About this opportunity
Polikov Recruitment Solutions lists this Head Of Commercial Surety Underwriting opportunity in city of overland park, Kansas. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Polikov Recruitment specializes in the Surety Bond and Commercial P&C industry. We are partnering with an A+ rated global specialty insurance organization that is making a significant investment in the long-term growth of its Commercial Surety platform.
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone who wants to build something the right way.
We are looking for a true Commercial Surety leader and builder. Someone who knows how to coach, mentor, delegate, empower, and attract talented underwriters who want to be part of a modern surety platform.
This role is not simply about producing business or bringing a book of broker relationships.
Those things matter, but they are not the main event.
The right person will be responsible for helping build out multiple regional commercial surety hubs over the next several years. That means identifying the right talent, creating the right structure, developing underwriting confidence across the team, and building a culture where underwriters are trusted to make decisions.
The organization is looking for a leader who believes in field authority, autonomy, accountability, and coaching.
If your leadership style is built around micromanagement, heavy approval chains, or needing to be involved in every decision, this will not be the right fit.
If you believe talented underwriters should be trained well, trusted with authority, coached through mistakes, and empowered to grow, this could be a very compelling opportunity.
About the Opportunity
This person will lead the Commercial Surety line of business with responsibility for strategy, underwriting execution, portfolio management, risk management, profitability, and long-term growth.
The organization is intentionally building a structure that allows regional underwriters to operate with meaningful field authority and a streamlined decision-making process. The goal is to create a better experience for brokers, agents, clients, and internal teams by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and giving experienced underwriters the ability to make informed decisions closer to the business.
This leader will work closely with senior surety leadership to develop the Commercial Surety strategy, build out regional hubs, support regional leaders, and create a high-performing underwriting culture.
What Makes This Role Different?
This is a people-first leadership role inside a serious Commercial Surety buildout.
The organization is not looking for someone who only wants to sit at the top of the pyramid and approve deals.
They need someone who can build the pyramid.
That means:
Finding and attracting the right underwriters
Building regional hubs with the right leadership and underwriting talent
Creating a culture of trust, authority, and accountability
Teaching underwriters how to think through risk
Coaching people through tough decisions
Delegating authority instead of hoarding it
Helping the team learn from mistakes without creating fear
Building a scalable Commercial Surety platform that can grow profitably over time
This is the type of opportunity that should excite a Commercial Surety leader who enjoys building teams, developing people, and creating a culture where strong underwriters can do the best work of their careers.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the Commercial Surety line of business and help shape the long-term growth strategy
Build out multiple regional Commercial Surety hubs over the next several years
Recruit, attract, mentor, and develop high-caliber Commercial Surety underwriting talent
Create a culture built around trust, field authority, disciplined underwriting, and accountability
Coach underwriters through complex risks, underwriting decisions, and broker/client situations
Delegate authority appropriately and empower regional underwriters to make decisions
Develop and execute a strategic business plan for profitable Commercial Surety growth
Maintain responsibility for the profitability, risk quality, and long-term performance of the Commercial Surety portfolio
Partner with regional bond leaders and field offices to support broker relationships and regional growth
Serve as a senior technical resource on complex Commercial Surety accounts, bond forms, contracts, referrals, and larger program opportunities
Support portfolio management, book reviews, underwriting procedures, and risk management tools
Collaborate with senior surety leadership, home office teams, field offices, reinsurers, and other key stakeholders
Help refine underwriting guidelines, workflows, authority structures, and operating procedures as the platform scales
Maintain a strong balance between growth, underwriting discipline, service, and long-term profitability
Ideal Candidate Profile
10+ years of progressive Commercial Surety experience
Strong leadership experience within Commercial Surety or a closely related surety leadership role
Proven ability to coach, mentor, develop, and retain underwriting talent
Experience building or scaling teams, regions, territories, or underwriting platforms
Strong understanding of Commercial Surety underwriting, bond forms, financial analysis, risk selection, portfolio management, and account structure
Ability to think strategically while still being close enough to the business to support tactical execution
Comfortable leading through influence, trust, and accountability rather than control and micromanagement
Strong communication skills with the ability to engage underwriters, brokers, clients, senior leaders, and internal partners
Ability to transfer technical knowledge to the team in a way that helps underwriters grow
Strong judgment around when to delegate, when to coach, and when to step in
Entrepreneurial mindset with a disciplined underwriting foundation
Willingness to travel as needed to build teams, support regional hubs, and develop key relationships
This Role Could Be a Fit If You Believe:
Great underwriters want authority, not endless layers of approval
Leaders should coach and develop talent, not control every decision
Mistakes should become learning opportunities, not reasons to take authority away
A strong Commercial Surety platform is built through people, culture, underwriting discipline, and trust
The best teams are built when leaders are willing to transfer knowledge and empower others
Bureaucracy slows down good underwriters and creates a poor broker/client experience
Long-term profitability comes from good judgment, strong talent, and clear accountability
If you are a Commercial Surety leader who knows how to build teams, coach talent, delegate authority, and create a culture of trust, this is worth a confidential conversation. Email Bryan Jackson at to discuss this one further.
Keywords
Surety, Commercial Surety, Underwriting, Underwriter, Leadership, Senior Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Chief Underwriting Office, Regional Vice President, AFSB, Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding, Accounting, Finance, Renewable Energy, Data Centers, License and Permit, Commercial Contract Surety, Bond, Bonds, Bonded Programs
Worksite address
city of overland park, KS, 66213, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.