Responsibilities
Berkley Europe is looking for a Manager Life Sciences, Europe.
About the Role
In this position you will establish and lead Berkley’s Life Sciences practice in Europe. As part of this role you will have the opportunity to work closely with other Life Sciences experts across the globe and develop the European business in line with Berkley Europe’s growth and profitability expectations. You will be responsible to provide superior products and services to our customers and achieve Berkley Europe’s return on capital targets.
The place of work for this role is flexible, so can be in either of the Continental European branches.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Business Development
1. Develop and execute a long-term strategy for establishing the life sciences insurance business in Europe; full P&L responsibility for the life sciences business to meet or exceed plan targets.
2. Identify growth opportunities, market segments, potential broker/client opportunities and (alternative) distribution channels.
3. Create plans for market entry and expansion.
4. Devise strategies and protocols to grow profitably during all market cycles.
Underwriting
5. Provide leadership and direction to the underwriting teams to meet the goals for submissions, new business, retention, rate and customer service.
6. Responsible for account solicitation, risk selection and analysis including the corresponding documentation, pricing and marketing of Berkley Life Sciences products and services for new and existing customers.
7. Collaborate with local underwriting teams to adapt or develop relevant insurance solutions that meet the need of life sciences customers.
8. Portfolio management to reflect an appropriate balance between segments and diversification of line of business.
9. Provide technical support to producers and insures.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
10. Work collaboratively and effectively with local underwriting, operations, legal and claims teams.
11. Coach, mentor and develop staff by establishing clear goals and providing regular feedback as well as training and career development opportunities; empower UW leaders to assume responsibility for their functions within the team.
Innovation
12. Engage in innovation initiatives, product launches, marketing campaigns and short-term projects as appropriate to contribute positively towards success of the overall team and company.
Sales & Distribution
13. Develop and grow a knowledgeable producer population, incl. strategic and tactical broker/producer development planning.
14. Build strong relationships with brokers (local/region) to ensure the practice meets or exceeds financial goals including growth, profit, retention, and new business.
Compliance & Risk Management
15. Stay current with all compliance, procedural, and workflow changes; ensure all activities comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Reporting
16. Reports into the Head of Specialties, Europe.
17. Cross-functional cooperation with Berkley Life Sciences teams in the USA and in other regions.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Experience and Competencies
18. Minimum of five to ten years of underwriting experience within product and professional liability, clinical trials, and property, ideally with responsibility on a pan-European level.
19. Life sciences insurance experience is strongly preferred.
20. Broad knowledge of all classes of business written within Berkley Europe is a plus.
21. Experienced in multinational insurance placements.
22. Exceptional oral and written communication skills; communication style is flexible to the situation; ability to communicate clearly and with a purpose.
23. Calm under pressure; excellent organisational skills, integrity, and great follow-through on tasks; comfortable challenging norms while working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels of the organisation.
24. Strong sense of accountability, fun and adventure
25. Proven track record of building and maintaining strong business relationships with insureds, brokers and other internal and external stakeholders.
26. Natural curiosity; lifelong learner with the ability to challenge the status quo; committed to continuously looking for innovative improvements.
27. Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including overnight travel.
28. Advanced proficiency with the Microsoft suite of products.
Languages
29. Business level English (B2 or higher).
30. Additional language skills advantageous.
Educational Background
31. You have, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
Benefits of working with us
You will receive a receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package. Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures.
More about W. R. Berkley
W. R. Berkley Europe AG, based in Liechtenstein with branches in Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, is a wholly owned subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation. W. R. Berkley Corporation was founded in 1967 and has grown from a small asset management firm to one of the largest commercial property and casualty insurers in the United States. W. R. Berkley Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is part of the S&P 500 Market Index. Today, the Berkley brand offers specialized insurance solutions through more than 55 businesses in over 190 locations worldwide.
Our vision in Europe is to build an insurance business admired for the innovative solutions it provides to small and medium sized businesses. Innovation is the driving force of Berkley’s business model, a principle that unifies employees across all our diverse insurance businesses. At every level of our organization, we strive to empower our people to lead, to be accountable, and to thrive. Our Berkley Values (responsibility, strategic mindset, knowledgeability, trust, caring) make up our behaviour and culture.