Underwriting Manager – General job at CIC Insurance Group PLC

About Us

CIC Insurance Group is a leading insurance and financial services organization with over five decades of experience supporting individuals, families, cooperatives, SMEs, and corporates to achieve financial security.

The Group offers a diversified portfolio spanning general insurance, life assurance, microinsurance, asset management, and investment solutions, with operations in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Malawi, and is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Our tagline, “We Keep Our Word,” reflects our unwavering commitment to integrity, transparency, and delivering on our promises to clients, regulators, partners, and communities. CIC is committed to innovation, digital transformation, and prudent risk management to deliver sustainable value across its markets.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Underwriting Manager – General Insurance (Uganda) will lead and manage general insurance underwriting operations by ensuring sound risk selection, pricing adequacy, portfolio profitability, and compliance with underwriting guidelines and regulatory requirements, while supporting sustainable growth of the general insurance business.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Underwriting Strategy & Risk Management

• Develop and implement underwriting strategies aligned with the company’s risk appetite and business objectives
• Ensure consistent application of underwriting policies, guidelines, and authority limits
• Review and approve complex and high-value risks within delegated authority
• Monitor portfolio exposure and accumulation risk

General Insurance Risk Assessment

• Oversee underwriting of general insurance classes including Motor, Fire, Marine, Engineering, Liability, and Miscellaneous risks
• Ensure appropriate risk inspections, surveys, and loss prevention recommendations
• Manage special terms, deductibles, exclusions, and endorsements

Pricing & Portfolio Profitability

• Ensure pricing adequacy and competitiveness across all general insurance classes
• Monitor loss ratios, combined ratios, and underwriting margins
• Recommend corrective actions to improve portfolio performance

Reinsurance Management

• Manage treaty and facultative reinsurance placements
• Ensure compliance with reinsurance arrangements and retention limits
• Liaise with reinsurers and brokers on complex risks and large exposures

Operations & Process Excellence

• Ensure efficient underwriting turnaround times (TAT) and service standards
• Drive process improvement, automation, and digital underwriting initiatives
• Ensure accurate policy issuance, endorsements, and renewals

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) guidelines and internal controls
• Support internal and external audits and regulatory reviews
• Ensure adherence to AML, KYC, and data protection requirements

Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide technical underwriting support to Sales, Brokers, and Distribution channels
• Collaborate with Claims to analyse loss trends and underwriting improvements
• Support product development and review initiatives

Retention & Client Value Management

• Drive retention of profitable and strategic accounts while managing exit of poor-performing risks
• Partner with Sales and Brokers on renewal negotiations and retention initiatives
• Minimize policy lapses arising from underwriting delays, pricing errors, or process gaps.

People Management & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop the underwriting team
• Set performance objectives and conduct performance appraisals
• Identify training needs and succession plans

Who We’re Looking For

Academic & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Insurance, Business Administration, Actuarial Science, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional insurance qualification such as ACII, CII, Diploma in Insurance, or equivalent, recognized by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in the General Insurance sector, with at least 3 years in a senior management or executive leadership role, preferably within the East African region.
• Proven track record in driving business growth, technical underwriting discipline, operational leadership, and regulatory compliance.

Key Competencies

• Strong underwriting and risk assessment expertise
• In-depth knowledge of insurance products and pricing
• Understanding of reinsurance structures and treaties
• Knowledge of insurance regulations and compliance requirements
• Strategic thinking and decision-making
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Stakeholder management and negotiation skills
• High integrity and professional judgment

• Develop and implement underwriting strategies aligned with the company’s risk appetite and business objectives
• Ensure consistent application of underwriting policies, guidelines, and authority limits
• Review and approve complex and high-value risks within delegated authority
• Monitor portfolio exposure and accumulation risk
• Oversee underwriting of general insurance classes including Motor, Fire, Marine, Engineering, Liability, and Miscellaneous risks
• Ensure appropriate risk inspections, surveys, and loss prevention recommendations
• Manage special terms, deductibles, exclusions, and endorsements
• Ensure pricing adequacy and competitiveness across all general insurance classes
• Monitor loss ratios, combined ratios, and underwriting margins
• Recommend corrective actions to improve portfolio performance
• Manage treaty and facultative reinsurance placements
• Ensure compliance with reinsurance arrangements and retention limits
• Liaise with reinsurers and brokers on complex risks and large exposures
• Ensure efficient underwriting turnaround times (TAT) and service standards
• Drive process improvement, automation, and digital underwriting initiatives
• Ensure accurate policy issuance, endorsements, and renewals
• Ensure compliance with Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) guidelines and internal controls
• Support internal and external audits and regulatory reviews
• Ensure adherence to AML, KYC, and data protection requirements
• Provide technical underwriting support to Sales, Brokers, and Distribution channels
• Collaborate with Claims to analyse loss trends and underwriting improvements
• Support product development and review initiatives
• Drive retention of profitable and strategic accounts while managing exit of poor-performing risks
• Partner with Sales and Brokers on renewal negotiations and retention initiatives
• Minimize policy lapses arising from underwriting delays, pricing errors, or process gaps.
• Lead, coach, and develop the underwriting team
• Set performance objectives and conduct performance appraisals
• Identify training needs and succession plans

• Strong underwriting and risk assessment expertise
• In-depth knowledge of insurance products and pricing
• Understanding of reinsurance structures and treaties
• Knowledge of insurance regulations and compliance requirements
• Strategic thinking and decision-making
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Stakeholder management and negotiation skills
• High integrity and professional judgment

• Bachelor’s degree in Insurance, Business Administration, Actuarial Science, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional insurance qualification such as ACII, CII, Diploma in Insurance, or equivalent, recognized by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda.