Underwriter with passion for R&D (80 - 100%)

Do you want to apply your profound underwriting knowledge to protect Swiss Re from emerging risks and/or to seize new business opportunities? Are you comfortable developing scenarios and preparing underwriting proposals/measures without having perfect information? If yes, this role might be an interesting opportunity for you.

About the team

As part of SRI RES, the purpose of the Foresight, Research and Modelling team is to create competitive advantage in risk knowledge and capital allocation by raising risk awareness, identifying potential solutions to mitigating specific risks and shaping business cases for new re/insurance products and services that help Swiss Re grow in a sustainable way.

The team conducts applied R&D to ensure Swiss Re's capabilities remain cutting edge, maintain underwriting excellence and shape new businesses propositions. The team is tasked to perform forward-looking risk identification to prioritize trends or market developments with potential high upside or downside to Swiss Re. Subsequently, the team conducts applied research, delivers risk insights, shapes transformative and high potential business opportunities, and/or develops core capabilities/measures to minimize the downside potential of emerging risks. Business Units are accountable for the execution of risk mitigation measures as well as the launch of new business propositions. This team actively engages with Business Units to catalyze actions and selectively supports execution, when deemed crucial.

About the role

The primary role of the position holder will be to assess what the identified risks mean for our underwriting portfolios, how trends could lead to new risk pools for Swiss Re and propose actions to deal with the upside and/or downside potential of identified emerging risks & opportunities. Like in any R&D context, failing fast is perceived as a virtue.

Main activities and responsibilities:

Propose concrete underwriting and asset management measures to protect Swiss Re from identified emerging risks and shape business cases to seize new opportunities. In order to deliver on this, the position holder will:

• Run agile internal research projects or reach out to external experts to fill knowledge gaps

• Closely collaborate with the Advanced Analytics & Modelling team to quantify the impact of emerging risks on UW portfolios and/or the impact of mitigating actions

• Proactively reach out Business Unit underwriters and/or Asset Management colleagues to learn about their challenges and to persuade to complement expert judgement with data-driven insights

• Enable quick risk or opportunity assessments and shape recommendations that business units can execute swiftly

• Contribute to outreach efforts (eg publication, webinars, workshops) to ensure that the UW and investment perspectives are duly addressed

• Be the go-to-person within SRI RES to sound approaches/proposals that have to be embraced by underwriters and/or investment professionals in order to be successful 

About You

We are looking for an open-minded underwriter who can constructively and respectfully engage in challenging conversations. Are you at ease with leaving your comfort zone and performing under pressure? Do you consider yourself to be a "problem-solver", able and willing to take initiative and challenge the status quo? If yes, this job could be your next professional step.

Required experience and skills:

• Minimum 5 years of underwriting experience in Property, Specialty or Casualty lines, L&H underwriting expertise would be a plus

• Broad understanding of the re/insurance industry challenges and opportunities, within and beyond a particular line of business

• Proven experience in project management and interdisciplinary work experience

• Gravitas in the underwriting community

• Affinity with digital technologies and their practical applications in solving underwriting problems

Preferred experience and skills:

• English native; knowledge of German and other European languages would be a plus #LI-Hybrid