Head – Short Term Insurance Underwriting

Role Overview

• The Head of Short-Term Trade Insurance leads the short-term insurance business unit, ensuring effective risk management, competitive product offerings, and alignment with the Corporation’s mandate.
• Lead the design, pricing, and management of short-term trade insurance products.
• Ensure products remain relevant, competitive, and aligned with exporters’ needs.
• Establish and implement underwriting standards for short-term policies.
• Monitor exposure to country, sector, and buyer risks.
• Lead and manage the short-term insurance underwriters, including claims and customer service teams.
• Implement risk mitigation strategies, including reinsurance and diversification.
• Ensure efficient claims handling and timely resolution of disputes.
• Advise senior management and the board on trends in global trade and short-term credit risk.
• Represent the Corporation in various forums locally and internationally on trade credit insurance.
• Evaluate and analyze transactions sought for coverage and structure them into supportable transactions that meet the ECIC mandate and credit requirements.
• Develop and maintain relationships with exporters, lenders, short-term trade insurers, re-insurers and other institutions involved in the export business.
• Responsible for identifying new business opportunities for ECIC with a special focus on the short-term trade insurance business in collaboration with the business development team.
• Conduct the assessment of commercial feasibility, financial and credit worthiness of projects/transactions.
• Conduct project desktop and field due diligence, where applicable, that includes reviewing legal, commercial and financial documents.
• Present and support projects to ECIC approval committee i.e., Project EXCO, FIIC Committee and/or Board for approval.
• Negotiate transactions, structuring and review of commercial terms in the finance documents, security documents and other related documents to reach financial close.
• Interact with the Portfolio Management team, as may be required in relation to approved projects post cover.
• Carry out the corporate strategic plan, and the business goals of the Short Term Trade Insurance business unit.
• Work in collaboration with other business units, such as Risk Unit, Business Development Unit, Portfolio Management Unit, PEAR Unit, Actuarial Unit, Legal Services Unit etc.
• Manage risks and/or compliance issues within the unit in accordance with ECIC compliance and risk management strategy.
• Manage re-insurance transactions for the short-term trade business (inward and outward re-insurance).

Requirements

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree with specialisation in Economics, Accountancy, Finance, Banking, Science, Law or Engineering.
• Minimum 10–12 years’ experience in trade credit insurance, banking, or export finance.
• Sound knowledge of international business, contractual, corporate finance practices and accounting.
• Strong credit and risk analysis skills.
• Must be able to comprehensively analyze financial statements.
• Must be familiar with and have the ability to negotiate complex commercial transactions.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing at all levels (Board, Executives, Staff and other key Stakeholders).
• Ability to coordinate and manage multiple functions.
• Ability to communicate underwriting concepts to non-specialists.
• Ability to forge relationships with other areas of the business.
• Strong aptitude for problem resolution and decision making.
• Problem solving skills to identify issues and present creative and practical solutions.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Strict attention to detail and deadline orientated.
• Genuine commitment to highest ethical standards and to sustainable business practices.
• Willingness to travel in-country and internationally.

Benefits

• health insurance
• retirement plans
• paid time off
• professional development