Vice President, Surety

Location: Atlanta, GA
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Position Type: Permanent
Compensation: Open and based on experience. The employer is evaluating market compensation for this highly specialized position and does not want salary parameters to unnecessarily limit the candidate pool.

Position Overview

An established insurance organization is seeking an experienced Vice President of Surety to assume leadership of its Surety Department as part of a planned leadership transition.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership position with responsibility for the overall performance, profitability, and operations of the surety business. The successful candidate will oversee underwriting, agency relationships, business development, claims, indemnity recovery, regulatory compliance, and departmental operations while helping position the organization for continued growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage overall Surety Department operations
• Oversee new and renewal commercial and contract surety underwriting
• Evaluate financial statements, creditworthiness, contractor financial strength, and overall risk
• Monitor production, profitability, bond exposure, and underwriting performance
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with agents, brokers, contractors, attorneys, consultants, and other business partners
• Develop new agency relationships and identify opportunities for profitable growth
• Oversee surety claims, including contractor defaults, investigations, reserves, claim resolution, and litigation
• Direct indemnity recovery efforts, including collateral demands, settlements, repayment agreements, and legal recovery actions
• Oversee agency appointments, agreements, and performance
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, licensing, and reporting requirements
• Lead, coach, and develop underwriting and claims professionals
• Prepare reports and recommendations for senior leadership
• Travel as needed for underwriting, agency relationships, claims, and business development

Candidate Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive surety experience
• Significant hands-on surety underwriting experience
• Strong knowledge of both Commercial and Contract Surety
• Experience analyzing financial statements, credit reports, and contractor financial strength
• Knowledge of bond forms, surety agreements, and construction contracts
• Understanding of surety claims, contractor defaults, and indemnity recovery
• Strong agency and broker relationship-management experience
• Ability to manage both profitability and growth
• Strong negotiation, communication, leadership, and decision-making skills
• Previous leadership or management experience preferred
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Established agency relationships and the ability to contribute to new business growth are highly desirable
• Candidates from carriers, MGAs, wholesalers, agencies, or similar surety organizations may be considered
• Carrier experience is not required if the candidate has extensive surety expertise and a strong understanding of underwriting and relationship management

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned surety professional who combines strong technical underwriting expertise with leadership, relationship management, and business-development capabilities. This individual should be comfortable taking ownership of an established surety operation while remaining actively involved in complex underwriting and key agency relationships.

This opportunity is particularly well suited for an experienced Surety Executive, VP of Surety, Surety Underwriting Manager, Regional Surety Leader, or senior-level surety professional who is ready to assume broader responsibility for an entire surety operation.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Senior leadership position with significant ownership of the surety operation
• Established book of business and agency relationships
• Opportunity to assume the role through a planned leadership transition
• Broad responsibility across underwriting, claims, production, profitability, and operations
• Ability to influence the future direction and growth of the surety business
• Opportunity to maintain a hands-on connection to underwriting and key relationships