Berkley Southwest is an admitted, regional commercial property and casualty insurance provider and a proud member of W. R. Berkley Corporation , rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best. We specialize in serving independent agents across Arizona, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, combining deep local expertise with underwriting discipline and responsive service. Focused on long-term relationships, we deliver tailored insurance solutions, efficient claims handling, and a collaborative approach that reflects our commitment to excellence in the Southwest market.

This role will be based in our Irving, TX office. We offer a hybrid work schedule with 4 days in the office; and 1 day remote where it makes sense to do so.

The company is an equal opportunity employer.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Vice President of Field Underwriting to lead our commercial lines underwriting team. This executive-level leader will drive underwriting profitability, talent development, and operational excellence across all lines of business. The ideal candidate must demonstrate a proven track record of successful portfolio management, team leadership, AI enablement, product development, process optimization and strategic execution.

What You Can Expect

• Culture of innovation, teamwork, supportive colleagues and leaders willing to invest in talent
• Internal mobility opportunities
• Visibility to senior leaders and partnership with cross functional teams
• Opportunity to impact change
• Benefits – competitive compensation, paid time off, comprehensive wellness benefits and programs, employer funded health savings account, profit sharing, 401k, paid parental leave, employee stock purchase plan, tuition assistance and professional continuing education

We’ll Count On You To

Build Strategic Relationships

• Partner with our sales team to profitably grow relationships with key distribution sources.
• Evaluate agency performance to ensure alignment with profit and growth goals.
• Collaborate with sales, actuarial, claims, finance, and other business partners to align underwriting strategy with broader company objectives.
• Stay abreast of regulatory developments, represent the company in key industry forums.

Drive Effective Organizations

• Build and mentor a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative and accountable culture.
• Oversee underwriting quality, compliance, delegation of authority, and risk governance processes.
• Monitor and manage portfolio performance using data analytics, dashboards, and predictive tools with a focus on disciplined underwriting.
• Support rate adequacy analysis, filing strategy, and underwriting governance initiatives.
• Implement structured training, mentoring, and upskilling initiatives to support employee engagement and retention.
• Performs other related duties and works on special projects as assigned by leadership.

Lead Through Change

• Lead change management efforts and foster a high-performance culture across geographically distributed teams.
• Act as a champion to modernize underwriting platforms and workflows to support API integration, multivariant rating, AI tools, and real-time data usage.
• Advocate for continuous innovation and digital transformation within the underwriting function.

Entrepreneurial Leadership

• Drive innovation, product development, and process transformation to support continuous improvement and modernization.
• Identify, recruit, and develop underwriting talent to support a scalable, future-ready organization.

Strategic Mindset

• Lead development and execution of underwriting strategies to achieve profitable growth across commercial lines.
• Participate in company-wide strategic planning and represent underwriting performance and initiatives in presentations to executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of progressive experience in commercial underwriting and underwriting leadership,
• Strong track record of profitable portfolio management, leadership and strategic execution.
• Experience across multiple commercial lines and direct profit and loss accountability is essential.
• Industry-recognized insurance designations are strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership skills in managing change and driving innovation within the underwriting team.
• Exceptional leadership in coaching, mentoring, talent development, and managing internal and external partnerships.
• Proven ability to lead remote and cross-functional teams through transformation, innovation, and change management.
• Deep understanding of the competitive commercial lines landscape, with strong business, financial, and analytical acumen.
• Skilled in leveraging AI, machine learning, data and analytics to drive underwriting decisions, optimize risk selection, and enhance pricing accuracy.
• Strategic, adaptable, and growth-oriented with a continuous learning mindset.
• High sense of urgency, results-driven, and capable of managing multiple projects and priorities across numerous stakeholders.
• Technologically proficient, including advanced skills in Microsoft Office and key underwriting tools.
• Committed to upholding company values, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Occasional travel (up to 30%) is required to attend leadership meetings, agency visits, industry conferences, and team engagements across regional offices.

Additional Company Details

We do not accept any unsolicited resumes from external recruiting agencies or firms.

The company offers a competitive compensation plan and robust benefits package for full time regular employees.

The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment.

Sponsorship Details

Sponsorship not Offered for this Role