Vice President - Actuary, Head of Reserving

This is an opportunity to join Ascot Group - one of the world’s preeminent specialty risk underwriting organizations.

Designed as a modern-era company operating through an ecosystem of interconnected global operating platforms, we’re bound by a common mission and purpose: One Ascot. Our greatest strength is a talented team who flourish in a collaborative, inclusive, and entrepreneurial culture, steeped in underwriting excellence, integrity, and a passion to find a better way, The Ascot Way.

The Ascot Way guides our people and our organization. Our underwriting platforms collaborate to find creative ways to deploy our capital in a true cross-product and cross-platform approach. These platforms work as one, deploying our capital creatively through our unique Fusion Model: Client Centric, Risk Centric, Technology Centric.

Built to be resilient, Ascot maximizes client financial security while delivering bespoke products and world class service — both pre- and post-claims. Ascot exists to solve for our clients’ brightest tomorrow, through agility, collaboration, resilience, and discipline.

Ascot is embedding artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across the organization to enhance decision making, efficiency, and quality of outcomes. In this role, you will be expected to work confidently alongside AI-enabled tools, apply sound judgment when interpreting insights, and adapt as technology continues to evolve. We value curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to embrace change as part of how we work.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and oversee the execution of the quarterly reserving process including initial reconciliations, ACE selections, peer review, management reporting, controls and documentation
• Present ACE recommendations to the quarterly US Reserve Committee in a way that goes beyond the numbers, effectively communicating the underlying story and findings
• Oversee the selection of actuarial assumptions including initial expected loss ratios, loss development curves, default method weights, and other key inputs
• Support legal entity and corporate reporting requirements.
• Oversee performance of regularly scheduled and ad-hoc deep dive analyses on LOBs and reserving areas of focus
• Continually enhance processes, data flows, and help improve reserving analytics.
• Lead the US Reserving team, ensuring the company recruits, retains and develops staff to enable a high-performance reserving function
• Provide recommendations of management’s best estimate of reserves based on key uncertainties and risks 
• Effectively maintain, and create or improve where necessary, best practice reserving practices and policies
• Enhance data and capabilities to improve reserving analytics and diagnostics
• Peer review segment calculation of pricing loss ratios and pricing model assumptions
• Partner with UK and Bermuda reserving leads to enhance group reserving capabilities and consistency

• Commitment to The Ascot Way: As a senior member of the actuarial team, the Vice President - Actuary, Head of Reserving will embody The Ascot Way in their daily interaction with colleagues, fostering colleague engagement and development, collaboration, inclusivity, and individual accountability

Requirements: 

• Proven math and analytical skills, as normally acquired through the pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Actuarial Science, or related field
• A minimum 15 years of relevant actuarial experience, including at least 5 years of reserving experience in a leadership role
• Proven managerial experience, and demonstrated ability to train and develop junior level people managers on team to be effective managers and coaches
• Proven track record of hiring, developing, and retaining high performing teams
• FCAS designation for at least 7 years
• Prior extensive experience and knowledge of advanced actuarial techniques and standards and insurance operations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the executive presence and confidence to present findings effectively to stakeholders
• Ability to exercise discretion and apply independent judgment and critical thinking skills in execution of assignments
• Ability to balance multiple projects with minimal direction
• Experience using Arius reserving software preferred
• High attention to detail and a strong ability and desire to collaborate across the organization

Compensation

For Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to experience, subject matter expertise, and skills. The base pay is just one component of Ascot’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include an annual cash bonus, and other forms of discretionary compensation awarded by the Company. 

Salary Range: $250,000 - $280,000 

Company Benefits

The Company provides a competitive benefits package that includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):

Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical (including prescription coverage), Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Commuter Account, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, AD&D, Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program), and more

Leave Benefits: Paid holidays, annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state /local paid leave where required), Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Other leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, Adoption, Maternity, Military, Primary & Non-Primary Caregiver)

Retirement Benefits: Contributory Savings Plan (401k)

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