Underwriting Transformation Portfolio Lead

Job Profile Summary

The Underwriting portfolio Lead will play a key role in establishing, governing and managing change delivery for a highly strategic area of the Chaucer business that spans Underwriting, Distribution, Pricing and Exposure Management functions. They will provide a critical interlock between the business area they represent and the Transformation Office, ensuring business needs are effectively translated and delivered as part of a structured roadmap for change.

Job Description

Portfolio Strategy

• Supports business teams to translate strategic ambition into clearly defined change projects and programmes
• Ensures the portfolio and roadmap accurately reflects the change and transformation requirements of their respective area of the business and that they enable delivery of business specific and Chaucer wide strategy through realisation of benefits and value
• Ensures initiatives are prioritised in line with requirements of the strategy using the defined prioritisation methodology

Business interlock

• Builds a deep understanding of the business strategy, priorities and performance to help provide strategic support and advice to shape change requirements and appropriately prioritise across the portfolio
• Establishes and maintains strong partnership with their respective business area and associated leadership team
• Actively challenges business leads to ensure they are providing the right level of strategic oversight and input to change delivery and upholding their responsibilities as business owners
• Attends and contributes to relevant leadership meetings, forums and reporting
• Creates effective delivery partnerships with Technology, COO and corporate functions

Portfolio Management

• Oversees the selection, prioritization, and management of projects and programmes within the portfolio to ensure they deliver value
• Ensures interdependencies between initiatives within and across portfolios are identified, understood and appropriately managed
• Works in partnership with other Portfolio Leads to review and prioritise initiatives in line with Chaucer’s broader strategic plans
• Maintains view of all resources deployed to and involved with delivery of initiatives within portfolio. Supports resource deployment decisions by building view of where critical skills exists across the business.
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement by identifying lessons learned and best practices to enhance portfolio management processes.

Portfolio Reporting & Governance

• Chairs Portfolio Steering group for their respective area of the business, reviewing portfolio health, progress, key risks, issues and dependencies
• Identifies potential risks within the portfolio and works with business and change resources to develop mitigation plans for these
• Regularly reviews risks, fund allocation, and benefits realisation. Determines where escalation to executive review forums is required

Initiative shaping & design

• Ensures the appropriate tools, templates and approval steps are taken to define Change Briefs and Business Cases
• Ensures Business Cases accurately reflect the needs of the business and that change initiatives are appropriately sized and valued
• Ensures the appropriate business stakeholders are informed of and provide input to initiative shaping and design

Programme delivery

• Takes responsibility of programme management for selected initiatives within a specific portfolio, as agreed with Transformation leadership
• Where taking on programme management responsibilities, oversees and drives delivery for appointed teams, working with Business, Transformation and Technology stakeholders to mobilise relevant resources to delivery programme goals
• Manages programme plans and milestones, co-ordinating and reporting on status, inc risk, issues and dependencies

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Thinking – Ability to shape long-term direction and align initiatives with organisational goals.
• Portfolio Management – Proven expertise in overseeing complex change portfolios with high-level governance and prioritisation.
• Change Leadership – A good understanding of the change lifecycle, with emphasis on governance (high), reporting (mid), excellence (mid), and delivery (developing).
• Project & Change Management – Skilled in managing transformation initiatives from planning through execution.
• Stakeholder Engagement – Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and influence across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Problem Solving & Analytical Skills – Adept at diagnosing issues, interpreting data, and developing actionable insights.
• Financial Planning & Analysis – Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and evaluating financial impact of strategic decisions.
• Business & Commercial Acumen – Deep understanding of business operations and financial drivers, with the ability to translate strategy into results.
• Reporting & Insight Generation – Ability to produce clear, actionable reports that support decision-making and performance tracking.

ABOUT US

Chaucer is a leading insurance group at Lloyd’s, the world’s specialist insurance market. We help protect industries around the world from the risks they face. Our customers include major airlines, energy companies, shipping groups, global manufacturers and property groups.

Our headquarters are in London, and we have international offices in Bermuda, Copenhagen, Dubai and Singapore to be closer to our clients across the world. To learn more about us please visit our website.

Chaucer is committed to diversity, actively values difference and respects people regardless of the protected characteristics which are outlined in the Equality Act 2010 (UK legislation) as a result of the Equal Treatment Directive 2006 (EU legislation). 
A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace are core to our success as a business and integral to our winning strategy and culture. We recruit from the widest available pool of talent, and our hiring, assessment and selection process is fair, free from bias and one which ensures we select the right person for the job, based on merit. We are committed to promoting a culture that actively values difference, and recognises that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their employment.
We are open to considering flexible working arrangements for all roles and encourage you to outline your needs during the interview process.