Head of Construction, E&S Casualty

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Our Wholesale Solutions team at AXA XL, poised for growth in the dynamic world of Excess and Surplus lines. This is a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative team that has been unlocking the future since 1978, creating teams that excel at innovation, expanding geographically, building new products, and serving our wholesale partners with excellence.

AXA XL's Wholesale Construction business unit will offer insurance solutions for a broad range of risks including project specific, practice policies, and wraps with a focus on commercial, industrial, and infrastructure work.

Head of E&S Construction will set strategy and lead execution for the Construction vertical. Build and implement guidelines, referral process, and portfolio management metrics. Hire and manage a staff of dedicated Construction underwriters. Onboard, mentor, and develop underwriters while delivering both top line results and profitability. Inspire performance and foster a culture of integrity and accountability. Responsible to lead, manage, maintain and develop an Underwriting team to profitably achieve Wholesale Construction strategic and financial objectives in compliance with established policies and guidelines. This will include managing the book P&L, coordinating with claims, legal, and other support functions to ensure the book’s profitability and mitigate against emerging loss trends.

This individual must possess technical expertise across many classes of Construction business and have the ability to identify areas for growth opportunities while keeping a focus on the book’s profitability. Additionally, they should have and maintain extensive contacts within the national wholesale Construction broker network, which is a core requirement.

The Head of E&S Construction will be part of the E&S Casualty Leadership team and responsible for developing and expanding an underwriting team with sound technical capabilities, a deep understanding of appetite, and robust broker relationships. This role will be responsible for driving production while also maintaining a focus on profitability while meeting P&L budgetary requirements and performance metrics for the unit supporting the overall Wholesale Solutions Insurance Objectives.

They will work closely with the other business unit counterparts to deliver as ONE AXA to our broker network and ensure a consistent message and seamless interactions between underwriting and the brokers teams. The role holder supports AXA XL’s cross-sell objectives and also looking for further opportunities by understanding capabilities across other lines of business and maintaining open communication with colleagues in other departments.

This role will report to the Head of E&S Casualty.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Coordinate/facilitate/lead new business, renewals, re-pricings, restrictions, special acceptances, commutations and cancellations in determining risk acceptability & coverage, in accordance with the underwriting guidelines and authorities as established.
• Ensure adherence to the underwriting authorities and guidelines as approved; cascade/rescind Underwriting authority as needed throughout the product line.
• Drive growth by identifying new markets (e.g., new channels, new products) and by further developing existing markets (e.g., deeper relationships with existing brokers and clients) as measured by new premium and market share growth or profitable GWP growth in new books of business.
• Recruit, manage and develop team of Underwriters to ensure operational efficiency around production and hit ratio reporting, retention ratios, production planning and tactical actions expected related to the established plans.
• Execute corporate and departmental strategy with the ability to identify and utilize KPIs to drive underwriting profitability and manage results.
• Manage insured and producer relationships across a large geographic territory and maintain visibility in the market by marketing to wholesale trading partners.
• Embody the AXA XL culture and act as a role model for all colleagues, irrespective of organizational alignment.

What You Will BRING

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

Required Skills And Abilities

• Proficient knowledge of E&S Construction
• Ability to allocate resources, expenses, and resources efficiently and within budget
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to engage brokers, clients, and colleagues and ability to represent AXA XL at client events, seminars, conventions, and meetings
• Strong technical background with the ability to present and negotiate complex agreements
• Extensive Management experience including experience building high caliber underwriting teams
• Strategic vision, driving results
• Excellent collaboration and influencing skills, leadership skills
• Bachelor’s Degree required; professional designations CPCU, ARM preferred
• Knowledge of functionality of systems
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Ability to respond to a changing environment with flexibility and innovation
• Excellent customer service and negotiation skills
• Excellent time management skills; ability to multitask

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 competitive 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 2023-26 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 (157,700 – 292,900).

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 a competitive 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.