AVP, Commercial Auto - Montreal

Job description

The Opportunity Are you looking for a caring, collaborative, values-driven workplace with inspiring teammates and leaders? Do you have the ambition and desire to be the best and thrive at the most impactful global insurance provider in the world? Look no further than Zurich Canada. If you have experience in commercial auto underwriting, market-facing leadership, and driving profitable growth, and are looking for a new challenge, we would love to hear from you.

Zurich Canada is currently looking for an AVP, Commercial Auto to lead a high-performing underwriting team and drive disciplined growth across our commercial auto portfolio. Reporting to the SVP, Commercial Auto, you will lead a team of market-facing underwriters, driving new business production, portfolio profitability, and strong broker relationships. You will play a critical role in shaping underwriting strategy, identifying growth opportunities, and ensuring alignment with Zurich’s risk appetite while delivering strong financial outcomes.

This is a unique opportunity to build your knowledge and experience for the future in a supportive environment where your voice matters. This posting is for an existing vacancy. Zurich Canada uses artificial intelligence–enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process, including the initial review and screening of applications. Artificial intelligence is not the sole basis for candidate shortlisting or selection.

All hiring decisions are reviewed and made by qualified hiring professionals. Zurich follows a hybrid work model requiring three days per week of in-person presence, which may include time in the office or market-facing engagements.

What you will do

Manage market facing underwriters who proactively seek renewal and new account opportunities. Identifies new growth opportunities with key distributors for areas of responsibility. Ensure that accounts are qualified, and meet with the organization's appetite, balanced with sound business opportunity. Along with underwriters in areas supervised, make agents/broker/customer and on-sight calls with a planned and well prepared purpose.

Oversee negotiations of Terms & Conditions and closes deals. Ensure cross-sell within areas of responsibility to increase product density with the account. Provide continuous coaching on sales best practices. Mentor staff to develop strong broker and client networks as related to industries underwritten by Business Unit. Monitor Sales Funnel and Production Metrics of team. Identify market trends and coverage exposures that may impact business results.

Work with actuarial to ensure a proper rate / price structure. Manage relationships with producers by conducting line of business, book of business, class and segment analysis to ensure profitability and growth. Market company products and services through agency plant and brokerage community. Support development and maintenance of agent/broker relationships to achieve profitable growth, market share, product mix, new business and account retention.

Improve customer relations, profitability and productivity by continually analyzing branch office’s new business, loss ratio, expense ratio, loss frequency, agency distribution, product mix to determine its impact on other business units. Review agency books of business as well as profit/growth results and trends to recommend and implement action plans.

What you bring to the table

• High School Diploma or Equivalent and 7 or more years of experience in the Underwriting or Market Facing area OR
• Bachelor’s Degree and 5 or more years of experience in the Underwriting or Market Facing area AND
• 2 or more years of management experience Fluency in both spoken and written English is required to facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders outside Quebec.

At Zurich Canada, we are committed to pay equity. We determine compensation based on objective criteria such as skills, experience, and internal equity. The salary range for this position is $140,000.00 - 175,000.00. This range reflects the expected pay for the role across Canada and may vary depending on factors like office location, specific responsibilities, and individual qualifications. As required by local law, Zurich provides in good faith a reasonable compensation range, but starting salaries may exceed this range based on a candidate’s skills and experience.