Vice President, Operations - Delegated Underwriting Authority (Programs)

Experience Aviva 

Individually, we are people, but together we are Aviva. Individually, these are just words, but together they are our Values – Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence. 

At Aviva, we help customers build resilience and move forward with confidence. We foster an inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, innovation is encouraged, and employees are empowered to grow their careers while making a meaningful impact.

As we establish Aviva’s presence in the United States, we’re seeking talented individuals inspired to build, shape, and lead this new organization. Joining Aviva Specialty means stepping onto the ground floor of a thoughtfully designed Commercial Insurance organization built for the long-term, blending underwriting heritage, disciplined execution and capital strength with agility and innovation.

What You'll Do

The Vice President, Operations - Delegated Underwriting Authority (U.S.) leads all operational aspects of onboarding and managing the company's delegated underwriting authority (DUA) relationships, including Managing General Agents (MGAs), Program Administrators, and appointed agents and agencies.

Reporting to the Head of Delegated Underwriting Authority, U.S., this role builds, owns, and continuously improves the operational infrastructure, procedures, and controls that support the full lifecycle of delegated authority relationships — from agency and agent appointment and due diligence through ongoing monitoring, audit, compliance, and eventual termination or transition.

This is a critical operational leadership role that partners closely with Underwriting, Compliance, Legal, Claims, IT, and external Program Administrators to ensure delegated business is onboarded and managed with strong controls, consistent processes, and regulatory compliance across all U.S. jurisdictions. The role requires a leader who can design scalable operating procedures, oversee cross-functional processes such as sanctions screening and due diligence, and drive a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement across the DUA operations function.

Key Responsibilities

Agency & Agent Appointment

• Own and lead the end-to-end operational process for agency and agent appointment applications, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing.
• Partner with Underwriting and Compliance to ensure appointment standards and state licensing/appointment requirements are consistently met.

Third-Party Sanctions Screening & Clearance

• Oversee the third-party sanctions screening and clearance process for all prospective and existing delegated authority partners, agencies, and agents.
• Ensure screening processes remain current with OFAC and other applicable regulatory requirements, escalating and resolving potential matches appropriately.

Program Administrator Due Diligence

• Oversee the Program Administrator due diligence process and checklist, ensuring thorough, consistent, and well-documented review of new and renewing Program Administrators.
• Partner with Underwriting, Compliance, and Legal to ensure due diligence findings are appropriately actioned prior to binding authority.

Operations Procedures & Guidelines 

Serve as owner of Operations Procedures & Guidelines across the delegated authority lifecycle, including: 

• Communications & Training: development and delivery of operational communications and training materials to Program Administrators, agents, and internal stakeholders. 

• Policy & System Information: maintenance of accurate policy and system information supporting delegated authority processing. 

• Cancellations: procedures governing policy cancellation processing and controls. 

• Submission Clearance: oversight of the submission clearance process to prevent duplicate or conflicting submissions. 

• Policy Transfusion Workflow: management of data workflows including API feeds and Bordereaux (BDX) reporting. 

• Transaction Logs: maintenance and oversight of transaction logging for audit and reconciliation purposes. 

• Policy Renewal, Termination, Rescission & Reinstatement: ownership of end-to-end procedures governing these policy lifecycle events. 

 Audits & Quality Reviews 

• Own the audit and quality review program for delegated authority operations, including scheduling, execution, findings management, and remediation tracking. 

• Partner with Program Administrators and internal stakeholders to drive continuous improvement based on audit outcomes. 

What You'll Bring

• 10+ years of progressive experience in P&C insurance operations 

• Significant experience in delegated underwriting authority, MGA/MGU, or program business. 

• Demonstrated experience in specialty, E&S, or commercial lines insurance operations; deep familiarity with surplus lines regulatory requirements strongly preferred 

• Demonstrated experience leading operational teams and managing complex, multi-stakeholder processes. 

• Strong working knowledge of insurance regulatory requirements, including sanctions screening (OFAC), surplus lines, and state-specific compliance requirements. 

• Experience with audit, quality review, and due diligence processes within a delegated authority or program business environment. 

• Experience with policy administration systems, Bordereaux (BDX) reporting, and API-based data workflows preferred. 

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Insurance, Risk Management, or related field 

• Masters in Business Administration or equivalent advanced degree, a plus 

• CPCU, ARe, or equivalent professional insurance designation preferred 

What You'll Gain 

At Aviva Specialty, we put people first - our employees, our customers, and our communities. We’re proud of a culture built on care, inclusion, and collaboration, where your voice matters and your growth is supported. We’re not just about insurance; we’re about making a real difference by protecting what matters most.

• The salary band for this position ranges from a base of $185,000-$265,000. Please note that individual salary is determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills and experience
• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, health benefits and volunteer opportunities. 
• Hybrid flexible work model.
• Outstanding career development opportunities.
• Competitive vacation package

Travel Requirements: Up to 15% travel for executive leadership meetings, strategic planning sessions, broker and client engagements, industry conferences, and cross-functional business initiatives. 

Physical Requirements: This position is primarily performed in an office or remote work environment and requires prolonged periods of computer use, analysis of complex business and actuarial data, communication with internal and external stakeholders, and participation in virtual and in-person meetings. 

Aviva Specialty welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and has a process in place to provide accommodations for persons with disabilities at all stages of the hiring process and during employment. If you require an accommodation during the interview or hiring process, please contact your Aviva Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged.