{"id":3962531,"url":"https://alion.io/job/pps-intermediate-underwriter","title":"Intermediate Underwriter","company":{"id":2547568,"name":"PPS","domain":"pps.co.za","url":"https://alion.io/company/pps-co-za","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"eRecruit","truth_index":null},"role":"Finance","role_family":"Finance","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Johannesburg, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Outlook","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-09T12:27:56Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-09","last_verified_at":"2026-11-09T12:27:56Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"Job Advert Summary\nThis role reports to the Team Manager: Underwriting. The Intermediate Underwriter is responsible for underwriting life, disability, critical illness, sickness and permanent incapacity cover within agreed delegation of authority limits. The role makes underwriting decisions within its assigned authority and takes end-to-end ownership of allocated cases. The incumbent is customer facing and is responsible for clearly motivating underwriting decisions and discussing these with advisers in a professional, factual and service-oriented manner. The role also deals with reviews, non-disclosure matters, technical underwriting queries and complaints as and when required. The Intermediate Underwriter plays a key role in ensuring accurate risk assessment and member satisfaction through timely, well-reasoned and quality underwriting decisions. The role is accountable for sustainable productivity, achievement of underwriting service levels, quality and audit compliance, completion of mandatory learning, adoption of approved AI-enabled ways of working, and conduct aligned to PPS values and leadership principles. Performance against these accountabilities will be assessed using the approved productivity, SLA, quality assurance, audit, learning, AI-adoption and behavioural measures defined in the current performance contract.\nMinimum Requirements\nEducation:\nMedical diploma (NQF 6) or equivalent\nMedical degree would be preferred\nExperience:\n3+ years underwriting experience in long-term insurance\n3+ years insurance industry experience\nKnowledge and Skills:\nSound medical & life assurance knowledge\nFluent in English both written and verbal. Business writing skills\nGood computer knowledge - MS Outlook, Excel and Word are necessary\nMust have a mature, disciplined and driven personality\nAbility to work independently as well as being a good team player with excellent interpersonal skills\nDeadline/target driven, with ability to work under pressure\nLogical and analytical\nDigital literacy and the ability to use approved AI-enabled underwriting, automation and workflow tools responsibly and effectively.\nCompetencies:\nMust use underwriting initiative and discretion in decision making\nPlanning and organising\nAttention to detail\nCritical evaluation of AI-generated outputs and recommendations\nClient-centricity\nBuilding and maintaining relationships\nResilience\nDuties and Responsibilities\nProcess Optimisation and Efficiencies\nUnderwrite life, disability, critical illness, sickness and permanent incapacity cover within assigned delegation of authority.\nTake end-to-end ownership of cases, meeting agreed SLA, step-time, productivity, quality and service standards.\nAssess medical, financial, occupational and other relevant evidence and document clear decision rationales.\nComplete financial underwriting by assessing insurable interest, affordability, evidence and cover justification.\nClearly communicate decisions, terms, outstanding requirements and rationale to advisers.\nProactively manage work queues, case ageing, priorities and complexity, escalating delays, risks and matters outside authority.\nApply approved underwriting standards, guidelines, referral requirements and work instructions consistently.\nParticipate in quality reviews, R&D audits and improvement projects and implement agreed actions.\nAI, Automation and Digital Enablement\nUse approved AI and automation tools for assessment, decision support, documentation and workflow management while retaining accountability for final decisions.\nValidate AI outputs against available evidence, underwriting standards, delegated authority and referral requirements.\nIdentify and escalate inaccurate, incomplete or inappropriate AI outputs and do not rely on unsupported recommendations.\nProtect member, adviser and business information by complying with privacy, information security and AI governance requirements.\nSupport testing and continuous improvement of underwriting automation, AI tools and alternative decision pathways.\nProvide feedback on system rules, AI accuracy, workflow and user experience.\nComplete required AI training and share approved AI-enabled practices with colleagues.\nRisk and Compliance\nAchieve underwriting SLA, step-time and quality requirements through proactive case management and timely decisions.\nMaintain complete case records covering evidence, rationale, terms, referrals and stakeholder communication.\nComply with underwriting protocols, delegated authority, regulatory, privacy, record-keeping and governance requirements.\nApply medical and financial underwriting principles consistently to minimise errors, rework, non-conformance and operational loss.\nParticipate in underwriting rule reviews, quality assurance and audit-readiness activities.\nIdentify and record errors, risks and non-conformances and implement required corrective actions.\nPeople and Culture\nRefer cases outside assigned authority or requiring specialist input.\nCollaborate with R&D, Member Services, Intermediary Services, advisers and other stakeholders to support effective case resolution.\nProvide technical input and underwriting rationale for reviews, non-disclosure matters, complaints, Arbitration and Ombudsman cases.\nContribute to improvements in underwriting processes and protocols.\nBuild effective relationships with internal stakeholders and advisers.\nDemonstrate PPS values and leadership principles through professionalism, accountability, collaboration and member-focused service.\nSupport new-underwriter onboarding through ProFlow and team knowledge-sharing.\nKnowledge Champion\nShare underwriting knowledge, practical experience and lessons with junior underwriters without assuming formal checking, authorisation or line-management responsibility.\nPromote consistent application of approved underwriting standards and practices.\nMaintain current knowledge of industry, regulatory, product and underwriting developments.\nComplete mandatory PPS Academy, product, compliance, regulatory and role-specific training within required standards and timeframes.\nProvide technical information and support to colleagues.\nParticipate in training and contribute to SOPs and work instructions.\nApply and share learning from QA, audits, referrals and process changes.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6275,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"Advanced 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