Sales Underwriting Specialist, Human Services

For more than 170 years, The Hanover has been committed to delivering on our promises and being there when it matters the most. We live our values every day, demonstrating we CARE through our values, Sustainability initiatives and inclusive corporate culture.

Our Human Service Team is seeking a Senior Underwriting Specialist to add to their growing team in Central Zone.

This is a full time, exempt role either a hybrid or remote setting.

Position Overview

Responsible for identifying, soliciting, underwriting and selling new and renewal Middle Market accounts that drive profitable growth and align with the Human Services Industry segment, appetite and mix goals. Apply advanced technical, sales and analytical skills to provide insurance solutions that help Hanover’s customers manage risk. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of Hanover’s strategies and Human Services appetites and will use internal and external data to make appropriate individual and portfolio Human Services risk decisions. Operates within a broad Letter of Authority for all underwriting decisions and with limited direction while managing an assigned book of business, generally with high technical complexity and coordination. Willingness to build and foster key agency relationships, identify emerging issues, obtain competitive intelligence and engage in industry-specific continuing education.

Key responsibilities Technical Underwriting

• Knows and applies advanced underwriting concepts including risk selection, exposure and hazard identification and control, coverage implications, and loss analysis.
• Uses all appropriate underwriting tools (e.g. RQI, WC RST, UWWS, and CLAY.), disciplines and knowledge of strategies to ensure underwriting guidelines are followed.
• Advanced knowledge of pricing components and rating methodology and correlates pricing to exposure, financial and competitive analysis.
• Completes file documentation according to best practices guidelines and state regulations and can clearly explain account decisions.
• Adheres to CAT guidelines and underwriting discipline to minimize exposure and appropriately price individual risks. Applies increased knowledge of CAT aggregation to decision making.

Portfolio Management & Financial Acumen

• Manages assigned portfolio to achieve gross written premium, profitability, rate, retention, industry and LOB mix, new business and portfolio management goals.
• Reviews key metrics and uncovers trends that may lead to new business opportunities with agents while achieving profitable growth in accordance with business strategies.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the market factors and trends that can affect pricing (i.e. distribution channels, competition, organization’s growth/ profit strategy, regulation, reinsurance costs and branding).
• Prepares or analyzes information on adverse underwriting decisions, rate appeals, underwriting requirements, status and declinations in order to drive results within the assigned territory.
• Supports the implementation of profit improvement initiatives with key agents.

Sales Acumen & Customer Advocacy

• Can identify, solicit, pipeline, negotiate, and close accounts aligned with MM branch strategy. Ability to profile assigned agency plant and to strategically market our capabilities to agents.
• Operates with a franchise perspective to identify and drive enhanced sell opportunities and create growth within other lines of business and customer segments. Utilize our value proposition to enhance agency economics, partner conversion and product specialization in partnership with local management.
• Prioritizes and drives effective relationship management and producer activities to build trust, facilitate negotiation, and secure commitment in order to improve yield and retention ratios.
• Keeps current on state/territory issues, regulations and trends. Utilizes market and competitor information to enhance agent relationships by becoming a trusted advisor.
• Through stewardship process engage at the customer level for the most complex and prominent accounts within their territory.
• Independently implements territory business plans, monitors performance, adjusts plan to ensure a substantial pipeline for future profitable growth.
• Makes sales presentations to agents and customers on a regular basis and participants in more complex accounts:
• Utilize Industry Solutions partners to augment sales process through enhanced knowledge transfer, strategic producer visits/sales calls, and effective training sessions for both agents and customers.
• Effectively utilize Claims, Risk Solutions and Operations to display service and/or technical expertise to build confidence in customers to further secure business opportunities.

Core Competencies, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
• 5-7+ years Underwriting experience, with a minimum of 3 years of experience underwriting MM accounts.
• 5+ years of experience driving agency relationships resulting in profitable new and renewal business.
• May specialize /certify in one or more Industry Segments.
• Acts as a change advocate, and is open to new and different ways of thinking.
• Communication (verbal and written) - Interacts and communicates with confidence with all levels of external and/or internal business partners within scope of responsibility, team and/or matrix environment. Can judge appropriate means and method to communicate based on the nature of the communication. Able to influence desired outcomes to drive actions and results. Adept at influencing even when holding a position contrary to the majority opinion.
• Judgement and Decision Making - Ability to exercise judgment, negotiate and make sound business decisions based on level of authority. Applies judgment and expertise to determine when escalation is needed. Demonstrates confidence in one’s ability to apply decision making to UW assessment.
• Agile and Adaptive - Strong ability to identify, analyze and solve problems as well as the ability to learn rapidly, adapt quickly to change, exercise influence, and manage and prioritize multiple concurrent projects.
• Team work and Collaboration – Consistently fosters collaboration and respect among team members. Easily adapts to the diverse interests, styles and perspective of key players. Is able to engage multiple members of a group to share information and to consider other points of view to reach objectives, consensus and/or deadlines.
• Experienced in working with a wide range of teams and readily shares lessons learned.
• Informal Leadership - Viewed as an informal leader amongst the team/branch/region/LOB. Open to and proactively shares knowledge and expertise with peers, management and leadership. Acts as a mentor for less experienced underwriters or newly hired underwriters, may assist with training other team members. Is used as a resource by others to collaborate on more complex risks, pricing, trends, industry segments coverages and product knowledge. May conduct peer-to-peer self-audits under the direction of management.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Its not just a job, it's a career, and we are here to support you every step of the way. We want you to be successful and fulfilled. Through on-the-job experiences, personalized coaching and our robust learning and development programs, we encourage you – at every level – to grow and develop.

BENEFITS

We offer comprehensive benefits to help you be healthy, build financial security, and balance work and home life. At The Hanover, you’ll enjoy what you do and have the support you need to succeed.

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401K with a company match
• Tuition reimbursement
• PTO
• Company paid holidays
• Flexible work arrangements
• Cultural Awareness Day in support of IDE
• On-site medical/wellness center (Worcester only)
• Click here for the full list of Benefits

EEO statement

The Hanover values diversity in the workplace and among our customers. The company provides equal opportunity for employment and promotion to all qualified employees and applicants on the basis of experience, training, education, and ability to do the available work without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, ancestry or any other status protected by law.

Furthermore, The Hanover Insurance Group is committed to providing an equal opportunity workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment based on national origin, race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information or any other status protected by law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Hanover does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities who wish to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, or to perform essential job functions, should contact us at: and include the link of the job posting in which you are interested.

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Compensation

The target hiring range for this role may vary based on geographic location and other factors, including merit or performance, demonstrated proficiency, skills for the role, education, travel requirements, and experience. Additional compensation may include an annual bonus (which could take the form of a general bonus, sales incentive, or short-term incentive), long-term incentive or spot recognition awards. The posted range reflects our ability to hire at different position titles and levels depending on background and experience.