Catastrophe Risk Specialist / Senior Catastrophey Risk Specialist

Job ID: 10138

Employment Type: Existing Role

Work Environment: We offer a hybrid work environment that offers flexibility to our employees in balancing in-office (2 days per week OR 15 hours per week in a Wawanesa office) and remote work. You may work from any of the following locations: Winnipeg, MB; Vancouver, BC; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Toronto (North York), ON; Kitchener, ON.

Working Business Language: English.This role is considered a head-office role and will be required to communicate with internal and external stakeholders across Canada where the primary business language for this role is English. As such, the successful candidate must be fully proficient in English

Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top-up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan.

The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply.

• Catastrophe Risk Specialist: salaries range from $90,000-$120,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
• Senior Catastrophe Risk Specialist: salaries range from $115,000-$135,000, depending on qualifications and experience.

About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
Founded in 1896, The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, 100% owned by its members, with more than $4.1 billion in annual revenue and $12.5 billion in assets. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Wawanesa is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance solutions throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, a leading national distributor of personal and business insurance. In March of 2026, Wawanesa entered into an agreement to acquire Everest Insurance Company of Canada to strengthen its commercial insurance capabilities and advance its long-term growth strategy.

Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.8 million members and we are home to more than 3,000 employees across Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $4 million annually to charitable organizations, including more than $2 million each year in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.

We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team.

Job Overview

This is an exciting time to join Wawanesa as we strengthen our catastrophe risk capabilities to support our growth and long-term strategy, including our announced agreement to acquire Everest Insurance Company of Canada. We are hiring for both Catastrophe Risk Specialist and Senior Catastrophe Risk Specialist opportunities. Candidates will be considered for the level that best aligns with their experience and technical expertise.This is an opportunity to deepen your catastrophe modelling expertise while seeing how risk insights support underwriting, pricing, reinsurance, capital and broader risk management decisions.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop, calibrate and analyze catastrophe models using industry-standard software such as Moody’s RMS and Verisk.
• Analyze catastrophe exposures, model outputs, assumptions, historical data and scientific research to support Wawanesa’s view of risk.
• Conduct sensitivity analysis and scenario testing to understand key drivers of catastrophe risk.
• Collaborate with underwriting, pricing, actuarial and risk partners to understand exposures and support business decisions.
• Support catastrophe accumulation monitoring, model validation, documentation and reporting.
• Extract, manipulate and analyze large datasets to improve catastrophe risk insights.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay current with catastrophe modelling developments, emerging risks, regulatory requirements and industry practices.

Senior Catastrophe Risk Specialist level

• Lead more complex catastrophe risk analyses, model evaluations and accumulation management initiatives with a high degree of autonomy.
• Evaluate and challenge catastrophe models, assumptions and results, recommending adjustments where appropriate.
• Apply catastrophe risk insights to complex business questions and provide recommendations to business partners and leaders.
• Review peer analysis and provide guidance on accuracy, completeness and reasonableness.
• Identify opportunities to improve modelling approaches, processes and Wawanesa’s overall view of catastrophe risk.
• Mentor and support the development of Catastrophe Risk Specialists and share technical knowledge across the organization.

Qualifications

Catastrophe Risk Specialist

• Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Atmospheric Science, Geospatial Science or a related field.
• 3+ years of catastrophe modelling or related experience.
• Experience using catastrophe modelling platforms such as Moody’s RMS and/or Verisk AIR.
• Proficiency with analytical tools or programming languages such as R, SQL, Python or similar.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.
• Insurance, reinsurance, catastrophe risk pricing, model development or risk management experience is an asset.

Senior Catastrophe Risk Specialist

• Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Geomatics, Actuarial Science, Geophysics, Atmospheric Science or a related field.
• 5+ years of catastrophe modelling, catastrophe model development or related experience.
• Advanced experience with catastrophe modelling platforms, analytical tools and large datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate and challenge catastrophe models and translate complex analysis into meaningful business recommendations.
• Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy on complex catastrophe risk issues.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence and explain technical concepts to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring or supporting the technical development of colleagues is an asset. #LI-WAWA

Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

At Wawanesa, we are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people – this is supported by having a representative workforce.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including racialized persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, gender-diverse and neurodiverse individuals, and anyone who can contribute to the further diversification of thought and ideas.

We aim to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out in confidence to [email protected].

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Please note that the recruitment process for this position may involve the use of AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants. All final decisions are taken or reviewed by human recruiters and human hiring leaders in compliance with all applicable legislation.