Founding Head of Markets
Hedge Specialty
Founding Head of Markets
Hedge Specialty
AI-enabled wholesale brokerage for specialized risks
Hedge is hiring a founding Head of Markets to build and operate the market-access foundation behind our distribution platform. You will own carrier and MGA appointments, capacity strategy, appetite coverage, producer codes, portal access, submission routes, and the operational readiness required to place business. This is distinct from strategic distribution partnerships.
Base salary is $125K-$200K. Equity is 0.25%-1.00%. The package reflects the depth of market relationships, technical insurance judgment, and operating ownership you bring.
Build a market strategy around real agency demand, appetite gaps, and placement economics
Source and negotiate carrier, MGA, MGU, program, and delegated-authority relationships
Drive appointment, contracting, producer-code, portal, and submission-route activation
Maintain clear records of authority, appetite, commission, and operational constraints
Partner with brokers, underwriting, product, and compliance to make market access usable
Measure placement performance and continuously improve the portfolio
First 30 days: establish a source-of-truth view of current markets, authority, and gaps
By day 60: advance a ranked appointment and activation pipeline
By day 90: activate meaningful new capacity and improve placement readiness
In 12 months: build a differentiated portfolio of markets with measurable utilization and economics
You understand that a logo is not market access. You can separate appointment, authority, portal access, appetite, submission route, and bind capability, and you have the relationships and follow-through to turn agreements into working placement channels.
Hedge is building the operating system for commercial insurance distribution. You will work directly with the founders and shape one of the company's most important strategic assets. We offer health benefits and meaningful equity.
This role may be based in San Francisco or remote within the United States. Regular travel for market and team work is expected.
Application review
Focused introductory conversation
Market portfolio and operating-depth review
Working session on a realistic market-access opportunity
Final conversation with the founders
Hedge is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate candidates based on ability, judgment, and potential, and we do not discriminate based on protected characteristics.
AI-enabled wholesale brokerage for specialized risks
Hedge Specialty is a wholesale insurance broker that connects retail agents with specialty insurance markets to cover hard-to-place commercial risks, especially in Excess & Surplus (E&S) and related lines. It uses an AI-assisted workflow where a retail agent submits an inquiry and Hedge handles intake, market selection, quote delivery, and binding coordination. The company differentiates itself with a broker-to-broker model (no direct-to-consumer sales), no minimum premium or production quotas, and a wide range of specialty risks. Its goal is to streamline insurance workflows, delivering fast responses (median first reply ~30 minutes) and quotes for larger risks within about 48 business hours to help brokers secure coverage efficiently.
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