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Underwriting AVP, Franchise Programs

WR Berkley
locationOverland Park, KS, USA
PublishedPublished: 6/3/2026
Underwriting
Full time

Company Details

Intrepid Direct Insurance (IDI) is a rapidly growing direct to consumer Property and Casualty insurance company. A member of the W. R. Berkley Corporation, a fortune 500 company, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, Intrepid Direct's vision is to make life better for business. The insurance industry has not evolved with innovation like other major industries. We're here to change that. We are making life better for our customers, shareholders, and our team members by leveraging data and technology as insurance experts for our targeted customers. You will be part of a highly collaborative team of talented and focused professionals. Join a group that enjoys working together, trusts each other, and takes pride in our hard-earned success.

https://intrepiddirect.com/

The Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Responsibilities

The Underwriting AVP, Franchise Programs will serve as the enterprise leader responsible for building, scaling, and refining Intrepid Direct's national franchise programs. This role requires a natural leader who works with a fast pace and offers strategic, consultative, and innovative mindset to grow our non-restaurant franchises and add new franchise verticals. Collaborating with other departments to ensure the portfolio balances long-term profitability, growth, and a modern customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vertical Ownership

  • Lead the strategic development and long‑term vision for all franchise verticals excluding restaurants. ensuring alignment with Intrepid Direct's growth, profitability, and modern customer experience objectives.
  • Parter with the President and other leaders on identifying, exploring, experimenting and launching new franchise and brands
  • Lead a team of underwriters; assigning workloads, measuring KPIs, training, recruiting, and offering professional development to the team.
  • Selection of the needed product and rates while balancing the needs of customers, identified claims trends and industry losses.
  • Serve as the primary underwriting subject‑matter expert, continuously developing expertise in franchise operations, risk management, and market trends.

Underwriting Leadership & Discipline

  • Partner with the other Underwriting leaders to finalize underwriting guidelines, product structures, and required filings for your franchise programs.
  • Establish best practices, training frameworks, and quality standards for the program, responsible for training and mentoring underwriting and Service and Sales teams on standards.
  • Create and approve letter of authority levels of direct reports and set KPIs for best practices.

Analytics, Innovation & Continuous Improvement

  • Leverage data and analytical insights to guide underwriting strategy, pricing decisions, and portfolio management.
  • Identify third‑party data sources and technology tools that enhance risk assessment, operational efficiency, and vertical competitiveness.
  • Lead projects from concept through execution, ensuring timely delivery and measurable outcomes.
  • Drive continuous improvement in all processes, including submission intake, underwriting workflow, communications, and claims engagement.

Operational Excellence

  • Maintain strong working knowledge of Salesforce CRM, ensuring documentation accuracy and adherence to enterprise processes.
  • Meet deadlines, manage multiple concurrent initiatives, and operate effectively in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.

Key functions include but are not limited to:

  • Develop and implement appropriate strategy in conjunction with the President and CUO to profitability grow the assigned franchise programs.
  • Lead your team to excel in positive outcomes and grow professionally
  • Provide vision and leadership to the entire organizations in accordance with the established strategy.
  • Cultivate a culture that excels in collaboration and accountability.
  • Lead the development, implementation and continuous learning of the assigned industries.
  • Collaborate with Underwriting, Service, Sales, Marketing and other stakeholders to ensure knowledge sharing on market trends, brand changes and risk management developments
  • Leverage resources, technology, and processes to drive sales effectiveness
  • Assist the President and CUO in creating the annual operational goals, objectives and budget as it relates to the assigned franchise programs.
  • Ability to have analytical communications internally and externally. Discussing loss trends and premium implications for a book of business or for individual large insureds.
  • Perform other duties and/or projects as assigned by the President and CUO

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree
  • Insurance designations preferred
  • +15 years of commercial P&C insurance experience
  • +15 years of underwriting experience
  • Thrives in a fast-paced environment and multi-tasking
  • Program experience, multi-line, and variety of industries expertise a plus
  • +5 years of management experience
  • Track record of success
  • Entrepreneurial by nature, and has passion to build a meaningful underwriting company
  • Embrace innovation and continuous improvement
  • Excellent communication skills, ability to effectively present to small or large groups.
  • Team player, positive by nature!

Additional Company Details

We do not accept any unsolicited resumes from external recruiting agencies or firms.

The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment.

Sponsorship Details

Sponsorship not Offered for this Role