VP, Specialty

You have a clear vision of where your career can go. And we have the leadership to help you get there. At CNA, we strive to create a culture in which people know they matter and are part of something important, ensuring the abilities of all employees are used to their fullest potential.
Officer position responsible for the strategic leadership, growth, profitability, and underwriting excellence of CNA Canada's Specialty and Programs business. Leads multiple specialty product lines, including Management Liability, Financial Lines, Cyber & Professional Lines, Healthcare, and Programs/Affinity, while ensuring alignment with Canadian and Global business strategies. Accountable for driving profitable growth, portfolio management, underwriting governance, distribution engagement, talent development, and market expansion across Canada. Partners closely with Global business leaders to advance specialty capabilities, foster innovation, and strengthen CNA's market position in targeted growth segments. Leads a high-performing underwriting organization and champions a culture of performance, collaboration, technical excellence, and customer focus. This role has significant influence on corporate strategy, underwriting direction, and long-term business results.

JOB DESCRIPTION
Essential Duties & ResponsibilitiesPerforms a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines .
Develops and executes the strategic vision, business plan, and growth agenda for CNA Canada's Specialty and Programs business, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and specialty strategies.
Provides executive leadership for Specialty product lines, including Management Liability, Financial Lines, Cyber & Professional Lines, Healthcare, and Programs/Affinity, driving profitable growth, market expansion, and long-term business performance.
Accountable for the overall financial performance of the Specialty and Programs portfolio, including premium growth, profitability, retention, rate adequacy, expense management, and portfolio optimization.
Establishes underwriting strategies, risk appetite, and portfolio management frameworks that support growth objectives while maintaining underwriting discipline and governance standards.
Identifies emerging market opportunities, industry trends, and customer needs to drive innovation, product development, underwriting capabilities, and competitive differentiation.
Leads the development and execution of distribution strategies to strengthen relationships with brokers, program administrators, affinity partners, and key customers while expanding CNA's market presence and relevance.
Collaborates with Global Specialty leaders to align business strategies, leverage international expertise, share market intelligence, and advance specialty capabilities within the Canadian market.
Provides executive oversight for Programs and Affinity business, including delegated underwriting authority arrangements, program governance, operational performance, audit requirements, compliance standards, and strategic partner relationships.
Drives adherence to underwriting authority, governance standards, audit criteria, regulatory requirements, and enterprise risk management practices across all Specialty and Programs operations.
Partners with Actuarial, Claims, Risk Control, Operations, Compliance, Legal, Finance, HR and Technology leaders to develop integrated business strategies and deliver sustainable business results.
Monitors portfolio performance through analysis of financial, operational, and underwriting results and implements corrective actions and strategic initiatives as needed to achieve business objectives.
Represents CNA within the marketplace through executive engagement with brokers, customers, industry associations, and other external stakeholders to strengthen brand awareness and market credibility.
Builds, leads, and develops a high-performing national underwriting organization, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, technical excellence, and continuous learning.
Provides leadership in talent acquisition, workforce planning, succession management, and leadership development to ensure long-term organizational capability and bench strength.
Champions change management initiatives, operational improvements, and digital capabilities that enhance customer experience, underwriting effectiveness, and business performance.
Serves as a key contributor to the Canadian Leadership Team and participates in the development of enterprise-wide strategic priorities and initiatives.
Performs additional duties as assignedSkills, Knowledge & AbilitiesExtensive knowledge of specialty insurance products, underwriting disciplines, portfolio management, and risk selection practices, including Management Liability, Financial Lines, Cyber & Professional Lines, Healthcare, and Programs/Affinity business.
Proven ability to develop and execute business strategies that drive profitable growth, portfolio performance, mar