Lead Underwriter – Environmental Casualty; Products Liability & Pollution Manufacturing

Position: Lead Underwriter – Environmental Casualty (Products Liability & Pollution) Manufacturing Location: New York Lead Underwriter – Environmental Casualty (Products Liability & Pollution) Manufacturing AXIS is building out its Environmental Casualty platform with a focus on the manufacturing segment offering complex product liability and pollution coverage across North America. This is a leadership role within a growing, specialist underwriting team responsible for combining general liability and pollution capabilities into a more integrated client solution. As a Lead Underwriter, you will develop, underwrite, and manage a national portfolio of complex product Liability & pollution risk while helping to shape underwriting strategy, distribution, and team development within our environmental practice. Role Overview This position is responsible for underwriting and portfolio management of complex environmental casualty risks, with a focus on manufacturing/product exposures. The role combines day-to-day deal execution with broader responsibilities across strategy, relationship management, and team development. You will operate with a high level of autonomy while contributing to longer-term initiatives tied to portfolio growth, product evolution, and market positioning.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio & Production

• Develop and grow a profitable book of environmental casualty business across manufacturing risks
• Underwrite, analyze, and price complex risks across general liability and pollution exposures
• Build and manage a diversified portfolio aligned to profitability and risk appetite

Underwriting Execution

• Evaluate submissions, perform technical underwriting analysis, and determine appropriate terms and structures
• Prepare and issue indications, quotations, and binders
• Decline risks outside appetite with clear, market-credible rationale

Distribution & Market Engagement

• Develop and manage relationships across retail and wholesale broker channels
• Actively market AXIS capabilities and originate new business opportunities
• Maintain consistent broker engagement through in-person meetings and remote interaction

Strategy & Platform Development

• Contribute to the build-out of AXIS’s environmental casualty offering, particularly within manufacturing
• Support the development of underwriting guidelines, appetite, and product strategy
• Establish presence as a market-facing thought partner within the environmental and manufacturing space

Leadership & Team Development

• Support, mentor, and provide guidance to junior underwriters
• Assist with underwriting referrals and training within the pollution liability space
• Contribute to team build-out and operational structure as the business scales

Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a senior environmental casualty underwriting professional with a proven track record handling complex product liability & pollution targeting Middle market manufacturing risks within a leading commercial insurance carrier. They bring both technical depth and strong market connectivity, along with a willingness to operate in a hands-on, build-oriented environment. Desired Experience & Qualifications

• 15+ years of environmental liability underwriting experience
• Deep expertise in pollution legal liability (PLL)
• Strong knowledge of general liability and product liability and pollution exposures within manufacturing
• Demonstrated track record of underwriting profitable business portfolios
• Established relationships across retail and wholesale environmental brokers
• Proven ability to originate and develop new business opportunities

Core Capabilities

• Strong technical underwriting and analytical skills
• Ability to evaluate complex risk and structure solutions across combined GL and pollution coverage
• Excellent communication skills with demonstrated ability to influence internal and external stakeholders
• Executive presence with the ability to build long-term broker and client relationships
• Self-starter mentality with the ability to operate independently in a national role

Work Environment

• Hybrid work model with a combination of in-office, remote work, and travel
• Location flexible around major U.S. insurance hubs
• Travel required for broker meetings, industry events, and internal collaboration

For this position, we currently expect to offer a base salary in… Apply tot his job Apply To this Job