Small Business Underwriting Team Lead – Western Zone

Westfield Health

Commercial Lines Small Business Underwriting Team Lead at Westfield managing underwriting profitability and team performance in a hybrid model from Westfield Center, OH.

Posted 4/23/2026full-timeWestfield Center • Ohio • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Monitors performance of commercial lines staff in achieving established goals and participates in the development of branch strategy and business plans.
Responsible for underwriting profitability growth and retention of new and renewal business, exercises underwriting authority, productivity, prioritization, balancing of workloads, and sound underwriting decisions of underwriters to achieve profit through quality risk selection and exposure control.
Handles underwriting referrals exceeding the authority limits of their team members.
Ensures individual authority grants for underwriters are established following a well-calibrated, objective, data-driven process.
Collaborates with the Underwriting Operations Team and Territory Managers/Leaders, helping drive business development best practices in the underwriting environment, aligned to field operations.
Partners with the QA underwriting function, utilizing findings to help develop underwriting acumen and decision making of the team.
Works to increase the overall business and underwriting acumen of the team and its members through one-on-one interactions (e.g., reviewing underwriting decisions, answering questions, listening to phone calls).
Performs talent management responsibilities including employee selection, performance management, coaching, and development, leading and navigating employee-related issues, employee morale and work environment.
Manages priorities and workload distribution and removes barriers that impede progress.
Completes all personnel, salary administration, and reporting duties.
Remains current on industry topics, trends, methods (e.g., processes), best practices, etc. through research, industry events, networking, etc., and shares knowledge gained with others.
Learns basic concepts of commercial insurance and understand department workflow and processes as well as leads and manages production and support staff.
Provides underwriting insights that support superior product innovation, development, and maintenance.
Manages and achieves personal book of business goals and oversees and implements regional strategies.
Reviews and evaluates regions new and renewal business based upon company underwriting guidelines, competition, and geographic focus.
Fields questions from underwriting team members and internal and external customers seeking guidance on specific premiums and processes.

Requirements

What you’ll need

5-8 years of Underwriting experience.
Bachelor's degree in a related field and/or commensurate experience.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Retirement plans
Paid time off
Flexible work arrangements
Professional development opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

underwritingrisk selectionexposure controldata-driven decision makingperformance managementtalent managementbusiness developmentcommercial insuranceproduct innovationsalary administration

Soft Skills

collaborationcoachingcommunicationleadershipprioritizationproblem-solvingemployee morale managementworkload distributioninterpersonal skillsnavigating employee-related issues