Territory Manager - Personal and Small Commercial Lines (Western Michigan)

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, 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 and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

The Territory Manager – Personal and Small Commercial Lines will support the western Michigan territory. Ideally, the candidate will be based in Kalamazoo, Lansing, or Grand Rapids, though candidates in other locations will also be considered.

Preferred candidates will have experience in both commercial and personal lines, with an emphasis on commercial lines.

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Job Description Summary

Do you enjoy building strong agency and distribution-partner relationships, using market and portfolio insights to identify opportunities, and developing business strategies that drive profitable growth, new business, and retention? If you thrive on strengthening agency capabilities, improving portfolio performance, and positioning Nationwide as a provider of choice, we’d like to hear from you!

As a Territory Manager - Personal and Small Commercial Lines, you will lead profitable growth across an assigned territory by developing and managing relationships with agencies and other distribution partners. You will use market intelligence, data and analytics, business planning, and strong consultative selling skills to grow and retain business, improve portfolio performance, and position Nationwide as a provider of choice across the products and capabilities aligned to the territory.

The specific product mix may vary by region and individual assignment and may include Personal Lines, Small Commercial, or both. Territory size, partner portfolio, travel expectations, and coverage responsibilities may also vary based on business need, market opportunity, and the applicable coverage model.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Understand the strategic and operational goals of the assigned territory and distribution partners; translate those goals into practical growth, profitability, service, and relationship strategies.

Monitor market conditions, competitive activity, local marketplace information, portfolio results, and other relevant data to identify opportunities, risks, and required actions.

Develop and execute territory and partner business plans, including measurable objectives, actions, accountabilities, scheduled checkpoints, and follow-through on commitments.

Drive profitable new business, transferred business, retention, and portfolio growth across the product scope assigned to the territory.

Build productive relationships with agencies and distribution partners of varying size, capabilities, and strategic focus; adapt engagement strategies to the needs of each relationship.

Position Nationwide as a provider of choice by communicating product, technology, underwriting, service, and company-priority information in a clear and compelling manner.

Consult with distribution partners regarding appetite, acceptability, terms, conditions, pricing, coverage, risk selection, sales techniques, and available business solutions, within established authority and standards.

Analyzes quality and quantity of risks underwritten and prepares reports.

May review agency books of business as well as profit/growth results and trends to recommend and implement action plans.

Analyzes regional underwriting performance experience, identifies problems on a territory level and proposes action plan to resolve those situations.

Performs analysis of the most complex accounts that require combining experience, intuition and business savvy to fully understand the landscape to make strategic territory and account decisions.

Review existing and potential accounts, agency capabilities, books of business, production, profitability, service performance, and growth trends to recommend targeted actions.

Identify opportunities for cross-line collaboration and refer opportunities to the appropriate internal business leaders when they fall outside the assigned scope.

Partner with underwriting, product, marketing, claims, servicing, operations, and other internal teams to solve problems, improve the partner experience, and execute growth strategies.

Provide tools, training, education, and support that help distribution partners achieve desired results; identify and communicate training and enablement needs.

Lead or participate in portfolio, performance, and planning meetings to maintain alignment, monitor progress, and reinforce accountability.

Use available technology, dashboards, reporting, and customer relationship management tools to improve planning, visibility, workflow, and execution.

Gather and communicate market intelligence, partner feedback, industry trends, and field insights to leadership and business partners.

Support recommendations related to new agency appointments, agency alignment, deployment, relationship strategy, and termination decisions, based on business results and market needs.

• •Maintain compliance with company policies, procedures, underwriting standards, administrative practices, state requirements, and applicable regulatory expectations.
• •Maintain a responsive and visible field presence; help coordinate resolution of customer or distribution-partner service needs.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to the appropriate Sales, Distribution, or Business Development leader and does not typically have direct or indirect reports.

Typical Skills and Experiences

Education: Undergraduate studies in general business, insurance, sales, marketing, or a related field; a degree is preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: Relevant professional designation, such as Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) or Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), is preferred.

Experience: Typically, seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in insurance sales, underwriting, agency management, distribution, or a related field. Property and casualty insurance experience is preferred, with experience in one or more of the product areas supported by the assigned territory.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

Working knowledge of insurance products, underwriting, pricing, coverage, risk selection, sales practices, and distribution-partner operations.

Ability to apply market intelligence, data, analytics, and financial or portfolio information to identify opportunities and recommend actions.

Strong business planning, strategic selling, sales prospecting, relationship management, negotiation, and business-development skills.

Ability to build and maintain cooperative, mutually rewarding internal and external partnerships.

Ability to communicate effectively, influence decisions, present information, and adapt messaging to varied audiences.

Sound judgment and decision-making ability when evaluating competing priorities, customer or partner needs, underwriting considerations, service issues, and compliance requirements.

Ability to work independently within delegated authority and established company standards.

Strong customer focus, accountability, planning, organizing, priority setting, problem solving, collaboration, and results orientation.

Proficiency with relevant business tools, customer relationship management systems, dashboards, reporting, and virtual collaboration technologies.

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 Resource Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently de