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W.R. Berkley

Commercial insurance underwriting, reinsurance, and investments

Vice President National Broker Manager

Full-TimeDeadline 7/8/27
$225k - $265k/yr+ Annual discretionary bonus
Expert
Bachelor's
Morristown, NJ, USA+2 moreMore locations: Chicago, IL, USA | Wilmington, DE, USA
HybridHybrid schedule requires four days in the office and one remote day.
InsuranceInsurance Sales & Agency
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree is preferred but not required.
  • At least 10 years of experience in high-net-worth personal lines business development roles, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
  • Ability to quickly and proactively synthesize data and current market conditions and recommend portfolio pivots to protect profitability or seize profitable growth opportunities.
  • Ability to drive results by identifying and resolving significant problems within the scope of responsibility.
  • Demonstrated success in building and managing producer relationships with a strong client-first orientation.
  • Ability to lead teams and drive complex initiatives.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and purposefully across all organizational levels, including updates to the team, discussions of metrics with stakeholders, and presentations to leadership.
  • Strong analytical ability, business judgment, and negotiation skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects at various stages of completion.
  • Proficiency with technology.
Responsibilities
  • Leverage national broker partnerships to drive substantial growth in new premiums and enhance overall profitability.
  • Identify and evaluate strategic current and prospective partners whose potential and objectives align with the organization, then develop and execute comprehensive strategic plans.
  • Define key performance indicators, monitor and report results, discuss performance with stakeholders, create benchmarking data, and make data-driven adjustments to optimize outcomes.
  • Expand market penetration by executing strategies that provide access to new customer segments and geographic markets and support growth and profit objectives.
  • Implement initiatives that drive brand visibility and customer engagement through partner channels and generate new premium.
  • Collaborate with partners to identify joint product and service offerings.
  • Foster relationships with executive leadership, underwriting, marketing, claims, and product teams to align partnership initiatives with business strategies.
  • Build and maintain C-suite and regional leadership relationships within each national broker.
  • Maintain transparent communication with strategic partners so objectives, expectations, and progress are communicated, managed, and met.
  • Enlist other organizational functions to engage with national brokers in support of an exceptional customer experience.
  • Identify and prioritize key offices and producers for targeted visits, joint calls, and opportunity-level engagement with local field teams.
  • Build an inside sales team and capability that expands distribution reach and contributes to closing new business opportunities.
  • Ensure the sales team can consult with agency partners on optimizing customer rates, understanding the target market, and developing creative approaches to accounts.
  • Implement workflows and develop sales skills that guide leads through the sales process from initial contact through closing.
  • Use technology models to identify desirable accounts and proactively pursue them using influence skills.
  • Partner with distribution and underwriting teams to drive new business, identify and qualify new opportunities through outreach, and upsell coverage options.
  • Help new appointments begin with a fast, informed, and sustainable process.
  • Ensure the team acts as a conduit for opportunities to flow from admitted to non-admitted business so new opportunities are not missed.
  • Collaborate with marketing to execute campaigns that help agency partners grow their books of business.
  • Work with the team and broader organization to drive changes in daily operations and larger organizational priorities.
  • Lead, develop, and manage sales associate team members.
Desired Qualifications
  • A bachelor's degree.
  • Strong client-first orientation and demonstrated success in building and managing producer relationships.
  • Strategic thinking and a proven ability to lead teams and drive complex initiatives.
  • Empathy and understanding of the needs of insureds and agents.
  • Organizational skills, integrity, and follow-through.
  • Curiosity and interest in testing underwriting strategies, tracking results, and making improvements.

About the company

W. R. Berkley provides commercial property and casualty insurance and reinsurance worldwide. It underwrites through two segments: Insurance with 53 operating units offering lines like excess and surplus, commercial auto, and workers’ compensation; and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess which writes reinsurance and excess policies for other insurers and self-insured entities. Revenue comes from premiums on insurance and reinsurance contracts and from investment income, supporting risk transfer and market capacity. The goal is to deliver steady underwriting results and financial returns for shareholders by serving a broad client base across many industries.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Greenwich, Connecticut

Founded

1967

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 gross premiums written hit a record $4.1 billion, up year over year.
  • AM Best upgraded W. R. Berkley on June 25, 2026 to 'a' and 'aa'.
  • Berkley Meridian launched August 18, 2026, expanding construction, liability, and wholesale E&S distribution.

What critics are saying

  • Berkley sued Trisura on June 30, 2026 over additional-insured defense wording.
  • Reinsurance gross premiums fell in Q2 2026, exposing Berkley Re to pricing pressure.
  • A major catastrophe or reserve shock can erase specialty-margin gains and pressure capital.

What makes W.R. Berkley unique

  • 53 operating units underwrite niche commercial risks across 10 regions, preserving local pricing power.
  • Berkley specializes in E&S and specialty commercial lines, not commoditized personal insurance.
  • Decades of disciplined underwriting produced AM Best upgrades and 18.6% Q2 2026 ROE.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • Wellness Program
  • Paid Time Off
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Profit Sharing
  • Annual Bonus Potential

Company News

Business Insurance
Oct 19th, 2026
Berkley's Q3 profits fall on investment losses.

