Sr Territory Manager, Inland Marine Business Development - Commercial Lines (Inland Marine Insurance Senior Production Underwriter

Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company focused on helping people protect what matters most to them. They are seeking a production-oriented commercial insurance professional to manage and grow their book of business in the Inland Marine unit through agency and broker relationships.

Responsibilities:

• Monitors market conditions and confirms information gathered within market space
• Researches risk, environment and factors necessary to win the account
• Performs analysis of the most sophisticated accounts that require combining experience, intuition and business savvy to make strategic territory and account decisions
• Analyzes quality and quantity of risks underwritten and prepares reports accordingly
• May review agency books of business as well as profit/growth results and trends to recommend and implement plans
• Analyzes regional underwriting performance experience, identifies problems on a territory level and proposes action plan to resolve those situations
• Achieves production, profitability and service objectives
• Quotes, prices and underwrites policies and endorsements, primarily for complex or service sensitive accounts
• Monitors risk selection and pricing decisions for entire agency plant
• Decisions at this level may require review of additional variables due to the account size, complexity and interactions necessary to influence the largest most sophisticated producers
• Uses agency relationships, inspection reports, evaluation of exceptions and all other appropriate resources to earn business
• Manages workflow and intricacies of underwriting a significant volume of assigned work, using company tools and systems
• Ensures file handling quality and workflow efficiency
• Manages large, complex work and coordinates work with and through others to meet service level agreements
• Effectively influences activities of underwriting team for the successful delivery and execution of select agency business plans
• Drives robust agency business planning to deliver detailed performance plans with actions, account abilities and scheduled performance checkpoints
• Ensures strong territorial objectives to improve profit and pipeline management
• Proactively finds opportunities for all lines of business and refers to appropriate business leaders
• Plans and coordinates the efforts of the underwriting team on new business, renewals, service plans, etc
• Identifies prospects and recommends new agency appointments
• Markets company’s products and services to help drive agency and company results, including all products that may improve offerings
• Assists agency with strategies for pipeline management, producer development and developing new business in targeted industries and preferred markets
• Assesses account and develops business propositions to win business
• Consults with agents and internal partners to develop business solutions
• Shares understanding of organizational capabilities and opportunities to drive maximum value of relationships
• Consults regarding the appetite, acceptability, terms, conditions, pricing and sales techniques of large or unique business
• Provides industry trend observations to leadership
• Consults with agencies regarding risk management and coverage options and to improve retention and profitability
• Communicates with agencies to establish the company as the provider of choice for the territory for all products with an emphasis on commercial lines
• Communicates product, technology changes and company objectives
• Communicates market intelligence to agencies and leadership
• Ensures that communication is shared across all key agency partners at all levels in complex environments
• Communicates and collaborates actively with team and leaders to share industry trends and field underwriting experience
• Completes agency visits as appropriate to develop new accounts, service existing accounts, review agency performance and enhance agency relationship
• Builds and grows strong business relationships with agency leaders, producers and key groups
• Leads delivery of appropriate customer service levels
• Follows up and ensures proper handling of customer service requests
• Ensures that tools, training and support are in place to positively impact success for the agencies and identifies and communicates training needs and opportunities
• May assist in the development or training delivery as a subject matter authority
• Participates in program and product orientation meetings in conjunction with Sales/Marketing partners as the underwriting subject matter authority
• Provides professional development knowledge and insight to team
• May help mentor and coach new territory managers
• Manages a significant workload effectively and backs up others as needed
• Monitors business plan results to determine performance and development of plans to ensure alignment with underwriting philosophies, standards and performance expectations
• Reviews business in process, lost business and drives implementation of business plan
• Leads discussion for assigned agents in agency reviews
• Ensures that unique agency business capabilities are assessed and emphasized as a competitive advantage

Requirements:

• A proven track record of creating broker relationships and being able to influence business placement
• Prior commercial underwriting experience, with authority
• A strong understanding and business acumen in the Inland Marine insurance industry practice
• Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is preferred
• License/Certification/Designation: Relevant professional designation such as CPCU or CIC is preferred
• Experience: Ten or more years of progressively more responsible middle market commercial lines underwriting experience preferred
• Five or more years of sales and business development experience in middle market commercial lines is also preferred
• Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Extensive working knowledge of commercial underwriting, pricing and coverage for small, mid-market and large account business
• Strong knowledge of company sales and underwriting standards and philosophies, company products and programs and state statutes
• Strong knowledge of effective sales, marketing and agency relationship management techniques
• Excellent interpersonal and sales skills
• Ability to build and maintain cooperative and mutually rewarding internal and external partnerships
• Must have the ability to perform duties with independent judgment with underwriting authority and within 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, work processing, underwriting selection and rating and compliance
• Existing agency/broker relationships within the territory
• Significant experience with Inland Marine and/or Builders Risk lines of business