Senior Director Distribution Management

Let’s care for tomorrow.

Your ambitions.  Your dreams.  Your tomorrow.

At Allianz Commercial (AzC), we are the global leader for insuring corporate and specialty risks in the Allianz Group.  Whether it’s aircraft, satellites, the world’s biggest ships and tallest building, cyber-attacks or climate change impacts, AzC has the major risks covered when it comes to protecting businesses.

We are looking for a Senior Director Distribution Manager to be based in Chicago.

The Impact You Will Have

Reporting to the Regional Head of Middle Market Distribution NA, you will join the team as Director, Distribution Management.  You will be responsible for business development and relationship management with regional and national brokers, while working internally with Strategic Relationship Leaders, lines of business, and service-related functions such as Claims, Risk Control, etc. to deliver the ALLIANZ COMMERCIAL (AzC) value proposition.  We are looking for a motivated, self-starter who is passionate and can exemplify a customer-centric culture at AzC and willing to challenge the status quo.

Some of your specific responsibilities include:

• Proactively manage the business development process and strengthen local and regional (broking/leadership/executive) relationships with key distribution partners
• Scheduling and chairing regular development meetings and capability pitches with assigned brokers in order to facilitate a flow of high-quality  (in-appetite) new business prospects.
• Facilitate broker’s understanding of AzC underwriting appetites and capabilities and act as point of access to AzC for broker enquiries
• Utilize a systematic and disciplined engagement approach to increase AzC profile and promote AzC as preferred insurer amongst key broker partners
• Strategically align AzC underwriters, leaders, products, and services based on the broker’s regional/local structure & hierarchies, organizational charts, industry vertical and/or product specialties, and other key contacts.
• Manage all broker matters via the AzC CRM platform (Salesforce). 
• Successfully increase AzC "Size of Wallet", meeting New/Upsell and Cross Sell targets as per local and regional sales plans for key brokerages
• Achieve new business, growth, retention, and profitability ratios per North American and Regional broker sales plan for assigned brokers
• Proactively engage in dialogue with brokers to identify and deliver Upsell and Cross Sell opportunities; develop, maintain, and execute pipelining activity where applicable to improve submission and quote ratio of agreed target lists
• Collaborate with Strategic Relationship Leaders to develop and manage top-down and bottom-up strategic planning to facilitate local/regional execution.
• Monthly deep-dive analysis of portfolio to provide insight & develop expertise, ensure on-going execution of plan, and facilitate directional steering per corporate and local business plans.
• Collaborate with product leadership and underwriters to prioritize joint activity, engagement, and visibility to ensure delivery of business goals.
• Through regular dialogue with various lines of business, facilitate and enhance AzC offering to key broking partners. 
• Support and execute Marketing initiatives as appropriate, such as Net Promoter Score, segmentation, product development, development of value proposition, contribution to broker sales plan, etc.

What You’ll Bring to the Role

• 5+ years of experience and a proven track record of Underwriting or Development role in industrial / specialty insurance business. Specialized knowledge in various Lines of Business and existing, relevant broker relationships preferred.
• Significant experience of delivering in an analytical role (sales environment, controlling roles or similar). Robust knowledge in at least one trade sector
• Significant demonstrable experience of fostering long term, profitable relationships at senior level in broker and client organizations
• Successful track record of prospecting new clients in industrial / specialty insurance segment.
• Experience with Multi-national Insurance and MGU/MGA “Programs” Business preferred
• Experience working in complex, global matrix organization a plus
• Advanced ability to analyze data and implement tools and methodologies to develop market, competitor, and client insight
• Advanced knowledge of medium risks and specialty risk insurance. Ability to utilize experience to implement best practice in channel management
• Ability to define value proposition and client differentiation strategies in various sales situations
• Ability to articulate businesses on the AzC multi-line offering and benefits
• Degree required, in e.g., Econo