AVP - Commercial Lines Branch Leader

The Commercial Lines Branch Leader is a strategic and dynamic leader responsible for executing local underwriting strategy 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: Develop underwriters through coaching, mentoring, training and development. Focus on underwriting discipline and meeting quality standards as set by corporate underwriting. Perform periodic audits to ensure underwriting authority is being adhered by staff. Coach market-facing skills such as pipelining, production meetings, closing on accounts. Distribution Management: Represent UFG externally in the market on behalf of all business units, in alignment with regional and enterprise strategy and market communication. 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: Collaborate and manage relationships with key internal stakeholders 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. Lead and coach staff with an emphasis on talent management and succession planning in accordance with the company's strategic direction. Qualifications Education, Designations, and Certifications: Bachelors degree in a related field required. Masters degree preferred. CIC/CPCU designation 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. Working Conditions: General Office Environment Up to 20% travel, which can include driving and flying. Travel requirements include visits to agents, marketing events, agency trips, conventions, etc. Regular work duties may require work outside of regular business hours