Director of Carrier Relations

SUMMARY

The Director of Carrier Relations operates across four primary responsibility areas. Each connects directly to the agency's revenue, market access, and operational effectiveness.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS)

Carrier Strategy and Relationship Management

Own the identification, prioritization, and management of Unity's top carrier partnerships. This includes:

• Identify and maintain a tiered carrier roster - distinguishing strategic partners from transactional markets, and aligning production accordingly.

• Establish and execute a structured meeting cadence with top carrier territory representatives - monthly in-person reviews, quarterly strategy sessions, and ongoing communication.

• Serve as the agency's primary point of contact for carrier relationship escalations, underwriting dialogue, and appetite conversations.

• Build carrier relationships that give Unity preferential access, early visibility into appetite changes, and a seat at the table during underwriting exceptions.

• Negotiate and manage carrier contracts, profit share agreements, and appointment terms in coordination with operations leadership.

Profit Share and Performance Management

Profit share is one of the highest-leverage revenue opportunities available to the agency. This role owns it end-to-end.

• Own the annual profit share target - currently $1M - and build the tracking infrastructure that gives leadership visibility into progress throughout the year.

• Develop and maintain reporting that monitors agency performance against profit share thresholds by carrier, including loss ratio trends, premium volume, and retention patterns.

• Proactively identify accounts or books of business that represent profit share risk, and work with Operations and Sales to mitigate those risks before renewal.

• Minimize profit share disruptions by flagging deteriorating accounts early and coordinating remediation strategies across the producer and operations teams.

• Complete carrier lock-ins and profit share elections on schedule each year, ensuring no opportunity is lost to administrative failure.

Agency Performance Reporting and Analysis

Data is the foundation of a strong carrier relationship. This role owns the reporting and analysis that tells the agency's performance story to carriers - and that drives internal behavior change.

• Build and maintain a carrier performance reporting system that tracks agency results by carrier, by line of business, and against profit share thresholds.

• Produce monthly carrier performance reports for leadership, summarizing production, loss ratios, retention, and profit share progress.

• Analyze carrier performance data to identify gaps, trends, and opportunities - and translate that analysis into actionable recommendations for Sales and Operations.

• Ensure that carrier reporting is not just backward-looking but forward-facing - anticipating where performance is heading and enabling early course correction.

Market Access and Appetite Management

The agency's ability to serve clients depends on having the right markets available at the right time. This role ensures Unity has consistent, reliable access to the markets it needs.

• Monitor carrier appetite changes across commercial, personal, and employee benefits lines and communicate changes to producers and operations teams proactively.

• Maintain and expand appointment relationships across key carrier partners, ensuring Unity has the market breadth to serve its client base across Oklahoma and Texas.

• Identify gaps in market access - segments, geographies, or risk types where Unity lacks adequate carrier options - and develop a plan to address them.

• Develop the annual carrier strategy and planning framework each Q4, including prioritization criteria, growth targets by carrier, and market access objectives.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESONSIBILITIES

• Any other duties assigned by the Supervisor or investment representatives.

• Completes all required compliance exams on a yearly basis.

• Adherence to all First United Policies and Procedures.

• Dresses Professionally.

EMPLOYEE SPECIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Work Experience

• High School diploma or GED equivalent.

• College degree preferred.

• Knowledge of the Insurance industry and emerging trends preferred.

• Must obtain and maintain applicable licensing.

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and meet deadlines.

• 10 or more years in management consulting and/or strategic partnerships, preferably within the insurance or technology industry.

Technical/Functional Competencies

• Proficient in PC operating systems.

• Proficient in Microsoft office.

• Knowledge of and experience with Insurance Carrier websites.

• Knowledge of and experience with Comparative rater websites.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels of the organization.

• Process and detail oriented.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing business priorities.

• Ability to work under pressure.

• Organizational and time management skills.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Confident manner.

This position follows a 41 workweek and is an inoffice role based in our Plano, Texas office. Employees are expected to be onsite four days per week and may work remotely one day per week.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

If any applicant is unable to complete an application or respond to a job opening because of a disability, please email us at HR@firstunitedbank.com for assistance.