Senior Program Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

Counterpart is a management and professional liability insurance platform for the 21st century workplace. We offer products and services to help companies align the risks and incentives of creating great organizations. Our platform is designed to measure risk more efficiently using the most advanced rating system in the industry, while also proactively mitigating the risks of our insureds. Ultimately, we provide businesses and professionals with frameworks to be the best versions of themselves. That’s where you come in.

Counterpart is the place for people who want to build and use top-tier technology to improve insurance products and outcomes for small businesses. You will own real problems, work alongside the future leaders of this industry, and help build a company defining a category.

As an organization that understands the value of programs, we recognize that scalable growth depends on building exceptional partnerships with program administrators, captive sponsors, and alternative distribution channels. The National Program Manager will be instrumental in developing and stewarding our programs business across our full suite of management and professional liability products, driving consistent submission volume from program partners, and continuously improving profitability through disciplined underwriting oversight, strategic relationship management, and operational excellence.

AS SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, YOU WILL:

Program Development & Prospecting

• Identify and evaluate new program opportunities, leading due diligence analysis across underwriting, insurance product, legal, and insurance operations.
• Support program structure recommendations, including coverage architecture, underwriting guidelines, and rating frameworks aligned to Counterpart's target classes of business.
• Draft Program Assessment Template documents with a clear understanding of program requirements, participation, and production requirements, with annual projected forecasts.
• Act as the primary point of contact for managing program relationship continuity from inception through consistent production results.

Program Operations & Performance

• Negotiate, execute, and maintain Program Management Agreements; ensure all contractual requirements, service standards, and authority parameters are met on an ongoing basis.
• Conduct regular performance audits and portfolio analyses, measuring results against KPIs established at program inception and surfacing underwriting strategy recommendations to Insurance Product.
• Work cross-functionally with the insurance product team on renewal terms and processes for new and existing program opportunities.
• Identify and drive process improvements that increase efficiency and scalability across program operations.

Client & Partner Relationship Management

• Participate in partner visits and facilitate ongoing communication between agency partners and Counterpart's service team to resolve policy, billing, and underwriting matters.
• Prepare and present materials for stewardship reviews, board meetings, and business updates; coordinate meeting logistics, agendas, and follow-through.
• Attend national trade conferences and industry events as a senior representative of Counterpart's programs business, building relationships and advancing brand presence.
• Review legislative and market developments affecting program structures; proactively recommend coverage enhancements and flag compliance implications.

AI & Platform Fluency

• Leverage AI-powered tools, including Counterpart's internal, to improve program analysis, client reporting, and operational workflow efficiency.
• Bring an experimentation mindset to how technology can accelerate program prospecting, performance monitoring, and client communication.

WE LOOK FOR TEAMMATES WHO HAVE:

• Experience in management and/or professional liability insurance, with demonstrated experience in program, captive, or alternative risk structures.
• A track record of managing complex program portfolios, including prospecting, underwriting, regulatory compliance, and program stewardship with minimal oversight.
• Experience leading or contributing substantively to program due diligence, structure design, and inception; not just operational maintenance of existing programs.
• Strong cross-functional instincts: comfortable engaging with actuarial, field underwriting, legal, actuarial, IT, claims, etc at Counterparts to advance program objectives.
• Excellent client relationship skills, with experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships and representing a company externally at senior levels.
• Comfort operating in a high-velocity, lean environment and determining their own methods and priorities.
• Enthusiasm for AI-forward workflows and a willingness to embed technology into daily practice.
• 7+ years of relevant experience; college degree required.
• Ability and willingness to travel 25-50% of the time. Travel includes program partner visits, stewardship meetings, national trade conferences, and industry events. Counterpart is a fully remote company; travel expectations are tied to program partner geography and industry event calendar. 

PEOPLE WHO THRIVE HERE:

• Entrepreneurial, willing to experiment, embrace new technology, try new things
• Comfortable with ambiguity and rapidly changing priorities. Change is normal and happens quickly at startups. You have experience experimenting, learning, and pivoting with your learnings.
• Take ownership of your projects, your deadlines, your functions, your calendar, your own destiny. People who thrive at a startup like ours have a bias toward action and documentation.
• Communicate directly and with clarity. Working cross-functionally is an essential part of any role at Counterpart. You’ll succeed by conjoining expectations with others and holding all accountable. 

