Director, Underwriting - Commercial Lines (Small Commercial Underwriting (Field))

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

These roles (2 - East and West) will lead Small Commercial field underwriters and will report to the AVP, Small Commercial Underwriting.  Core responsibilities include:

• Serving as a technical resource and coaching field underwriters on attracting and writing profitable business
• Coaching field underwriters on driving agency engagement and new business production through intentional interactions with distribution partners
• Partnering with Small Commercial Distribution at the TM, Director and AVP level to ensure alignment and joint success in field underwriting-supported agencies
• Actively drive regular new business pipelining conversations in partnership with Distribution
• In-person field traveling with field underwriters to successfully build a steady flow of profitable business opportunities

Successful candidates will possess significant commercial underwriting experience including experience with larger Small or Middle Market-type accounts as well as the proven ability to drive agency partnerships and engagement. 

Experience serving in a field role or managing associates in field roles is desired.
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Job Description Summary

Success on our team requires a blend of customer service skill and analytical prowess. There’s no shying away from challenges here. Each account we work on is complex and interesting. Satisfaction comes from finding solutions that provide the best coverage and give our partner agents a way to differentiate themselves from the competition. If you are adaptable, responsive, love customers and really want to make a difference, we want to hear from you!
As a Director, you'll lead a team and drive profitable underwriting results through leadership, development, and engagement. We’ll count on you to develop leadership within the team and help to identify and prepare future Small Commercial Underwriting leaders within the department. We'll depend on you to direct resources to deliver quality and timely underwriting decisions in support of the business. In addition, you'll have opportunities to identify issues, share ideas and make recommendations to profitably grow the business. We’ll count on you to exhibit extraordinary care to set expectations for the team to meet customer needs and to collaborate with key partners in National Underwriting Organization (NUO), Automation, Business Development (BD), Product, and other leaders across the organization as needed.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Develops strategic plans to improve growth and profitability in all lines of business on a regional and or national scope.  Communicates strategic plans to associates and works closely with peers and leaders across disciplines to achieve the strategic vision.

• Creates business plans, goals and priorities based on cellular structure, regional and or national plans to ensure methodologies and outcomes meet business objectives and Key Performance Indicators.

• Identifies organizational needs and works with partners, managers and associates on effective problem solving to include opportunities and efficiencies.  Sets expectations and best practices for analysis.

• Ensures compliance to legal requirements and organizational, business, and strategic objectives.  Engages at a regional and or national level with internal organizations that share common interests to contribute to policy and best practice discussions. 

• Determines project priorities and workflow standards for the department. Monitors and manages performance measurements to ensure effectiveness of the department's service delivery process. Aligns organizational structure to effectively drive business needs. 

• Reviews underwriting guidelines, referral protocols, training, and communications.  Implements continuous improvement of underwriting and collaborates with Automation to develop and implement automated underwriting support.

• Provides recommendations to leadership regarding underwriting strategy and opportunity. Participates in problem solving and provides counsel for commercial processing and quality. Takes part in agency management and in agency reviews. Strengthens underwriting collaboration across the value chain to support profitable growth. 

• Supervises associate management including performance management, salary planning and administration, training and development, workflow and organization planning, day-to-day management, hiring and placement, and disciplinary actions for direct and possibly indirect reports.  Assesses and develops talent to ensure leaders and associates are appropriately skilled for future business state model.

• Consults with all levels of partners regarding policy and practice. Provides input into strategic and business plans and helps identify operational opportunities and efficiencies.  Communicates strategic direction and operational plans to associates and external partners.

• Collaborates across all customers and related functions to understand business developments and build a support network to resolve business needs.

• Develops customer service standards for department and drives performance to established standards.

• Directs education of internal and external partners and key organizational groups on underwriting practice, goals, and strategies.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Typically, reports to Associate Vice President of Small Commercial Underwriting. Reports: Multiple Commercial Lines Underwriting Managers.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

 Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience. MBA is preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: Completion of INS and/or AU or similar designations. Completion of CIC or CPCU is preferred.

Experience: Typically, ten or more years of commercial lines underwriting experience preferred. Significant people leadership experience desired.

Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills:  Extensive knowledge of commercial property and casualty underwriting practices, field underwriting operations and day-to-day underwriting operational needs.  Ability to demonstrate strategic agility and vision management.  Capable of demonstrating an executive presence, communication, and command.  Ability to exercise independent judgement and effectively make sound business decisions in day-to-day operations where there may be unclear or competing priorities, including evaluating and recommending solutions to customer service issues, work processing issues, underwriting selection and rating problems, and compliance. Strong analytical skills and drive for results. Ability to creatively resolve unique and challenging business problems. Strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, influence, people leadership, engagement, and development skills. 

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and Human Resources Business Partner.

Values:  Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Occasional travel may be required to travel to client or meeting locations. Extended or non-standard work hours as required to meet business need.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 09/05/2025. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at 888-944-2247.

For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

NOTE TO EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:

We value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager in any form without a signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file and search engagement for that position will be deemed unsolicited in nature. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is subsequently hired as a result of the referral or through other means.

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range.

The national salary range for Director, Underwriting - Commercial Lines : $110,000.00-$212,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Director, Underwriting - Commercial Lines : $119,000.00 - $179,000.00