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Job description
The North America Programs team provides underwriting capacity and strategic partnership to leading Program Administrators (MGAs/MGUs) across Property, Casualty and professional lines.
The Program Strategy & Portfolio Development Lead plays a critical role in shaping the composition and direction of the Programs portfolio by leading front-end opportunity triage, portfolio alignment, and strategic deployment of capacity.
This role serves as the initial gateway for all new program opportunities, combining targeted market engagement with disciplined evaluation to ensure alignment with underwriting appetite, risk tolerance, and portfolio objectives.
Beyond origination, the role provides a portfolio-wide lens on opportunity selection, helping guide where and how the organization deploys capital across segments, partners, and structures.
This position works closely with the Head/CUO of Programs and Heads of Property, Casualty, and Professional Programs to ensure consistent, high-quality opportunity selection and strategic coherence across the portfolio.
This position reports to Chief Underwriting Officer, Programs Americas.
Whatyou’ll be doing
1. Opportunity Triage & Portfolio Gatekeeping (Core Focus)
Lead initial evaluation of all new program submissions, acting as the central triage function for the Programs portfolio
Assess strategic fit, underwriting quality, structure, and economics relative to portfolio needs and risk appetite
Identify key risks, structural concerns (e.g., CAT aggregation, selection bias, limits, price, compressed layers), and diligence priorities
Produce concise 1–2 page evaluation memos and deal snapshots for leadership forums
Establish consistent “go / caution / no-go” frameworks for opportunity filtering
2. Portfolio Strategy & Capacity Deployment
Evaluate opportunities in the context of portfolio composition, diversification, and accumulation management
Support disciplined allocation of capacity toward highest-risk-adjusted-return opportunities
Highlight portfolio gaps, concentration risks, and strategic growth areas
Provide input into annual and forward-looking portfolio strategy
3. Targeted Origination & Market Engagement
Drive a focused origination approach aligned to priority segments and strategic themes.
Build market intelligence across the programs universe.
Support conference strategy (e.g., Target Markets, WSIA) with a clear targeting framework
Maintain a structured view of priority partners and target segments
4. Deal Framing & Internal Alignment
Translate external opportunities into clear internal business cases
Prepare concise deal summaries outlining structure, economics, key risks, and strategic rationale
Align early with underwriting, actuarial, and CUO leadership to shape opportunities prior to full diligence
Act as the central conduit between market-facing activity and underwriting decision-making
5. Pipeline Oversight & Decision Analytics
Maintain ownership of the new business pipeline with a focus on quality, not just volume
Track and report key metrics, including: Submission quality and strategic alignment
Conversion rates and hit ratios
Speed and efficiency of decision-making
Expected vs. bound premium
Provide forward-looking pipeline insights, not just reporting
6. Market Intelligence & Strategic Insight
Develop a forward-looking view of the programs landscape, including: Emerging MGAs and new program structures
Challenging capacity flows and underwriting trends
M&A and platform consolidation
Translate insights into actionable recommendations for portfolio positioning and appetite refinement
7. Portfolio Alignment & Strategic Contribution
Ensure new opportunities support long-term portfolio construction goals, not just near-term growth
Provide a consistent framework for evaluating risk vs. return across diverse programs
Contribute to broader Programs strategy across: Distribution strategy
Product development gaps
Partner selection
8. Governance & Underwriting Discipline
Reinforce early clarity around: Delegated authority scope
Data/reporting requirements
Underwriting governance expectations
Ensure only opportunities that meet minimum standards of transparency, control, and discipline progress forward
Drive consistency in how opportunities are assessed, documented, and presented
What you will BRING
We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:
Required Skills and Abilities:
Robust experience across Programs, delegated authority, underwriting, or portfolio management
Robust understanding of MGA/program economics, structures, and risk drivers
Experience assessing underwriting quality and structural risk at a portfolio level
Background in underwriting, program management, or strategy within a carrier, MGA, or broker
Established market relationships preferred, but depth of judgment prioritized over volume of contacts
Outstanding portfolio mindset ability to evaluate individual deals in a broader strategic context
Highly effective at triage, prioritization, and structured decision-making
Ability to synthesize complex underwriting and commercial factors into clear recommendations
Outstanding commercial judgment balancing growth, risk, and return
Excellent communication skills, particularly in executive-level summarization
Strategic thinker with high awareness of market dynamics and positioning
Who WE are
AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.
How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business – property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.
With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward.
Learn more at axaxl.com
What we OFFER
Inclusion
AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture and enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It’s about helping one another — and our business — to move forward and succeed.
Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter
Learn more at Inclusion & Diversity at AXA XL | AXA XL. AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Total Rewards
AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides enterprizing compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.
We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.
Sustainability
At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.
Our Pillars:
Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society – are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature – from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard – by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
AXA Hearts in Action : We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day – the Global Day of Giving.
For more information, please see Sustainability at AXA XL
Applicants for this role must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.
The U.S. base salary range for this position is USD 132,200 – 257,100.
Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual’s skills, experience and location. We strive for market alignment and internal equity with our colleagues’ pay.
At AXA XL, we know how important physical, mental, and financial health are to our employees, which is why we are proud to offer benefits such as an enterprizing retirement savings plan, health and wellness programs, and many other benefits. We also believe in fostering our colleagues' development and offer a wide range of learning opportunities for colleagues to hone their professional skills and to position themselves for the next step of their careers. For more details about AXA XL’s benefits offerings, please visit US Benefits at a Glance 2026.
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Worksite address
new york, NY, 10261, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.