Trade Credit & Political Risk Underwriter at African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re)

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reporting directly to the Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Region, the Trade Credit & Political Risk Underwriter will be responsible for the development, supervision, and implementation of initiatives designed to ensure that the Corporation achieves its strategy of becoming a leading reinsurer supporting the growth of Trade Credit and Political Risk Insurance in the African continent that is critical for supporting economic development by mitigating risks that hinder global/intra-Africa trade and the related developmental financing activities.

DUTIES / JOB DETAILS
The duties of the Trade Credit & Political Risk Underwriter comprise amongst others:

• Development and marketing of Trade Credit & Political Risk re/insurance business to support the Corporation’s product diversification strategy.
• A key member of the team tasked with implementing initiatives designed to ensure that the Corporation achieves its strategy of becoming a leading reinsurer supporting the growth of Trade Credit and Political Risk insurance in the African continent.
• Provide technical assistance to cedants/client by supporting them to develop viable strategies necessary for growing and up-scaling Trade Credit and Political Risk insurance in assigned markets.
• Carry out the necessary research and analysis to support the growth of Trade Credit & Political Risk insurance business through the adoption of advised risk management techniques and best practices.
• Provide training and technical assistance to cedants/clients and internal staff in relation to Trade Credit & Political Risk Insurance.
• Develop and regularly Perform detailed risk portfolio analysis in accordance with Africa Re’s underwriting guidelines.
• Analyze underlying insurance portfolios and reinsurance proposals.
• Develop market knowledge in Trade Credit & Political Risk insurance, analyze/evaluate market information and gather and document in-depth understanding of the Trade Credit & Political Risk insurance in the markets under supervision.
• Soliciting and receiving offers from potential and existing clients, assessing such offers when received and determining whether or not to accept them in line with the Corporation’s underwriting policies/guidelines.
• Preparing renewal and new business quotation proposals to cedants and brokers.
• Maintaining proper records of all business offers and transactions received and concluded in accordance with the Corporation’s internal rules and underwriting guidelines.
• Attending to client correspondence, social and business functions, and other related activities for overall marketing effectiveness.
• Reviewing facultative acceptances regularly ahead of renewal and reviewing treaty acceptances annually ahead of renewal.
• Ensuring that all the treaties and facultative contracts are processed, and the cover notes/slips/wordings signed and sent out in a timely manner to cedants or brokers.
• Monitoring the profitability of markets serviced and monitoring progress towards the achievement of income targets in the assigned markets.
• Undertaking regular and focused market visits for new business development and for the renewal and effective service of existing business, as well as for obtaining market statistics and other relevant information for the Corporation’s strategic and operational use.
• Assist in reviewing and monitoring the proper processing of all technical transactions for accepted business offers.
• Ensuring all claims reported, cash call requests and other claims supporting documentation are timely processed for a prompt settlement of genuine claims.
• Assisting, where necessary, Finance & Technical accounts in reviewing the reconciliation of cedants’ and brokers’ accounts.
• Support prompt and effective collection of all balances due and outstanding from cedants and brokers while also ensuring timely remittance of amounts due to them.
• Attending to other duties as may be assigned by the Corporation or management from time to time.

Job Grade & Duties

• Professional Staff category

Location

• The successful candidate shall be based in Nairobi, Kenya, but could be transferred in other geographical production centers of the Corporation.

Main Competencies
COMPETENCIES AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Underwriting Expertise:

• Successful track record in Trade Credit & Political Risk Insurance/Reinsurance underwriting.
• Very good technical knowledge and professional proficiency in Insurance and Reinsurance underwriting, Claims, credit analysis, and risk assessment for Trade Credit & Political Risk insurance business.

Product Development and Partnership:

• Practical knowledge and experience in developing and establishing Trade Credit and Political Risk insurance schemes at local, national, and regional levels.
• Demonstratable experience and skill in Trade Credit & Political Risk insurance product development, along with the ability to establish and manage public-private partnership relationships with relevant stakeholders.

Market Knowledge and Sales:

• Sound knowledge of the African insurance and reinsurance markets.
• Strong exposure to and experience in relevant insurance/reinsurance markets.
• Strong practical sales competences and skills.
• Knowledge of other general insurance classes will be a very strong added advantage.

Management and Leadership:

• Very strong and proven managerial skills/experience.
• Team player with excellent communication, negotiation, and training skills.
• Strong proactive and innovative mindset.
• Strong cross-cultural and cross-functional skills.

Good supervisory skills.

• Ability to quickly build very good and sustainable relationships with cedants and brokers.

Analytical and Planning Skills:

• Very good planning and reporting skills.
• Capacity for analyzing, synthesizing, and reasoning.

Personal Attributes:

• High Integrity and proven sense of responsibility.
• Ability to work under pressure with no supervision and constant follow-ups.
• Able to work in an international environment.
• Ability to thrive in high-pressure situations and able to work effectively both independently and collaboratively within a team.

Technical Proficiency:

• Excellent computer skills required in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Practical knowledge of a reinsurance-related software will be an added advantage.

Academic Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
Applicants shall be holders of:

• First University degree plus Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Insurance, Law or any similar/related discipline plus 10 years post qualification relevant qualitative work experience with emphasis on Trade Credit & Political Risk Insurance/Reinsurance underwriting (both Treaty and Facultative); credit analysis, re/insurance pricing; claims management and political risk analysis and assessment.

Or

• First University degree in in Economics, Finance, Insurance, Law or any similar/related discipline plus full Insurance professional qualification, plus 10 years post qualification relevant qualitative work experience with emphasis on Trade Credit & Political Risk Insurance/Reinsurance underwriting (both Treaty and Facultative); reinsurance pricing, claims management and political risk analysis and assessment.
• Relevant professional qualifications will be an added advantage.