About us:
Good things are happening at Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies. We provide Property & Casualty insurance products and services through a nationwide network of independent agents and brokers. Our companies are all rated A+ “Superior” by AM Best (the leading independent insurance rating organization) and ultimately owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway group – one of the financially strongest organizations in the world! Headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, PA, we employ over 1,000 individuals (and growing) and have offices across the country. Our vision is to be a leading small business insurance provider nationwide.
Founded upon an exceptional culture and led by a collaborative and inclusive management team, our company’s success is grounded in our core values: accountability, service, integrity, empowerment, and diversity. We are always in search of talented individuals to join our team and embark on an exciting career path
Benefits:
We are an equal opportunity employer that strives to maintain a work environment that is welcoming and enriching for all. You’ll be surprised by all we have to offer!
The Director of Underwriting Operations will lead and oversee critical underwriting support functions, managing three core teams: Underwriting Operations, Underwriting Services, and Policy Services. This position is integral to driving operational efficiency, ensuring exceptional service delivery, and enabling processes across the underwriting lifecycle. The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of commercial insurance operations, a strategic mindset, and proven leadership skills to optimize team performance and enhance policyholder and agent satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership & Strategy:
o Lead the operational management of the three service teams, ensuring that all processes, systems, and workflows, and staffing are optimized for efficiency and customer satisfaction.
o Define and implement operational strategies, ensuring they align with the company’s overall objectives and customer experience goals.
o Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize and reduce operational costs and enhance service delivery.
o Collaborate with Underwriting to build a support team responsible for submission clearance, accurate data entry and verification, follow-up on missing information, agent communications, processing bind requests and assisting with special projects.
Performance Monitoring & Reporting:
o Set key performance indicators (KPIs) for the teams, including service level agreements (SLAs), first contact resolution (FCR), average handling time (AHT), and customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores (where applicable).
o Monitor daily and weekly performance metrics and adjust as necessary to meet or exceed targets.
o Develop and maintain regular performance reports, highlighting areas of success and opportunities for improvement.
o Use data-driven insights to optimize team performance and drive improvements in customer interactions.
Resource Management:
o Manage staffing, ensuring appropriate coverage to meet demands while maintaining cost-efficiency.
o Work closely with HR/Training/Workforce Management to develop effective hiring, training, and retention strategies to build a skilled and motivated team.
o Collaborate workforce management (WFM) processes, including scheduling, forecasting, and managing absenteeism to ensure operational efficiency.
o Manage relationships with BPO partners and monitor performance.
Strategic Data Driven Decision Support:
o Translate data into actionable insights that drive business strategies and initiatives.
o Provide data-driven recommendations that improve operational efficiencies and business performance.
o Use data to assess the potential impact of different business strategies, scenarios, or decisions and guide recommendations accordingly.
o Collaborate with business teams to implement data-driven initiatives and track their performance over time.
Process Improvement & Technology:
o Implement and refine workflows and processes to enhance operational efficiency and minimize bottlenecks.
o Continuously evaluate and enhance underwriting operational processes, workflow, and technologies to drive productivity and regulatory compliance.
o Stay current with the latest technology, tools, and software solutions that can improve operational performance, such as CRM systems, omnichannel support platforms, and AI-driven automation tools.
o Champion the adoption and integration of new technologies to enhance both customer experience and operational efficiency.
o Regularly review the business’s data needs and work with stakeholders to improve data collection methods, reporting processes, and analytical techniques.
Customer/Agent Experience Optimization:
o Ensure seamless customer/agent experience by developing and monitoring quality assurance programs, ensuring that all interactions are handled with professionalism, empathy, and efficiency.
o Oversee escalation processes, ensuring that complex or high-priority customer issues are resolved promptly and effectively.
o Work with the customer/agent experience team to identify customer pain points and implement solutions to resolve them.
Team Development & Leadership:
o Lead, motivate team leaders and agents, fostering a high-performance culture that focuses on customer satisfaction and operational excellence.
o Provide coaching, feedback, and career development opportunities to ensure team members are engaged and performing at their best.
o Implement training programs to continuously improve the skills and capabilities of the contact center staff.
o Foster an environment of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
Performance Management:
o Goal Setting and Alignment: Set appropriate goals and effectively performance manage supervisors and team members. Ensure that individual and team goals contribute to overall company success.
o Coaching and Development: Provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and support to employees to help them meet performance expectations and achieve their career development goals. Identify skill gaps and facilitate appropriate training opportunities.
o Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs): Work with managers to design and implement performance improvement plans for employees who do not meet expectations. Provide guidance and follow-up to ensure progress is made.
o Conduct Performance Reviews: Lead and facilitate regular performance reviews, providing clear and actionable feedback. Work with managers to assess individual contributions, recognize achievements, and identify areas for improvement
Budgeting & Financial Management (if applicable):
o Develop and manage the operations budget, ensuring that costs are controlled while maintaining high service levels.
o Identify cost-saving opportunities through process efficiencies, technology adoption, and other operational improvements.
o Conduct regular reviews of expenses and financial performance, making recommendations for adjustments when necessary.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
o Collaborate with other departments such as IT, Marketing, Sales, Product, Underwriting and contact center to ensure alignment and integration of new initiatives.
o Provide feedback and insights to other teams regarding product/service improvements based on customer/agent interactions.
o Serve as a liaison between senior leadership and underwriting operations, ensuring that operational strategies are aligned with broader business goals.
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