VP, Head of Risk Underwriting North America

Company Description

At Coface, we make trade happen everyday.

Our 5,200 experts representing 80+ nationalities in 58 countries are united by a shared purpose: helping companies navigate through uncertainty by empowering them to make the right decisions and trade smarter in a complex world.

With nearly 80 years of global experience, we offer companies a full range of solutions: Trade Credit Insurance, Business Information, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Surety Bonds, Factoring — all driven by a unique data patrimony, cutting-edge technology, innovation and a deep understanding of the global economy.

Joining Coface means being part of a close-knit international organization, where your ideas matter.  We foster a culture of learning, collaboration and inclusion where you are given responsibilities and can see the impact of your actions.

Shape the future of trade with us. Join our Happeners!

Job Description

The Vice President, Head of Risk Underwriting North America leads a team of credit professionals across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, overseeing the management and monitoring of Coface's regional trade credit insurance portfolio. This person is responsible for making strategic credit limit decisions, driving portfolio risk management initiatives, and presenting underwriting proposals to Coface Group to support profitable growth while minimizing losses for both Coface and its clients.

As a key member of the Regional Leadership Team, the successful candidate will ensure adherence to risk underwriting policies, governance standards, and portfolio monitoring requirements across the region. The role also serves as a critical partner to senior business stakeholders, fostering strong cross-functional relationships and aligning underwriting strategy with broader business objectives.

This position has overall leadership responsibility for a team of 24 employees, including 3 direct reports and 2 dotted-line reports, with a focus on talent development, operational excellence, and high-performance team leadership.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Establish the strategic direction and vision for the Regional Risk Underwriting Team in collaboration with the Group Risk Underwriting Director and the Chief Underwriting Officer for North America, balancing portfolio health and business growth and with a focus on achieving the defined KPIs
• Demonstrate a strong knowledge of fundamental credit analysis and commercial considerations in taking strategic credit limit decisions of significant value
• Establish and execute clear risk underwriting strategies across buyer groups, including, but not limited to, establishing maximum risk appetite and capacity ceilings, strategically reducing exposure, and determining the appropriate timing for a risk-driven exit
• Execute effective portfolio monitoring through a multi-layered approach
• Actively participate and drive forward the data strategy, inclusive of the ongoing evaluation of data providers, the development of proprietary models, implementing effective Debtor-level alerts, etc.
• Demonstrate effective cross-functional collaboration as it relates to data sharing, claims topics, policy underwriting, commercial considerations, training initiatives, etc.
• Establish strong relationships across the customer portfolio and ensure the broader RUW teams maintains active touch points with clients focused on credit limit decision explanations, portfolio developments, etc.
• Lead and develop the regional risk underwriting teams through a multi-faceted approach, inclusive of a robust onboarding program, regular guidance surrounding large and complex cases, daily feedback on decisions, ongoing professional development opportunities, etc.
• Manage workloads and productivity metrics across the Regional teams, inclusive of staffing considerations, recruiting efforts, efficiency drivers, etc.
• Serve as a member of the daily Regional Deal Committee, providing value-added feedback on the risk portfolio, prospect specifics, and policy terms and conditions
• Establish strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business at both a Local and Coface Group level. 
• Demonstrate strong executive presence in representing the Coface Risk Underwriting function both internally and externally

 

Qualifications

THE CANDIDATE

• The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to organize and prioritize, to collaborate across functions, to effectively present information, and to recognize speed, courage and accountability in difficult decision making.  Additionally, this role demands a process- and data-driven approach.  The ideal candidate will recognize the following:
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Finance; Economics; Accounting or similar discipline is required.  An M.B.A in Finance (or other analytical discipline) or related professional designation is highly preferred. 
• 5 -10+ years of experience in credit or financial analysis along with a proven record of taking decisions of financial consequence.
• 5-7+ years of experience managing high performance teams.
• Strong working knowledge of the trade credit insurance business, including Coface’s range of products.
• Proven ability to discuss macro-economic and detailed business and financial topics with a variety of stakeholders, including C-Suite executives
• Excellent communication skills and advanced skill set related to the Microsoft Office Suite, PowerBi, Sharepoint and CoPilot.

Additional Information

Location: Flexplace (hybrid – 2 days onsite, 3 days remote to one of our local offices in Hunt Valley, MD, Princeton, NJ (HQ) or New York City, New York).

Work Authorization Requirement: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis. Coface is unable to sponsor or provide employment visa transfers for this position now or in the future.