Melissa Balan

Leading a large team dedicated to delivering transformation through future phases of our new technology platform (Guidewire PolicyCenter), developing and driving the vision for the program to align with the strategic direction of our organization.

Leads a national team through successful implementation of our multi-year strategy with emphasis on profitable growth, operational capabilities, talent enablement, team scalability, maximizing the client experience, and managing the change associated with implementation of strategic priorities. Works in a highly collaborative way with internal and external partners to provide superior client experience while embracing Sovereign values of trust, integrity, collaboration, diversity, and inclusion.

Working with internal stakeholders and an external consultant to design, implement and support the future state of our Underwriting Function. Accountable to lead strategic workforce planning initiatives including standing up and supporting a pilot of the new operating model, creating future Underwriting function role profiles and supporting the overall Underwriting Transformation roadmap

Leads a team of progressive, innovative, learning people to create, curate and deliver effective learning experiences that enable ongoing development of human talent for business areas within P&C Manufacturing with the goal of strengthening the workforce capability and driving business results. Responsible for the development and management of a learning strategy, learning mechanisms and development and delivery of learning tangibles and content. Continuously evaluates the effectiveness of the strategy on employee development and contribution to achieving business objectives through defined metrics and actively modify the strategy for continuous improvement. Plays an important role in people leadership through building, coaching and developing their team, while also acting as an agent of change and actively modeling desired organizational behaviour changes.

Leading the implementation of underwriting programs through the management of underwriting staff groups, ensuring the delivery of high quality, cost effective service to field operations and clients. Implements plans and programs that will contribute to planned loss ratio, growth and expense ratio goals while enhancing the effectiveness of underwriting delivery to distribution partners through the consistent achievement of service standards. Responsible for human resource management activities for direct reports, including attracting, hiring, training, skill development, setting performance objectives and performance management.

Leading the development of underwriting and product action plans to ensure that agreed upon portfolio benchmarks are met for CGIC, HB/COSECO and CUMIS, extending both to profitability and growth across all channels of distribution and nationally across the entities of CGIC and HB/COSECO. Leads a team to design a suite of products that supports our strategic objectives, contribute to the product development process in the identification/selection of new product ideas and lead the development of new products through to implementation including wordings, guidelines etc. Contributes to setting direction on rate level and act as a partner with actuarial on rate algorithm creation and implementations. Provides leadership on our systems development or enhancements and responsible for human resource management activities for direct reports, including attracting, hiring, training, skill development, setting performance objectives and performance management. Provides support for both compliance and the working relationships with Rating Boards and Government Bodies including filings and represents Co-operators on committees and subcommittees.

Leading and managing the underwriting department ensuring effective underwriting practices and efficient delivery of services within defined standards. Provides leadership and direction to underwriting staff and engaging them in a supportive work environment while ensuring the successful achievement of business objectives. Develops and implements strategic plans which contribute to the overall effectiveness of the department. In partnership with product and distribution, develop and execute activities, plans and programs that will address profitability by contributing to planned loss ratio, growth and expense ratio goals. Enhances the effectiveness of underwriting delivery to distribution partners. Responsible for human resource management activities for direct reports, including attracting, hiring, training, skill development, setting performance objectives and performance management.

Responsible for communicating with various internal business partners to clarify underwriting direction, escalate underwriting issues and initiate change to underwriting practices or rate manual wordings. Responsible to communicate product changes and underwriting direction to Operations and Business Systems staff . Act as a resource for complex underwriting inquiries, policy interpretation and application of coverage.

Responsible for underwriting risks within their assigned authority. Respond directly to inquiries from internal and external clients. Exercise sound underwriting judgment, and creativity in response to questions on policy interpretation, risk selection, rating and exceptions. Coach and mentor others within department or associated business partners.