Director, Business Development - Surety (Large Commercial)

About the role

Leads an underwriting team that includes surety territory managers and field underwriters that own the sales and underwriting relationships for a surety book of business. Establishes and maintains business relationships with agencies and/or brokers for the purpose of sales growth and distribution expansion. Primary focus of this role is on underwriting, agency / customer relationship management, employee engagement and expense management for a territory.

Responsibilities

• Analyzes performance of portfolio as well as individual account performance and develops appropriate action to drive profitable growth based upon the analysis.
• Maintains business relationships with agencies and/or brokers for the purpose of sales growth and distribution expansion.
• Reviews and approves underwriting decisions of staff and ensures compliance to legal requirements and organizational, business and strategic objectives.
• Provides recommendations to leadership regarding underwriting strategy and opportunity.
• Measures and manages underwriting processing and quality.
• Manages and participates in agency management.
• Determines priorities and workflow/service standards for the department.
• Plans, develops and integrates territory sales plans to achieve top and bottom-line objectives.
• Drives sales strategies to develop new business, improve retention and maintain profitability.
• Meets regularly with clients to enhance relationships and drive business results.
• Handles escalated customer service issues and requests.
• Provides input to leadership regarding strategic and business plans and helps identify operational opportunities and efficiency.
• Consults with agents and brokers to provide expertise, educate and identify business opportunities.
• Communicates strategic direction and operational plans to internal associates and external partners.
• Communicates policies, procedures and financial budgets that result in attainment of business objectives.
• Ensures awareness of strategic corporate initiatives to maintain effectiveness in the field.
• Works in partnership with agencies to expand the program share amount in a shared surety account and understands the existing surety program in place.
• Develops and maintains strong business relationships with key groups and individuals within the commercial lines market.
• Works in partnership with fellow leaders to manage the training of associates within the surety organization to ensure a high degree of competency and professionalism.
• Coaches territory managers and field underwriters on actively pursuing surety opportunities with agencies and/or brokers to develop and grow a profitable territory.

Requirements

Ten years commercial or contract surety or related underwriting experience preferred. Significant business management and people leadership experience desired.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in business, insurance, or a related field preferred.
• Actively pursuing of AFSB, CPCU or other insurance/finance related certification desired.
• Requires knowledge of contract and/ or commercial surety operations products, procedures and practices.
• Expertise in surety lines of business, ratings, customer environment and markets.
• Expertise in underwriting risks, including utilizing relevant tools for underwriting.
• Extensive knowledge of surety underwriting best practices, field underwriting operations and day-to-day underwriting operational needs.
• Familiarity with other company products preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in order to disseminate vision of senior leadership and to motivate a large agency force.
• Ability to set work priorities and to initiate, evaluate and recommend solutions to upper management.
• Independent judgment and within underwriting authority and company underwriting standards.
• Demonstrated decision-making ability required in day-to-day operations where there may be unclear or competing priorities, including evaluating and recommending solutions to customer service issues, work processing issues, underwriting selection and rating problems, and best practices compliance.
• Strong drive for results.

Skills

• Building Organizational Talent
• Optimizing Diversity
• Selling the Vision
• Leading Change
• Driving Execution
• Entrepreneurship

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Pay

The national salary range for Director, Business Development - Surety : $152,000.00-$269,000.00

Schedule

Exempt (Not eligible).