Jobs at Gregory & Appel (Now Hiring) — 2 open

Description

The Operations Manager, Commercial Lines leads and supports the commercial lines service team in delivering high-quality, proactive service to clients while driving retention, renewal excellence, and operational scalability. This role is responsible for ensuring a consistent, efficient service model across a diverse portfolio of accounts, typically characterized by multi-line coverage, moderate complexity, and relationship-driven service expectations.

Blending strategic leadership with hands-on execution, this individual partners closely with producers and leadership to align service delivery with growth objectives. The Operations Manager plays a critical role in optimizing workflows, strengthening carrier engagement, and leveraging data and technology to improve both team performance and client outcomes.

This role oversees the day-to-day operations of the commercial lines operations team, including account management, renewal lifecycle execution, and client service standards. The Manager ensures operational discipline, E&O compliance, and consistency in service delivery while building a team capable of supporting sustainable mid-market growth.

A strong people leader, the Operations Manager develops and coaches account managers and service professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, responsiveness, adaptability and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operations of the commercial lines service team supporting a mid-market book of business, ensuring timely and accurate execution of all service activities
• Drive a disciplined renewal process, including pre-renewal strategy, exposure updates, marketing/remarketing, and carrier negotiations
• Partner with producers to support new business onboarding, ensuring smooth transitions and strong first-year client experiences
• Standardize and optimize workflows to support efficiency, consistency, and scalability across mid-market accounts
• Ensure adherence to agency management system standards, documentation protocols, and risk management best practices
• Monitor key operational and service metrics (retention, renewal timelines, activity management, revenue per account manager, backlog) and take action to improve results
• Oversee file audits and quality assurance processes to ensure compliance and service excellence
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with carrier partners to support competitive placement and service responsiveness
• Champion the use of technology, automation, and best practices to enhance the client and employee experience

People Leadership & Development

• Evaluate staffing needs based on book segmentation, revenue growth, and service complexity; recommend hiring and structure accordingly
• Onboard, and develop account managers and client service team members aligned to a mid-market service model
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and performance standards tied to service timelines, accuracy, and client experience
• Provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and performance management to elevate individual and team performance
• Support career pathing and skill development, including technical coverage knowledge, client advisory skills, and efficiency in service delivery
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and client-focused team environment

Operational & Financial Management

• Support annual planning and budgeting processes; manage departmental expenses in alignment with financial targets
• Balance workloads and capacity across the team to ensure service standards are consistently met
• Improve operational efficiency by reducing rework, managing backlog, and enhancing process discipline
• Contribute to profitability through strong retention, efficient service delivery, and effective resource utilization

Client & Business Impact

• Maintains a strong partnership with our Sales Leadership to ensure client service strategy is executed with excellence.
• Oversee service delivery for a team servicing mid-market commercial lines accounts, ensuring a consultative yet efficient client experience
• Act as an escalation point for complex service issues, renewals, or client concerns
• May maintain a small, strategic book of business or selectively engage in key client relationships
• May support new business efforts through exposure analysis, coverage review, and quoting/rating as needed
• Partner with leadership to continuously refine the mid-market service model and enhance client satisfaction and retention

Qualifications & Experience

• 3-7 years of commercial lines insurance experience, with strong knowledge of mid-market accounts, multi-line coverages, and carrier markets
• 3 years of leadership experience (preferred), including direct management of account managers or client service teams
• Demonstrated success leading teams in a fast-paced agency environment, with accountability for service standards, retention, and operational performance
• Strong understanding of renewal processes, marketing/remarketing strategies, and client lifecycle management
• Experience with agency management systems and leveraging technology to drive efficiency and reporting
• Proven ability to analyze metrics, manage workflows, and implement process improvements
• Excellent communication, coaching, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence both peers and senior leadership