We are seeking a Vice President, Wholesale Business Development for our Sompo North America Insurance team. The preferred location for this role is in Alpharetta, GA.
The VP, Wholesale Business Development is a strategic role with decision making responsibility and strong influence that will lead the effort to raise corporate profile, effectiveness, and reputation by deepening and extending our agency relationships and impacting strategic initiatives and business development efforts.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Support Sompo North America’s financial and strategic goals by maximizing production with wholesale brokers
- Develop regional Wholesale Business Development Plan that directly supports all Sompo Business Units and products (Property, Casualty, Financial and Specialty Lines)
- Gain deep understanding of each underwriting team’s risk appetite and broker distribution strategy for assigned region
- Remain alert to identifying new business opportunities (single risk, book roll or regional strategy) that may not come across underwriters’ desk in day-to-day trading
- Exercise discretion and independent judgment in the communication and presentation to trading partners; evaluate and determine client needs, develop a plan of action to offer exceptional service to attract new business opportunities, and support the territory portfolio and production
- Serve as a single point of contact internally and externally for E&S business in the Southeast region
- Lead the effort to raise corporate profile, effectiveness, and reputation by managing wholesale broker relationships:
- Build a strong distribution network of wholesale brokers; build market position by defining, locating, developing, and establishing agency relationships
- Review and actively manage trading relationships to ensure they are mutually beneficial
- Assist in developing unique marketing plans, broker education, broker entertainment, and tools to support underwriter and broker connectivity and production
- Track agency and individual broker production and submission details; goal is to improve submission quality and KPIs
- Develop under-served territories
- Produce reports summarizing activities and results of Sompo’s existing and prospective agency relationships within the Southeast region
- Partner with other business development resources to maximize business development and cross selling opportunities
- Increase visibility and raise Sompo’s E&S profile in the Southeast region by attending industry events
- Regularly communicate to SVP Wholesale Business Development and others, providing feedback on local market conditions, competitor landscape, change in broker strategies and client trends
Region Defined – Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida)
Desired Skills & Experience
- Minimum of 10 years of industry experience with responsibilities encompassing underwriting, product development, risk management, distribution strategy, needs assessment, and client relationship management
- Highly visible and well known to the local wholesale broker community
- Deep understanding of E&S market and wholesale broker distribution strategies
- Strong sales presentation and persuasion skills
- Knowledge of how Independent Agencies work and how to call on them
- Must be comfortable with negotiating and leveraging a sales approach
- Possess a high sense of urgency and self-confidence
- Strong work ethic and positive attitude
- Passionate, energetic, self-motivated, and organized
- Perseveres in a growing, changing, and dynamic work environment
- Competitive while working as part of a team
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
Sompo International offers a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience.
Sompo International is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. M/F/D/V
Visit our website at www.sompo-intl.com
Skills Required
- Minimum of 10 years of industry experience encompassing underwriting, product development, risk management, distribution strategy, needs assessment, and client relationship management
- Established visibility and relationships within the local wholesale broker community
- Deep understanding of the excess and surplus insurance market and wholesale broker distribution strategies
- Strong sales presentation and persuasion skills
- Knowledge of independent agency operations and how to engage them
- Comfort negotiating and applying a sales-oriented approach
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- High sense of urgency and self-confidence
- Strong work ethic and positive attitude
- Passion, energy, self-motivation, and organization
- Ability to persevere in a growing, changing, and dynamic work environment
- Ability to work competitively as part of a team
What We Do
As one of the leading writers of crop insurance in the United States, AgriSompo North America blends extensive industry experience with cutting-edge software development to provide powerful, proactive agricultural risk management for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. We operate within a culture of integrity, and a deeply rooted belief that collaboration, agility, and stellar customer service are crucial to long-term success. Our nationwide network of independent crop insurance agents provides direct and customized options to fit each producer’s needs, with solutions ranging from traditional multi-peril, crop hail, and livestock insurance to highly innovative and unique private products.
