If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them, 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 are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

This Technical Director will focus on the Real Estate, Restaurant & Retail industry segment(s), and can be hired in a remote/work-from-home (WFH) capacity or in one of our offices.  Some limited travel is required, averaging 1x/month.

Compensation Grade: H3

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Job Description Summary

Are you a proven Industry leader with strategic, creative and technical commercial product and underwriting skills? Do you have deep insights in specific commercial industry segments as well as industry competitors? Can you translate those insights into strategic and technical underwriting practices and partner with teams to implement the best practices? If you have these abilities, set strategic vision and a drive to achieve financial goals, then we want to hear from you!

As a Technical Director, you will be the leader assigned to a specific industry, responsible for developing and recommending profit strategies with execution of underwriting standards. The Technical Director will be the subject matter expert as it pertains to the review of referrals, pricing strategy, growth and profitability of assigned industries. You will collaborate with Loss Control, Claims, Underwriting and practice leaders to ensure alignment to the strategic direction your assigned industries. You are responsible for underwriting execution where specialization is critical, and to create profit, and growth strategies for the assigned industry in conjunction with field leaders. The role requires a strong technical ability for the assigned industry business, as well as an understanding of the brokerage and property and casualty landscape.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:   

Responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of strategic long and short-range plans to drive profitable business opportunities within assigned Commercial Middle Market industry segment(s). Monitors industry portfolio management to verify risk selection and quality are in alignment with risk appetite and strategy.  

Responsible for providing guidance, direction and authority on industry practice referrals. Maintains appropriate level of authority in providing technical assistance and support to underwriting teams across the country.  Serves as technical expert to provide technical advice for assigned industry segments to provide technical underwriting consultation using office hours, new business roundtables and team huddles while fostering a collaborative environment.  

Within assigned industry segment(s), advises the national field underwriting organization through effective risk selection, agent/broker relationships, portfolio management, mix of business, CAT exposure management, quality underwriting decisions and territory performance in line with business strategy.  

Collaborates with industry business leaders and field underwriting teams to establish and maintain underwriting guidelines, authority, appetite, underwriting standards while developing strategies for retention and new business.   

Regularly collaborates with Risk Management and Claims teams to learn about trends and insights while making recommendations in underwriting practice, capabilities or service offerings. Monitors loss trends, regulatory changes, and emerging hazards for assigned industry segment(s) and assists in the implementation of continuous improvement strategies for stronger portfolio performance.   

Regularly collaborates with product/portfolio, line of business experts, underwriting capabilities, and inside/field underwriting leadership teams as it relates to executing on the assigned industry strategy. Collaborates with actuary to understand and refine pricing models aligned with assigned industry. Supports reinsurance placement and policy limits management.     

Fosters a continuous learning and development culture. Educates the field underwriting teams through industry segment(s) specific knowledge, including insurance principles, industry trends and risk factors.  Provides mentoring and coaching to the field underwriting teams.  Assists in the development and co-facilitation of training, capabilities, or enterprise-wide initiatives.  

Participates in broker visits and industry events to strengthen relationships and gain market insights. Interacts with key brokers, agents, and clients to build strong relationships as part of the stewardship process. Assists in the creation of industry white papers to advance technical competency.    

Completes underwriting quality reviews to confirm alignment with underwriting strategy and expectations for assigned industry segment(s). 

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.   

 

Reporting Relationships: AVP, Industry Segment, Middle Market 

 

Typical Skills and Experiences:   

 

Education: Undergraduate studies preferably in business or a related field, graduate studies preferred.  

License/Certification/Designation: CPCU, ARM or other industry designations preferred.         

 

Experience: Typically, 10+ years of Middle Market and/or other related commercial lines underwriting experience to include extensive technical understanding of assigned industry segment(s). 

 

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Comprehensive industry knowledge including underwriting, pricing, operations, producer management, competitive landscape and product development. Demonstrated ability to drive for results. Strong industry underwriting acumen. Strong competency in strategic and organizational agility while fostering a collaborative underwriting environment. Proven communication, collaboration, relationship management, influencing skills, customer focus and conflict resolution skills. Advanced level of industry underwriting expertise. Knowledge of commercial property & casualty products, finance and actuarial concepts; regulatory environment; reinsurance; account management. Strategic analyzing and problem solving of risks; decision making, courage; and innovation. Ability to communicate effectively while engaging and motivating people; negotiation; influencing others; focusing on service; managing and improving processes; executing, planning and organizing work. 

 

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 demonstrates Nationwide Values. 

 

Job Conditions:   

 

Overtime Eligibility: Exempt 

 

Working Conditions: Normal office environment or WFH with frequent travel. 

  

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job.  Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 01/10/2025. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at 888-944-2247.

For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range.

The national salary range for Technical Director, Middle Market Industry Segment - Commercial : $110,000.00-$212,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Technical Director, Middle Market Industry Segment - Commercial : $119,000.00 - $179,000.00