State Commercial Insurance Manager - Illinois

Position Summary

This is a high-impact leadership role where you’ll develop agents and District Sales Managers, help shape regional growth strategies, and make your mark at one of the most respected companies in the industry. 

The ideal candidate will live in the state of Illinois while working remotely.  This position comes with a company car with paid gas card.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with branch leaders to set and achieve growth, profitability, and agency development goals.

• Serve as a hands-on mentor to Agents and District Sales Managers, building expertise in ERIE’s commercial lines products and underwriting practices.

• Evaluate complex commercial accounts, make underwriting and pricing decisions within authority, and collaborate with senior underwriters on larger risks.

• Foster strong relationships with Agents, branch teams, and Home Office underwriting partners.

• Represent ERIE in the community and maintain positive relationships with policyholders and stakeholders.

Who You Are

You’re a strategic thinker who leads with influence, not just authority. You enjoy rolling up your sleeves to develop others and have the commercial acumen to guide agents toward success. You’re comfortable making judgment calls on complex accounts and thrive on balancing growth with sound underwriting.

In addition, this position trains, develops and guides Agents and district sales managers (DSM) in a designated branch territory in the promotion and sale of commercial lines products, providing assistance in the areas of production, product knowledge and application, and underwriting. Establishes and maintains relationships with branch managers and Agents to improve Agent willingness and ability to pursue and place quality commercial business with the ERIE.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists branch managers in establishing short- and long-range objectives related to commercial lines sales, with an emphasis on growth, underwriting profitability and agency development and training.
• Provides hands-on training and guidance to Agents on ERIE's commercial lines products, resources, and services, including identifying web-based resources and training programs for Agent use. Builds commercial expertise of new and existing Agents for increased independence and sound judgment when pursuing commercial business.
• Provides hands-on training and guidance to branch DSMs on ERIE's commercial lines products, resources, and services, including identifying web-based resources and training programs. Builds commercial expertise of new and existing DSMs for increased independence and sound judgment when working with Agents to pursue commercial business.
• Identifies Agents requiring additional guidance and interaction from their DSMs on commercial lines products and services. Works directly with DSMs, branch managers, and commercial underwriting staff to develop a plan to deliver that guidance and interaction as appropriate.
• Contacts and visits Agents regularly to evaluate quotations and applications for multiple commercial lines to determine acceptability, including larger, more complex commercial accounts.
• Makes acceptability and pricing decisions on risks within defined binding authority. Refers risks that are beyond binding authority to a senior commercial lines underwriter, risk analyst or underwriting supervisor.
• Develops and maintains effective relationships and contact with Home Office commercial lines underwriting management and production underwriters.
• Serves as a company representative in maintaining favorable Policyholder relationships. Works closely with adjusters and other claims personnel on matters of mutual concern.
• Develops and maintains strong working knowledge of ERIE's commercial product lines, including policy features and key endorsements and sources of information on ERIE's products.
• Represents the company in community relations activities as directed.
• For branch office accounts, handles insurance agency business as a licensed, non-commission company Agent.

The first 7 duties listed are functions identified as essential to the job. Essential functions are those job duties that must be performed in order for the job to be accomplished.

This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by an incumbent. Employees are required to follow any other job- related instruction and to perform any other duties as requested by their supervisor, or as become evident.

Capabilities

Qualifications

Minimum Educational and Experience Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree, and six years of sales, underwriting, claims, loss control or marketing experience required; or
• Associate’s degree and eight years of sales, underwriting, claims, loss control or marketing experience, required; or
• High school diploma or GED and ten years of sales, underwriting, claims, loss control or marketing experience, required.

Additional Experience

• Incumbent must live in territory assigned unless a change is approved by the company.
• Occasional overnight travel required.
• Acceptance of hours beyond the normal work week and some restrictions on vacation during peak periods.

Designations and/or Licenses

• Willingness to obtain property/casualty insurance license for assigned state or branch office service territory required.
• Valid driver's license and good driving record required.
• One of the following professional designations is preferred: ARM, AU, ALCM, CRM, CIC, CPCU, or General Insurance Program.

Physical Requirements