Head of Energy, Construction & Marine, Canada

Overview

Head of Energy, Construction & Marine, Canada — role at Zurich Canada, leading three specialty segments—Energy, Construction, and Marine—with ultimate P&L responsibility, delivering strategy, innovation, and profitable growth across Canada.

Opportunity

Are you a proven leader in energy insurance with a strong technical foundation and a passion for building high-performing teams? Zurich Canada is seeking a dynamic executive to join our National Accounts leadership team as Head of Energy, Construction, and Marine. In this role, you will have ultimate P&L responsibility for three critical specialty segments—Energy, Construction, and Marine—delivering strategy, innovation, and profitable growth across Canada.

You’ll leverage your deep expertise in the energy and mining sectors, established broker relationships, and forward-thinking leadership to shape a balanced, multi-line technical risk portfolio and make a lasting impact on Zurich’s Canadian business.

This is a unique opportunity to build your knowledge and experience for the future in a supportive environment where your voice matters.

This is a hybrid work opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Underwriting & Portfolio Strategy
  
  
  
  • Lead the technical and strategic direction for Zurich’s Energy, Construction (Engineering), and Marine portfolios, ensuring robust profitability and long-term growth.
  
  
  • Apply expertise in energy property and liability—including oil & gas, power generation, sustainable energy, infrastructure development, and mining—to guide underwriting and risk selection.
  
  
  • Oversee and support Construction (Engineering) business, focusing on builder’s risk, including Construction All Risk (CAR), Erection All Risk (EAR), and Course of Construction (COC) insurance solutions.
  
  
  • Provide balanced leadership for the Marine segment, supporting growth in cargo, hull, and related marine risks.
  
  
  • Collaborate with Middle Market and Alternative Risk Solutions teams to ensure a coordinated and aligned approach to technical risks strategy across all units.
  
  
  • Oversee pricing, coverage structuring, and complex account management for high-value clients across all three segments.
  
  
  • Innovate and enhance Zurich’s product offerings to stay ahead of evolving client needs and industry trends in each segment.
  
  
  
  


• Leadership & People Development
  
  
  
  • Inspire, coach, and develop a national team of underwriters and specialists across Energy, Construction, and Marine.
  
  
  • Foster a collaborative, accountable, and continuously learning culture, with emphasis on technical excellence and market engagement.
  
  
  • Serve as a key member of the National Accounts leadership team, helping shape strategy and drive innovation.
  
  
  • Champion professional growth and support diversity, equity, and belonging.
  
  
  
  


• Market Engagement & Relationship Management
  
  
  
  • Build and maintain trusted relationships with Canada’s leading brokers, clients, and industry partners across all three segments.
  
  
  • Represent Zurich Canada at industry events, forums, and associations, leveraging national and international market experience.
  
  
  • Collaborate with Claims, Risk Engineering, Distribution, and Multinational Servicing teams to deliver seamless client solutions.
  
  
  • Guide your team in strengthening Zurich’s reputation as a market leader in Energy, Construction, and Marine specialty lines.
  
  
  
  


• Underwriting Excellence
  
  
  
  • Set and uphold high standards for underwriting governance, technical quality, and risk controls.
  
  
  • Use analytics, engineering insights, and catastrophe modeling to inform portfolio decisions.
  
  
  • Drive disciplined pricing, exposure management, and reinsurance strategies.
  
  
  
  


• Operational & P&L Excellence
  
  
  
  • Take full P&L responsibility for the Energy, Construction (Engineering), and Marine segments within National Accounts.
  
  
  • Optimize underwriting workflows and champion technology adoption to boost efficiency and accuracy.
  
  
  • Ensure compliance, operational resilience, and continuous improvement across all business lines.
  
  
  
  

Qualifications

• Required
  
  
  
  • Bachelor’s degree in business, insurance, or a related field.
  
  
  • 15+ years of underwriting experience in commercial P&C insurance, with significant expertise in energy (including mining) risks and heavy industry.
  
  
  • Minimum 5 years of people leadership experience in a technical underwriting environment.
  
  
  • Strong technical mastery in operational energy exposures, property and liability lines, and portfolio strategy.
  
  
  • Strong background and experience in Construction risk solutions.
  
  
  • Demonstrated P&L accountability and a track record of profitable growth across specialty business lines.
  
  
  • Strong presence in the Canadian and/or international markets, with established broker and client relationships.
  
  
  • Fluency in both spoken and written English is required to facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders outside Quebec.
  
  
  
  


• Preferred
  
  
  
  • Advanced degree or designation (e.g., CIP, FCIP, engineering, or technical field).
  
  
  • Experience with multinational, captive, and cross-border insurance programs.
  
  
  • Deep familiarity with sustainable energy technologies (e.g., nuclear, solar, hydro, wind, carbon capture, BESS, biofuels).
  
  
  • Experience managing both property and casualty exposures.
  
  
  • Strong business planning, analytical, and change management skills.
  
  
  
  

Compensation: Compensation for roles at Zurich varies depending on a wide array of factors including location, role, skill set, and experience. The starting salary range for this position is $220,000 - $300,000.

Culture & Benefits

• We value diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging and encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work.


• Collaborative culture that values diverse perspectives and empowers employees to make an impact.


• Comprehensive health and benefits plan with coverage levels to suit needs, plus a competitive total compensation package.


• Four weeks of vacation per year, with four personal days per year for discretionary use.


• Access to training and development opportunities.


• We are committed to giving back to communities and supporting employee involvement.


• Awards for workplace culture, including Greater Toronto’s Top Employers and Insurance Business Canada’s 5-Star Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

About Zurich Canada

Zurich Canada is part of the Zurich Insurance Group, a multi-line insurer with approximately 55,000 employees worldwide. Zurich Canada serves mid-sized and large companies, including multinationals, in the Canadian commercial market. With over 500 employees in offices across the country, Zurich Canada combines global strength with local market knowledge. Learn more at www.zurichcanada.com.

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