[Hiring] Vice President, Commercial Surety @Nationwide

Role Description

Responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for the Commercial Surety business, driving underwriting excellence, profitable growth, portfolio performance, and market competitiveness. Serves as the senior underwriting executive accountable for establishing and executing underwriting strategy, risk appetite, product direction, and distribution objectives across the business. Leads a geographically dispersed team of underwriting leaders and directs the development of talent, succession strategies, and organizational capabilities to ensure long-term business success.

Oversees portfolio management, underwriting governance, capacity deployment, and emerging risk assessment to optimize profitability, growth, and operational effectiveness. Maintains key relationships with distribution partners, reinsurance stakeholders, and industry leaders while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, underwriting standards, and enterprise risk management practices. Acts as the principal subject matter expert and strategic advisor for the Commercial Surety business, influencing business outcomes through data-driven decision-making, market insight, and disciplined underwriting execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in risk management, Insurance, Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, Economics, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master’s degree in business administration (MBA), Finance, Risk Management, Economics, or related discipline is preferred.
• Completion of CPCU and AFSB helpful.

Requirements

• Minimum of 15 years of Underwriting/Marketing/Leadership experience in the surety bond marketplace.
• Significant experience leading Commercial Surety underwriting operations with responsibility for profitability, growth, and portfolio performance.
• Experience managing large accounts, complex surety programs, and significant underwriting authority.
• Experience developing and executing underwriting strategies, risk appetite frameworks, and portfolio management initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading geographically dispersed underwriting teams and developing underwriting leaders.
• Experience working with brokers, agents, producers, and key distribution partners.
• Experience presenting business results and strategic initiatives to executive leadership.
• Experience managing reinsurance relationships and negotiating treaty structures.
• Experience overseeing product development, pricing strategies, regulatory filings, and form development.
• Experience leading underwriting transformation, technology implementation, predictive modeling, or analytics initiatives.
• Experience managing P&L or direct financial accountability for a product line or business segment.

Benefits

• Medical/dental/vision coverage.
• Life insurance, short and long term disability coverage.
• Paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date.
• Nine paid holidays.
• 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off.
• 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Company-paid pension plan.
• Business casual attire.
• More benefits available.