Berkley's Q3 profits fall on investment losses. * by Richard Sine W.R. Berkley's profits fell 12.7% to $446 million in the third quarter, largely due to investment losses. Net premiums written increased 1.3% to $3.27 billion, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based insurer said Monday. The combined ratio was 90.8%, a slight improvement from 90.9% a year earlier. On a call with analysts, Chairman and CEO W. Robert Berkley, Jr., noted an 18.8% operating return on equity, while chief financial officer Richard M. Baio pointed to underwriting profits of $296 million for the quarter. Net investment results, including unrealized gains and losses, swung to a $18 million loss from a $79 million gain the year earlier. Rising interest rates and a corresponding sharp rise in yields during the quarter cut the market value of insurers' bond portfolios. Mr. Baio said the company generally holds bonds to maturity, so unrealized losses will "reverse favorably into stockholders' equity" when the bonds mature. Mr. Berkley said the average duration of the company's invested assets, at 3.3 years, was shorter than its peers, which will position it well to reinvest matured investments at higher yields. Net income for the first nine months of the year increased 6.3%, to $1.4 billion. October 19, 2026

Business Wire
Sep 10th, 2026
W. R. Berkley declares 10 cent quarterly dividend, payable 30 September

W. R. Berkley Corporation has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend will be paid on 30 September 2026 to stockholders of record at the close of business on 21 September 2026. Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company and one of the largest commercial lines writers in the United States. The company operates two segments of the property casualty insurance business: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess.

Business Wire
Aug 18th, 2026
W. R. Berkley forms Berkley Meridian through merger of Verus and Vela Insurance

W. R. Berkley Corporation has formed Berkley Meridian, a new specialty insurance business combining Verus Specialty Insurance and Vela Insurance Services. Marlo M. Morrison will serve as president of the new entity. The business will unite underwriting capabilities and expertise across construction, professional liability, garage, casualty, and other specialty lines, focusing on the excess and surplus wholesale broker market. Integration has begun and is expected to continue into early 2027. Morrison joined Verus Specialty Insurance as president in 2019, bringing nearly 30 years of property and casualty insurance experience. W. Robert Berkley, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Corporation, said the combination will allow the company to leverage expertise and provide a broader suite of solutions. Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States.

Reinsurance News
Jul 28th, 2026
Robert R. Coyne, Jr. to succeed Daniel R. Westcott as President of Berkley Re America.

Robert R. Coyne, Jr. to succeed Daniel R. Westcott as President of Berkley Re America. 28th July 2026 - Author: Saumya Jain - Insurance holding company W. R. Berkley Corporation has appointed Daniel R. Westcott as Executive Vice President (EVP), as Robert R. Coyne Jr. succeeds him as President of Berkley Re America, while Robert C. Hewitt has been named Chairman of Berkley Re. All appointments are effective immediately. Berkley Re is a global reinsurer comprising Berkley Re America, Berkley Re UK, Berkley Re Solutions, Berkley Re Australia, and Berkley Re Asia. Westcott joined Berkley Re America as president in 2019, and has nearly three decades of experience in the property casualty reinsurance market. Coyne joined Berkley in 2006 and became Senior Vice President of Berkley Re America in 2010. He also has over three decades of experience in the property casualty reinsurance business. Hewitt joined Berkley in 2002 as Senior Vice President for risk management and was named EVP of the firm in 2016. W. Robert Berkley, Jr., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of W. R. Berkley Corporation, commented on the appointments, "Rob, Dan, and Rob have all provided outstanding leadership within Berkley for many years. Dan's skills and broad experience in the reinsurance market, as well as his extensive knowledge of its organisation, will serve Reinsurance Group well as he takes on oversight of its assumed reinsurance businesses. "With deep expertise in developing reinsurance solutions for customers, Rob Coyne is very well-positioned to lead Berkley Re America forward to build upon its success. Rob Hewitt has made extraordinary contributions to Berkley during his tenure, and we are deeply appreciative of his leadership, judgment, and unwavering commitment to the Company." He continued, "He has been a trusted colleague and valued leader, and we are especially pleased, both personally and professionally, that we will continue to benefit from his extensive experience and expertise." Last week, for its second quarter 2026 results, W. R. Berkley reported a new record for gross written premiums (GWP) of $4.1 billion.

Business Wire
Jul 28th, 2026
Christopher Moede named president of Berkley Risk as Jack Goodwin moves to chairman

W. R. Berkley Corporation has appointed Christopher L. Moede as president of Berkley Risk, effective immediately. He succeeds John Goodwin, who has been named chairman of the business. Moede brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the commercial insurance market. Most recently, he led a global underwriting segment at a major multinational insurer. Goodwin joined Berkley Risk in 2012, serving as executive vice president before becoming president in 2014. W. Robert Berkley, Jr., chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Corporation, welcomed Moede's leadership skills and experience in developing risk solutions. He thanked Goodwin for his exceptional service and contributions. Berkley Risk provides at-risk and alternative risk insurance programme management services for public entity pools, professional associations, and self-insured clients.