THE HARD PARTS:

• We're early, and that's not always comfortable. Counterpart is still a young company, which means some processes, tools, and norms are still being built in real time. You may encounter situations where the answer doesn't exist yet — and you'll be expected to help create it rather than wait for someone else to.
• The feedback culture is real. We mean it when we say speak boldly and honestly. That goes both ways — you'll be expected to give direct feedback and to receive it without defensiveness. If you've spent your career in environments where difficult conversations get softened or avoided, that adjustment can take time.
• Distributed work requires more intentionality. There's no office to drop by, no hallway conversation to clear up a misunderstanding. Staying connected, communicating proactively, and building relationships across a remote team takes real effort — it doesn't happen automatically here.
• We move fast and expect you to keep up. Counterpart operates with a bias toward action. Decisions get made quickly, priorities can shift, and we don't wait for perfect information. If you're used to slower, more deliberate organizational rhythms, the pace here can be a genuine adjustment.
• You're expected to own your outcomes. There's a high degree of autonomy here, which is a feature — but it also means there's no one looking over your shoulder to catch things before they become problems. The people who thrive take that ownership seriously and hold themselves accountable without being asked.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH:

• Tanner Hackett, CEO & Founder: Having founded two other major startups, including Button and Lazada, Tanner now spends his time focused on mental health through his philanthropy, Open Minded.org, in addition to reading, surfing, yoga, and enjoying the outdoors. 
• Tobias Schuler, Head of Data & Analytics: Tobias was previously the Head of Data and Analytics at Digital Partners, a Munich Re company. Tobias led a team that built out data integrations, business intelligence and advanced analytics across all insurtech partners spanning various P&C lines of businesses. Tobias is also a FCAS and has built systems to enable leading class insights for underwriting, actuarial, claims and finance experts while focusing on democratizing data.
• Kelly North, Vice President of Revenue: Kelly leads revenue strategy at Counterpart, with a strong focus on accelerating growth through distribution, sales operations, marketing, and digital transformation. She brings deep experience driving results by building high-performing teams and executing collaborative, cross-functional strategies. Outside of work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her family, is an avid reader, and has a passion for all things outdoors.
• Satwik Mysore, Director of Management Liability: After graduating with an actuarial science degree, Satwik has spent most of his career at Travelers, where he built one of the largest and most profitable management liability books by forming strong broker relationships.
• Mike Muglia, Professional Liability Lead: Mike previously served as Director of Professional Liability at RB Jones, a leading Lloyd’s Coverholder and MGU, and National Underwriting Director at Burns & Wilcox, a prominent international wholesale broker & MGA. Over the course of his career, he has led underwriting teams across a range of specialties, including Architects & Engineers, Contractors Professional, Management Liability, Tech/Cyber/Media Liability, Allied Healthcare and Social Services, Miscellaneous E&O, General Liability, Contractors Pollution, and Fire Suppression Contractors
• Brad Bahler, Director of Field Underwriting: Brad has over a decade of experience in management liability underwriting. He managed one of the largest books of small business management liability risks at Travelers, where he was known for his deep understanding of coverage, outstanding submission response times, and boundless enthusiasm for the space.
• Jade Rabacal, National Distribution Manager: Jade brings an end-to-end insurance background spanning retail, wholesale, MGUs, and a legacy carrier. She is the National Distribution Lead at Counterpart, driving growth across all product lines and verticals. Prior to Counterpart, she served as Vice President of Business Development within the Cyber and Professional Lines Group at Tokio Marine HCC. Jade is known for her broker-centric approach and ability to build scalable partnerships in complex risk markets.

Our estimated pay range for this role is $180,000 to $210,000. Base salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, market data, location, internal equitability, and experience. We also offer performance bonuses.

We are committed to being a welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone, and we are intentional about making sure people feel respected, supported and connected at work—regardless of who you are or where you come from. We value and celebrate our differences and we believe being open about who we are allows us to do the best work of our lives.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, sexual preference, sexual identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation.