Director, Middle Market Underwriting - Commercial Lines (Model Office Leader)

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.

This Director, Middle Market Underwriting – Commercial Lines (Model Office Leader) will set up and maintain a continuous environment for Commercial Underwriting Middle Market Model Office to identify potential issues, streamline operations, and ensure that new strategies or technologies will function effectively when deployed. The person in this role can work remotely or in a hybrid environment if near an office location.

Key Responsibilities Include :

• Define Objectives : Clearly outline the goals of the model office, such as testing new processes, training staff, and evaluating the MM roadmap
• Assemble a Team : Gather a cross-functional team that includes representatives from various departments like underwriting, claims, processing, and customer service
• Design the Environment : Create a physical or virtual space that replicates the actual office setup and / or utilization of real work. This includes workstations, software systems, and communication tools
• Develop Scenarios : Create detailed scenarios that replicate typical business operations and potential challenges. These scenarios should cover a range of activities from policy issuance to claims processing
• Implement Technology : Identify and integrate the necessary technology and software systems that will be used in the model office. This might include policy administration systems, workbench tools, pricing and data analytics platforms
• Training and Onboarding : Train the team on the objectives and operations of the model office. Ensure they understand how to use the systems and follow the processes being tested
• Continuous Monitoring : Regularly monitor the performance of the model office to identify any issues or areas for improvement. This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and gathering feedback from participants
• Iterative Testing : Continuously test new processes, technologies, and strategies. Use the results to make data-driven decisions and refine the operations
• Feedback Loop : Establish a feedback loop where insights from the model office are communicated back to the field, IT, stakeholders, Sr leaders
• Update Scenarios : Regularly update the scenarios to reflect new challenges, regulatory changes, or market conditions. This ensures the model office remains relevant and effective
• Documentation and Reporting : Maintain detailed documentation of all activities, findings, and improvements made in the model office. Regular reports should be generated to keep stakeholders informed about progress and outcomes
• Scalability : Ensure that successful processes and technologies tested in the model office can be scaled and implemented across the entire organization

In addition to the skills and experiences outlined in the job description, project management experience is needed. Prior experience collaborating with IT will be beneficial.

Compensation Band : H4

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Job Description Summary

For directors whose primary focus is MM accounts - Drives profitable underwriting results through leadership, development and engagement. Directs resources to deliver quality, timely underwriting decisions in support of the business. Proactively identifies issues, ideas and makes recommendations to profitably grow the business.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities :

Establishes research objectives and practice standards for the department. Ensures that methodologies and outcomes meet business and strategic objectives.

Leads identification of organizational needs that require analysis and directs department in completion. Sets expectations and standards of practice for analysis. Ensures compliance to legal requirements and organizational, business and strategic objectives.

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

Directs pricing standards and practice for department. Provides recommendations to leadership regarding underwriting strategy and opportunity. Measures and manages underwriting processing and quality. Actively manages and participates in agency management and participates in agency reviews.

Translates strategic plans into organizational direction. Creates business plans, goals, budget and timelines to meet company standards. Directs associates and provides performance management, salary planning and administration, organizational planning, hiring and placement, and disciplinary actions.

Consults with all levels of internal and external 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 internal associates and external partners.

Develops effective internal and external collaborative partnerships across all customers and related functions, including : Claims, Marketing, IT, etc. to understand business developments and build a support network to help resolve business needs.

Develops customer service standards for department. Drives customer service performance to established standards.

Determines and ensures delivery of training and development based on individual and department needs. Coaches, develops and provides feedback to associates. Directs education of internal and external partners and key organizational groups regarding underwriting practice, goals and strategies.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships : Regional Vice President (RVP) or Underwriting Officer. Direct Reports : Multiple CL Underwriting Managers for assigned states.

Typical Skills and Experiences :

Education : Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience. MBA in business or a related field is preferred.

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

Experience : Typically ten years of commercial lines underwriting experience, middle market experience preferred. Significant business management and people leadership experience desired.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills : Requires knowledge of property / casualty insurance operations and products, procedures and practices; commercial lines of insurance including credit-collections, rating, loss control and related functions; and commercial lines customer environment and markets. Requires extensive knowledge of commercial property / casualty case underwriting best practices, field underwriting operations and day-to-day underwriting operational needs. Familiarity with other company products preferred.

Ability to set strategic goals and priorities. Demonstrated decision-making ability required 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 best practices compliance. Ability to reach a solution in situations where there may be multiple options or competing priorities. Strong analytical skills and drive for results. Skilled communicator with strong 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 HR Business Partner.

Values : Regularly and consistently demonstrates the 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 01 / 24 / 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.