Chief External Relations Officer

NCCI•Boca Raton, FL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief External Relations Officer is a member of NCCI’s Executive Team and contributes broadly to the strategic direction, operating effectiveness, and long-term success of the organization. This leader helps shape both what NCCI delivers to the workers compensation system and how NCCI operates to deliver greater value, strengthen execution, and adapt to changing stakeholder needs. The Chief External Relations Officer provides executive leadership for both the Regulatory Division and Customer Operations Division. The role is stakeholder focused and strengthens alignment across NCCI’s regulatory, industry, carrier, bureau, residual market, and other customer-facing activities while preserving the distinct expertise, responsibilities, and accountabilities of each function. A core responsibility of the role is to develop and lead an integrated stakeholder engagement strategy. This includes ensuring NCCI has a comprehensive view of its relationships with regulators, carriers, agents and brokers, independent bureaus, legislators, industry associations, insureds, and other participants in the workers compensation system. The role ensures external perspectives, market intelligence, and stakeholder insights are understood, shared, and used to inform NCCI’s strategy, priorities, services, operations, and value proposition. Specific areas of responsibility include state regulatory and department of labor relations, legislative and government affairs, WCIO and bureau relations, residual market operations, affiliate / carrier services, as well as key customer-facing production areas including customer service, assigned risk, experience rating, ownership rulings, and related stakeholder-facing functions. The role also provides executive leadership for key stakeholder forums and events, including NCCI’s Annual Insights Symposium and Residual Market Forum. The Chief External Relations Officer works through experienced leaders with deep subject matter expertise and strong stakeholder relationships. The role is accountable for creating clarity, alignment, and accountability across the portfolio; developing leaders and teams; managing expenses and resources effectively; supporting appropriate revenue opportunities; and ensuring strong operational execution. Success in this role requires an enterprise-minded executive who can build trust, lead through influence, connect work across functions, surface and resolve enterprise issues, and help NCCI continue to evolve its role and value in the workers compensation system.

Requirements

Extensive background in the insurance industry with more than 20 years of experience, demonstrating a deep understanding of industry dynamics, trends, and regulations.
Proven track record working for a carrier or supporting carriers as customers and managing senior executive-level relationships within the insurance industry.
Strong understanding of the property and casualty insurance industry, with workers compensation experience strongly preferred.
Broad experience preferred in enterprise financials, operations, organizational/talent management, and regulatory compliance.
Proven expertise in leadership across multiple functions, along with depth in leading functional teams specializing in external stakeholder interactions.
Regulatory experience or meaningful exposure to insurance regulation, public policy, legislative processes, and government affairs.
Experience interacting in depth with a board of directors, either as a member of management or as a board member; able to effectively engage with and influence board-level decision processes.
Bachelor’s degree required in business or related area.
Enterprise-minded executive with the ability to contribute beyond functional responsibilities.
Potential to serve as a broader enterprise succession candidate.
Strong relationship orientation and credibility with regulators, carriers, agents and brokers, bureaus, legislators, trade associations, and internal leaders.
Comfortable serving as a visible representative of NCCI.
Ability to balance regulatory credibility, customer responsiveness, operational execution, and strategic value.
Strategic thinker with strong operational discipline, business judgment, and attention to execution.
AI-aware and prepared to identify and implement practical use cases that improve efficiency, stakeholder experience, and organizational effectiveness.
Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work across divisions and lead through influence.
Politically astute, with sound judgment and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics.
Demonstrated ability to develop leaders, mentor talent, build effective teams, and create clarity and accountability.
Boca Raton area -based or willing to relocate to the Boca Raton area to support frequent in-person collaboration.
Requires a drug screen and background check.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree and/or relevant certifications preferred.
CPCU or similar industry designation preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as an active member of the Executive Team, contributing to NCCI’s enterprise strategy, priorities, operating model, culture, and execution.
Partner with the President and CEO and Executive Team members on matters affecting carriers, regulators, independent bureaus, agents and brokers, legislators, industry groups, insureds, and other stakeholders.
Develop and lead an integrated carrier and other stakeholder engagement strategy that strengthens relationships, reinforces NCCI’s value, and defines market intelligence to inform enterprise strategy and investment decisions.
Maintain and strengthen NCCI’s credibility, neutrality, and trust with regulators and other public-sector stakeholders, including departments of insurance, departments of labor, legislatures, federal offices, NAIC, IAIABC, NCOIL, NCSL, and other regulatory and policy organizations.
Support achievement of NCCI’s annual rate and loss cost filing objectives by ensuring strong coordination among regulatory relations, state actuaries, legal, and other internal partners.
Partner with Legal and other internal stakeholders on state and national examinations of NCCI, including examination coordination, response, recommendations, and follow-through.
Provide executive leadership for residual market operations, including Pool and Plan Administration, assigned risk application processing, and related services.
Provide executive leadership for customer-facing operations, including experience rating production, ownership rulings, customer service center operations, and related processes.
Oversee relationships and coordination with independent bureaus, WCIO, industry trade associations, and relevant coalitions that support the health and effectiveness of the workers compensation system.
Oversee area-focused strategies, operating plans, project implementations, technology needs, service agreements, and internal/external interfaces in partnership with Information Technology and other enterprise partners.
Manage expenses, resources, service quality, revenue opportunities, and operational performance with discipline and a focus on long-term enterprise value.
Build and develop strong leaders and teams, fostering a culture of performance, accountability, agility, trust, collaboration, and stakeholder focus.