Head of Independent Agent Channel

Summary: This role owns our independent agency channel in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota, with more states to come as we expand. The first job is building a team: hiring the people who work directly with agencies in each state. Once that team is in place, this role manages agency relationships, grows our existing territories, and leads potential expansion into new states.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Team Building - Hire and build the field team in SD, NE, and MN. Define territories, headcount, and roles. As new states come online, scope what the team needs to look like and hire ahead of launch.
• Agency Strategy and Appointments - Set the agency strategy for each state: which agencies to target, appointment criteria, and how fast to grow.
• Relationship Management - Own our relationships with appointed agencies. Set a regular contact cadence, build agency plans, and step in when a relationship needs leadership attention.
• Production & Growth - Set production goals by territory and agency. Work with the field team to grow quoting, new business, and retention.
• Compensation and Profit Sharing - Lead design of commission and profit-sharing programs with Actuarial and Finance. Make sure agencies understand how they’re paid and what drives it.
• Licensing & Compliance - Make sure appointments and licensing are handled correctly in every state, including new ones.
• Reporting & KPIs - Work with the sales analyst to define KPIs and reports that give the field clear visibility into production, retention, and growth opportunities.
• Business Reviews - Take part in regular business reviews to discuss results and grow agent force production.
• Underwriting Alignment - Work closely with Underwriting so the field team and agencies understand our appetite and bring us business we want to write.
• Cross-Channel Coordination - Coordinate with the captive channel leader on anything that touches both channels, so agencies and captive agents aren’t working against each other in the same markets.