Underwriting Operations Analyst

Who We Are:

Africa Specialty Risks (ASR) is enabling sustainable economic development by fulfilling unmet insurance needs. Our platform provides local underwriting expertise, an unparalleled distribution network and access to global capacity.

Founded in the heart of Africa and with offices across the continent and the Middle East, we provide regional market knowledge, data insights, and technical proficiency for capital partners who are looking to increase their presence in growth markets.

We also participate on each and every risk we underwrite with balance sheets in Bermuda, Mauritius and through Syndicate 2454 at Lloyd’s. ASR is committed to accelerating business growth by providing customised service and innovative insurance products to enable development.

Role Purpose:

• The Underwriting Operations Analyst provides analytical, reporting and operational support to the Head of Underwriting Operations and supports the delivery and continuous improvement of ASR's global underwriting operating model.
• The role focuses on data quality, operational controls, management reporting, production support, process documentation and continuous improvement activities across underwriting operations.
• The role will also support operational and technology change initiatives, including process digitisation, automation, testing, training and implementation activities.

Role Responsibilities:

Data Quality & Operational Controls

• Support the development, maintenance, and monitoring of underwriting operational controls to reduce downstream data, process, and procedural errors.
• Review operational data and process outputs to identify issues, themes, trends, root causes, and recurring control weaknesses.
• Escalate material issues, risks, exceptions, and control concerns to the Head of Underwriting Operations, with clear analysis and proposed remediation actions.
• Work with Underwriting, Delegated Authority, Actuarial, Finance, Claims, Compliance, Risk, and other internal stakeholders to resolve BAU technical and operational queries.
• Support the development and maintenance of shared knowledge materials, guidance notes, and documented solutions for recurring operational issues.
• Collaborate with underwriting teams to ensure operational controls are practical, proportionate, and fit for purpose across ASR’s underwriting platforms, vehicles, and markets.
• Prepare control effectiveness reporting, analysis and supporting evidence for review by the Head of Underwriting Operations.

Data Governance, Reporting & Regulatory Support

• Monitor and report on task volumes, completion timelines, exceptions, and service risks across underwriting operations.
• Analyse operational performance data, including error types, error frequency, root causes, service levels, timeliness, and remediation progress.
• Prepare KPI packs, dashboard reporting, trend analysis and management information for the Head of Underwriting Operations.
• Produce fit-for-purpose performance reporting covering ASR’s underwriting operations service levels, ensuring key messages, exceptions, and trends are clearly summarised.
• Use performance, SLA, and exception reporting to identify process improvement opportunities for the Head of Underwriting Operations.
• Monitor, analyse and highlight potential governance, regulatory or process adherence issues for escalation to the Head of Underwriting Operations.

Process Management & Continuous Improvement

• Support the documentation, analysis, and continual improvement of underwriting operational processes, procedures, controls, and working practices.
• Maintain Standard Operating Procedures, process maps, user guidance, training materials, and other operational documentation.
• Support the maintenance of process improvement logs, action trackers, request logs, and operational issue registers as required.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency, data quality, user adoption, operational consistency, and service delivery.
• Support the Head of Underwriting Operations in coordinating process improvement activities, including prioritisation, sequencing, tracking, and reporting of progress.
• Help embed agreed operational changes across the business through clear documentation, training support, and stakeholder engagement.

Service Delivery & Production Support

• Coordinate day-to-day operational support for underwriting systems, policy administration platforms, workflow tools, and service desk processes.
• Provide first-line operational analysis and issue investigation.
• Track operational queries, system issues, service requests, and production support items through to resolution.
• Support issue triage, impact assessment, stakeholder updates, escalation, and closure reporting.
• Assist the Head of Underwriting Operations with oversight of operational service levels, issue resolution, and recurring service delivery themes.
• Support onboarding activities for users and operational stakeholders, including process orientation, system guidance, and training coordination.

Project & Change Delivery

• Support the Head of Underwriting Operations with the planning, testing, implementation, and embedding of operational change initiatives.
• Assist with approved discretionary and non-discretionary changes to existing or new systems supporting the underwriting lifecycle.
• Coordinate business input into change activity, including requirements gathering, user acceptance testing, issue tracking, training, and readiness activities.
• Support regulatory, strategic, operational, and technology-driven change initiatives as directed by the Operations Manager.
• Help track dependencies, actions, risks, decisions, and milestones across underwriting operations change activities.
• Work closely with underwriting teams, operations, technology stakeholders, outsourced providers, and other relevant teams to support successful delivery and adoption.

General

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by the Head of Underwriting Operations.

Skills & Experience:

Essential:

• Relevant insurance experience, ideally within reinsurance, MGA, Lloyd’s, company market, or specialty insurance environments.
• Practical understanding of the insurance underwriting lifecycle and related operational processes.
• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to process, analyse, and interpret large volumes of detailed information accurately.
• High attention to detail and a strong focus on data quality, process discipline, and operational control.
• Experience preparing management information, operational reporting, SLA tracking, or performance reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Excel capability, including formulas, pivot tables, data manipulation, and reporting.
• Experience using, supporting, or analysing data from operational systems, workflow tools, reporting tools, or policy administration platforms.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, queries, and priorities.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to summarise issues, exceptions, trends, and actions clearly.
• Collaborative working style, with the ability to engage effectively with underwriting, operations, finance, claims, compliance, risk, technology, and external service providers.
• Ability to identify issues, investigate root causes, and propose practical improvement actions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.

Desirable:

• French language skills.
• Undergraduate degree in Finance, Business, Mathematics, Data, Insurance, or a related discipline.
• Progress toward insurance, risk, or professional qualifications such as DipCII, IRM, or similar.
• Typically, 1 to 3 years of relevant insurance operations, underwriting operations, data, reporting, or analytical experience.
• Experience with reporting, analytics or business intelligence tools (e.g. Power BI, SQL or Python).
• Familiarity with Lloyd’s market operations, delegated authority, bordereaux, MGA processes, reinsurance, or specialty insurance.
• Familiarity with FCA, Lloyd’s, risk, compliance, or insurance regulatory requirements.
• Experience supporting operational change, system implementation, user acceptance testing, workflow automation, or process redesign.
• Experience maintaining SOPs, training materials, process documentation, or operational guidance.