Senior Director of Independent Agents

CURRENT ROOT EMPLOYEES - Please apply using the career page in Workday. This career site is for external applicants only.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Senior Director of Independent Agents to join our Business Development team. In this role you will be bringing a strategic and innovative approach to working with independent agents, comparative raters, broader Emerging Technology, Data Partnerships, and Root’s Research & Development Business Development team. You will be responsible for leveraging new ideas to build product and partnership strategies from the ground up to address compelling opportunities in Root’s core and future businesses with a focus on the independent agent channel. We’re looking for someone with an entrepreneurial mindset who is excited to work in a rapidly changing marketplace with exceptional leadership skills, who is naturally collaborative and transparent, and who excels at influencing without direct authority. 

Root is a “work where it works best” company. This means we will support you working in whatever location that works best for you across the US.

Salary Range: $180,000 - 225,000 (Bonus & LTI Eligible)

How You Will Make an Impact

• Work with the independent agents, comparative raters, broader Emerging Technology & Data Partnerships team, Root R & D, Product, Actuary, and Data Science leads to find innovative ways to build product and partnership strategy from the ground up to address compelling opportunities in Root’s core and future business focused on the independent agent channel.

• Initiate and forge relationships with strategic insurance partners, pitch both partner and internal decision-making, draft terms, negotiate and close commercial agreements.

• Build the business case and stakeholder consensus for opportunities working holistically across BD, commercial and regulatory legal, finance, actuaries, claims, product, engineering, customer service, and R&D. 

• Identify and advocate for opportunities to scale and increase velocity for nascent partnership models, influencing product strategy, executing deals, and actualizing and operationalizing partnerships.

• Serve as a thought leader and independent agent expert within Root; build institutional knowledge about the mobility industry, new-to-Root market segments, and partner pain points that present Root business opportunities.

• Work closely with product management to define partner-facing products, validate features, and scope and prioritize launch requirements. 

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws - responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. 

What You Will Need to Succeed

• 8+ years of experience in a partner-facing role focused on independent agents; structuring partnerships and negotiating contracts; growing businesses in diverse industries and pioneering the convergence of technology and legacy industries. Ability to translate consumer technology products into Root business opportunities.

• 3+ years of experience in insurtech

• Skills in identifying opportunities, translating strategy into execution, building consensus, and creating a partnership structure and agreement that brings the opportunity to life.

• Strong product sensibility, fluent in getting to the core technical needs, representing technical requirements in a negotiation and agreement.

• Holistically solution-focused on behalf of both partners at the table, believes negotiation is not a zero-sum equation.

• Strength in finding creative solutions and paths forward within regulatory guardrails; acts mindfully and identifies opportunities to educate regulators or challenge regulations to evolve.

• Have a propensity for action over analysis and a proven ability to thrive in a results-driven, fast-paced work environment.

As part of Root's interview process, we kindly ask that all candidates be on camera for virtual interviews.
This helps us create a more personal and engaging experience for both you and our interviewers.
Being on camera is a standard requirement for our process and part of how we assess fit and communication style, so we do require it to move forward with any applicant's candidacy.
If you have any concerns, feel free to let us know once you are contacted. We’re happy to talk it through.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Root, Inc., we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway!

At Root, we judge people based on the merit of their work, not who they are. If you are passionate about what this role entails and solving real problems, we encourage you to apply. We want to learn about you and what you can add to our team.

We’re harnessing the power of technology to revolutionize insurance. Using machine learning and mobile telematic platforms, we’ve built one of the most innovative FinTech companies in the world. And we’re just getting started.

Our success is in large part due to our unwavering standards in hiring. We recognize that our products are only as good as the people building and promoting them. We want individuals who find solutions by going through the cycle of ideation to implementation with curiosity, rigor, and an analytical lens. Ask anyone who works here and you’ll hear similar reasons for why they joined:

Autonomy—for assertive self-starters, the opportunities to contribute are limitless.

Impact—by challenging the way it’s always been done, we solve problems that have a big impact on our business.

Collaboration—we encourage rich discussion and civil debate at every turn.

People—we are inspired by the collection of crazy-smart people around us.