Job Description

Primary Details

Time Type: Full time

Worker Type: Employee

Portfolio Manager – UK Construction & Engineering

Role Highlights

• London, with hybrid working
• Enhance your career in an exciting and ever-changing environment

The Opportunity

QBE's market leading UK Construction & Engineering business are recruiting a Portfolio Manager to lead our UK Construction & Engineering team.

This is a market-facing leadership role with responsibility for underwriting performance, portfolio strategy, business development and talent development across a highly skilled team of underwriters. Working closely with brokers, clients and internal stakeholders, you will drive profitable growth, strengthen our market position and ensure delivery against QBE's underwriting and financial objectives.

About QBE  

At QBE, we get to the heart of what matters for our customers. And we do it all with a human touch.  

We’re an international insurer with more than 13,000 people working across 26 countries – which means we’re big enough for your ambitions, yet small enough for you to make a real impact. It’s an exciting time. We’re building momentum towards our vision to become the most consistent and innovative risk partner.

What if you could have a positive impact – at work and in the world? As part of the QBE team, you’ll get to spend every day working with people who are passionate, talented and kind.

Your New Role

Portfolio Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and deliver the UK Construction & Engineering portfolio strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and sustainable profitable growth.
• Monitor portfolio performance, market trends and emerging opportunities, taking action to optimise results and customer outcomes.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement across underwriting, distribution and portfolio management activities.

Underwriting Leadership

• Lead underwriting performance through technical expertise, portfolio oversight and disciplined risk selection.
• Ensure underwriting decisions align with appetite, authority frameworks and portfolio objectives.
• Partner with Pricing, Portfolio Management, Risk Solutions and Claims teams to enhance portfolio performance and profitability.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing underwriting team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ensure team capability, succession planning and resource requirements support current and future business needs.

Broker & Market Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with key brokers, clients and trading partners to support retention, growth and new business opportunities.
• Represent QBE in the market, enhancing our reputation as a leading Construction & Engineering insurer through visible leadership and industry engagement.

Governance & Risk Management

• Maintain compliance with legal, regulatory and internal governance requirements, ensuring effective portfolio oversight and risk management.
• Champion a culture of risk awareness, compliance and adherence to QBE underwriting standards.

About You

• Significant Construction & Engineering underwriting experience with a proven understanding of the UK market.
• Established broker and client network within the Construction & Engineering sector.
• Demonstrated success in developing and delivering portfolio strategies that drive profitable growth.
• Commercial, financial and analytical capability, with experience using data and market insights to support underwriting decisions.
• Experience managing underwriting portfolios across varying market conditions, pricing cycles and risk environments.
• Proven ability to lead, develop and motivate high-performing underwriting teams.

Benefits  

We offer a range of benefits to help provide holistic support for your work life, whatever your circumstances. As a QBE employee you will have access to and benefit from:

As well as the benefits below we also offer an extensive choice of other options to suit you!   

• 30 days holiday a year with the option to buy up to 2 additional days.  
• Flexible working - balancing work and life is important so our flexible working opportunities are open to all, this can include part-time, job share and compressed hours.  
• Pension – you are automatically enrolled into the QBE pension plan, which entitles you to receive employer contributions of 10% of your basic salary.  

To learn more about benefits of working with us, click  Rewarding our people - QBE European Operations 

Awards & Recognition

We value our employee’s experience with us and are proud to have been recognised for the following awards:

Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2025:

• Winner: Commercial Lines Insurer of the Year, Winner: Reinsurer of the Year - QBE Re, Winner: ESG, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year, Winner: Insurance Personality of the Year - Chris Wallace, Executive Director UK insurance

To learn more about our achievements, click here  

Apply now and let’s make it happen!  

If you’re looking for a career that combines your expertise and your empathy, click Apply today.

Your career. At the heart of it.  

Skills:

Analytical Thinking, Business Management, Coaching for success, Communication, Critical Thinking, Influencing, Insurance Underwriting, Intentional collaboration, Managing performance, Navigating ambiguity, Policy Development, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Thinking, Team Management

How to Apply:

To submit your application, click "Apply" and follow the step by step process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

QBE is an equal opportunity employer and is required to comply with equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction it operates.