Penn National Insurance has a great opportunity for a Business Development Manager to join our excellent team of professionals. This is a hybrid role reporting to our Harrisburg Home Office. Expected travel is around 10%.
The Business Development Manager is responsible for supporting the Vice President of Field Operations and the Vice President of Distribution, providing leadership and guidance to the regional offices and distribution team. The Business Development Manager is a primary liaison with and between field, distribution, and home office. This position will work directly with the Vice President of Field Operations to achieve branch production and profitability goals by developing, reviewing, and implementing insurance agency management and marketing strategies through the integration of the insurance sales, services, underwriting, and pricing functions, as well as ensuring that current tools, procedures, and strategies are used. The Business Development Manager will also support the Vice President of Field Operations in collaboration with various departments to maximize the effectiveness of branch offices by identifying and implementing tools, reports, and workflows that support the efficient execution of revenue goals. This position will lead the annual branch audit and edit/modify audit procedures.
Additionally, the Business Development Manager will be the lead liaison with IT on Distribution and Field Operations IT initiatives.
COMPETENCIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Business Acumen
Leads annual branch audit process for Field Operations and Distribution. This includes continuous review of audit procedures to ensure alignment with goals for both personal and commercial lines insurance. Provides recommendations on improvement to VP of Field Operations.
Negotiation
Presents and seeks potential solutions or actions, building on others’ ideas; asks questions to generate ideas and gets all parties involved in the solution; explores needed resources and support while ensuring that the conflicting parties take ownership for resolving the conflict.
Takes positive action to resolve the conflict by confirming agreements and specifying next steps, resources, support, and how to track progress; summarizes to ensure that all are aware of required actions and accountabilities.
Negotiate agency company agreement changes with legal.
Results Oriented
Develop, review, and implement marketing strategies through the integration of the sales, services, underwriting and pricing functions.
Distribution division lead for state expansion initiatives.
Time & Priority Management
Recommend, implement, and manage Agency Management Best Practices to include items such as: insurance agency prospecting activities, new appointment criteria, agency segmentation criteria, and effectiveness of agency incentive programs.
Collaboratively works with the Regional Vice Presidents in strengthening Territory Manager performance levels and skill sets, with emphasis on territories and individuals below financial plans for profit and production.
Collaborate with various functional departments to maximize the effectiveness of programs.
Maintain Aspire Group. Develop content for sessions. Identify and select members for Aspire.
Develop content and agenda for annual TM/RVP meeting.
Maintain new TM coaching sessions.
Decision Making
Identify and implement improved communication channels with field office as it relates to product, system, or profitability initiatives.
Direct oversight on agency profitability reviews, which includes the identification of unprofitable agents, directing the profitability analysis support provided by the Relationship and Agency Support Managers, and coordinating appropriate action plans with the Branch Offices.
In collaboration with RVPs and UM, coordinates training and skill development of Territory Managers, Middle Market Underwriters, and Small Business Underwriters, in the areas of marketing and agency management.
Collaboratively develops the marketing support materials/programs with the Marketing Communications Manager, and ensures training is provided to and completed by Company sales staff and agency force.
CORPORATE CORE COMPETENCIES OF THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Effectively Communicates and Connects
Communicates and negotiates effectively with peers regarding work outcomes.
Influences by making a strong case, bringing other people on the team to understand the presented viewpoint.
Provides feedback and is clear when disagreeing with an approach; offers suggestions for improvement.
Attentively listens and asks clarifying questions and paraphrases to enhance understanding.
Builds and nurtures positive relationships within the workplace.
Customer Focused
Identifies explicit and implied customer needs.
Asks probing questions to fully understand business requirements.
Develops positive relationships with customers by meeting their needs as well as incorporating their feedback.
Responds quickly and takes action with high quality solutions that address needs and improve overall customer experience.
Owns resolution of customer experience outcome.
Talent Development Mindset
Discusses technical and professional development with peers to gain suggestions for further development.
Actively seeks and acts on opportunities to recognize peers for high performance.
Stays alert to identify learning opportunities for self.
Demonstrates Adaptability
Contributes to progressive thinking within the team by posing questions that challenge traditional methods or processes.
Proposes ideas and suggests new approaches to tackling own work tasks and issues in a better way to drive organization success.
Participates in and actively supports change initiatives and provide ideas to promote their success.
Recognizes and manages an ambiguous work environment.
Demonstrates flexibility in generating alternative solutions and recommendations.
Demonstrates Accountability
Applies judgment in making decisions about own work and takes responsibility for actions.
Demonstrates reliability by producing steady work results and delivering on commitments to team members on time.
Takes responsibility for regularly seeking and applying feedback and actively learning from errors and setbacks.
Understands the mission of the organization.
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Direction on regional office agency management initiatives provided by the VP of Field Operations.
Direct contact with various levels of company management personnel.
Direct contact with the Regional Vice Presidents and Territory Managers.
Direct contact with current and prospective agents.
Direct contact with various industry associations.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Education/Credentials
Four-year college degree preferred, with continuing education in specialized insurance courses such as IIA, AU, CPCU, and CIC, as well as other educational experiences that enhance product knowledge and technical business relations.
Experience
Minimum of 7 years property/casualty insurance experience required with an emphasis in sales, marketing, and commercial lines underwriting.
Minimum of three years marketing experience with a Property and Casualty carrier, agency, or broker experience with heavy concentration in underwriting exposure/risk and marketing may substitute for carrier experience.
Technical/Professional Knowledge
Exceptional written and oral communication skills
Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills
Strong interpretive and evaluative thinking skills
Strong math aptitude
Demonstrated utilization of planning skills and sound judgment
Demonstrated knowledge of available marketing support tools
Proven ability to handle multiple and complex tasks
Exceptional personal computer skills with emphasis on Microsoft Office Suite software
Strong understanding and working knowledge of both Penn National Insurance and competitors’ agency/Company agreements and agency compensation strategies
Strong understanding of commercial and personal lines insurance coverages, agency operations and agency marketing programs
Only candidates from the following states will be considered for opportunities with Penn National Insurance: Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin.
JOB REQUIREMENTS (as required by ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act)
This position is primarily a sedentary position that requires occasional standing and walking throughout the office environment.
Must be able to see and effectively use a computer monitor.
Must be able to operate a computer, keyboard and applicable printers and other general office equipment.
Must be able to access and enter information accurately using automated systems.
Must be able to hear and communicate via the telephone and/or monitoring devices to both internal and external clients.
Must be able to present information to individuals and groups.
Must be able to interpret and apply concepts that may or may not be based upon established guidelines.
Must be able to maintain acceptable attendance and adhere to scheduled work hours.
Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
Must be able to travel, with overnight stays required.
