AVP - Commercial Lines Branch Leader

The AVP - Commercial Lines Branch Leader is a strategic and dynamic leader responsible for ownership of underwriting execution and distribution management within the branch to drive profitable growth and achievement of profit and premium plans within the territory. This role is responsible for leading a team of multi-line, multi-industry production underwriters to successfully attract and underwrite middle market business, deploy effective portfolio and account management, and foster agency partnerships. This role works to drive profitable growth, including new business, renewal retention, rate achievement, and exposure basis.

This role is highly engaged with agency distribution partners and leads the local middle market branch underwriting team in their territory.

Responsibilities

Execution of Corporate Strategy

• Execution of business plans for achieving established operational plan targets for written premium, loss ratio, renewal retention, pricing, and expense management.
• Collaborates with line of business, industry, middle market and other enterprise leaders to execute underwriting strategies and achieve key objectives and desired results.
  
  

Underwriting Execution

• Lead a team of underwriters to profitably underwrite complex new and renewal business through risk selection, pricing, contractual integrity, and account management, in accordance with delegated authority, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Effectively coach and develop the team to execute underwriting technical discipline and established quality standards to:
• Demonstrate critical thinking in assessing the risk and identifying exposures and controls.
• Price risk commensurate with exposures and controls.
• Set appropriate terms and conditions to deliver a profitable portfolio
• Document assigned files with underwriting thought process.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to assist team members with complex risks.
• Through effective portfolio management skills, achieve profit and premium plans for prescribed business unit strategies.
• Execution of business plans for achieving established operational plan targets for written premium, loss ratio, renewal retention, pricing, and expense management.
• Achieve production goals within assigned territory, leading the team to:
• Effectively conduct both in-person and virtual sales calls with agencies and insureds.
• Prospect and develop a strong pipeline of new business opportunities.
• Develop and maintain successful relationships with producers and agencies.
  

Distribution Management

• Exhibit and coach market-facing sales skills such as prospecting, marketing, pipelining, production meetings, developing deep relationships with producers and agencies, increasing UFG’s relevance in the marketplace.
• Represent UFG in the marketplace, articulating the company’s capabilities in underwriting, risk control, and claims, across all business units at UFG
• Execute corporate agency distribution strategies with key local agency relationships.
• Recommend and execute profit/growth plans for agency partner books of business in support of company premium plan. Develop market knowledge of potential new agency opportunities to achieve market share objectives.
  
  

Management and Leadership

• Effectively collaborate and manage relationships with Business Unit and Line of Business underwriting, Sales and Distribution, Underwriting Center, Underwriting Support, Risk Control, Legal, Claims, and other internal partners to ensure optimal stakeholder management and to identify opportunities for service improvement to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Manage and lead a team of underwriting professionals to execute the growth strategy and opportunities that align with corporate strategic plan.
• Ensure the successful execution of policies, projects and change initiatives to produce profitable results.
• Exhibit and coach market-facing sales skills such as prospecting, marketing, pipelining, production meetings, developing deep relationships with producers and agencies, increasing UFG’s relevance in the marketplace.
  
  

Qualifications

Education, Designations, and Certifications:

• Four year college degree preferred.
• Completion of AU Designation, CIC and/or CPCU designations preferred.
• Leadership/management certification or educational experience preferred.
  
  

Experience

• 8+ years total experience in property/casualty insurance, preferably underwriting and/or marketing
• 3+ years of management experience preferred.
• Experience across the commercial landscape, preferably with large multi-national companies, with a working knowledge of enabling and supporting functions.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Dynamic and collaborative leadership and development skills to build an inclusive culture and sustain high engagement.
• Excellent contextual, interpersonal and relationship management skills and the ability to interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Advanced presentation, verbal and written communication skills, strong analytical and problem-solving skills and strong project management experience (planning, organizing, executing and following through).
• Demonstrated leadership success with teams and peers including collaboration, persuasion, vision, emotional intelligence, and talent development.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and maintaining business relationships with key customers to support departmental goals and objectives.
• Ability to think strategically with supporting analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to deal with ambiguity.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to function in a fast paced, highly visible, and changing environment.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Effective stakeholder management skills to include the ability to establish high degree of trust with internal and external partners.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with an affinity for detailed accuracy.
• Advanced communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines and effective dates.
• Advanced knowledge of agency force and current market environment.
• Excellent sales skills, with a proven track record of growing a profitable book of business.
  
  

Working Conditions

• General Office Environment
• Travel required as per assigned territory, including agency visits and marketing events, often co-traveling with underwriters and leadership.
• Regular work duties may require work outside of regular business hours.
• Driver’s license and acceptable MVR required.