, influence and innovate on the global stage.At Absa, your story matters because progress is driven by human experience, not hierarchy. When people are enabled to bring their whole selves to work, they don't just build careers. They help shape the future of Africa's financial services landscape.