Achieving a fulfilling, dynamic career with surety

Working as a Senior Account Manager for Allianz Trade has given me the chance to leverage my skillset and personality in the best way possible. I am experiencing a whole new level of satisfaction at work since I joined the business side of surety.

My career started out in the somewhat repetitive domain of financial controlling, auditing, and accounting positions. Now I combine this solid background with the more social element of the surety role, and it has made all the difference. I didn’t always realize that this would be the role that fit me so well– I found the surety niche by accident. I had been searching online for new opportunities and came across a job posting for a sales manager role with Euler Hermes. After getting hired for that position, I spent the next 6 years in sales and found myself increasingly drawn to the surety bond business.

I appreciated the fact that surety is a known and sought-after product to businesses once they enter the process of applying for projects. My role was more about meeting clients’ needs and addressing their pain points as opposed to convincing them about the value of a surety bond. At the same time, surety felt like a good fit for my skillset because it requires a strong understanding of balance sheets and financial data analysis. My experience with business credit scores and credit insurance was highly relevant as well.

Today, I work on the business side of underwriting. It’s the point at which risk underwriting, sales, and the external customer meet. I work with clients to solve problems related to their contract, ESG regulations and more. I also serve as a gatekeeper in assessing businesses’ general suitability for surety products and can point them in the right direction.

I love my job because it’s so dynamic! Every day I speak to so many different stakeholders: accounting, bonds departments, brokers and customers. I particularly enjoy working with large organizations all over the world. I feel connected to the pulse of the global economy simply because of my proximity to these companies and get to see first-hand the impact in businesses across the world.

I was promoted to Senior Account Manager during the pandemic, and I’ve been working from home for the past year. One of my favourite parts of this role is proposing deals to risk underwriters. It’s always fascinating to hear their feedback and gain deeper insight on the market or the customer’s profile. My goal is to soak up as much expertise as possible and integrate it into my skillset so I can contribute at the highest level possible.

Surety is a growing market with lots of potential where many people can find their place, so there’s really no such thing as a perfect resume for working in this niche. In my role, maintaining great relationships with clients is a must. Learning on the job is also a necessity every day. There are so many different roles according to each person’s unique background and experience, so if you’re looking for a dynamic job, I highly recommend it!

I’m glad I found surety, and my job satisfaction is at an all-time high – even my boss noticed how happy I am! I found a way to combine my finance background and business savvy to help fill an important gap for our clients. Best of all, my fears about repetitive work are a thing of the past!