Commercial Surety - Manager, Underwriting Specialty (Remote)

The Hanover Insurance Group

1d•Remote

About The Position

For more than 170 years, The Hanover has been committed to delivering on our promises and being there when it matters the most. We live our values every day, demonstrating we CARE through our values, Sustainability initiatives and inclusive corporate culture. The Hanover’s Commercial Surety business unit is seeking an experienced Surety - Commercial Surety - Manager, UW Specialty who brings strong technical expertise, a sales-minded approach, and a collaborative spirit. This role is ideal for a relationship-driven professional who enjoys developing agency partnerships, identifying growth opportunities, and delivering tailored surety solutions that drive profitable results and is focused on Small Commercial Accounts and Transactional Surety. The Manager, UW Specialty, oversees an assigned book of business, with a primary focus on key agency relationships and accounts of increased complexity. This role is responsible for evaluating current and future staffing needs and providing the leadership, coaching, and development necessary to build and sustain a high‑performing team that supports business objectives across the West region. The Manager partners closely with agents and brokers to strengthen market presence and cultivate trusted, long‑term relationships. Success in this role depends on strong collaboration with leadership teams to consistently deliver high‑quality outcomes and exceptional service to our customers. The way we work continues to evolve. This role offers flexible work arrangements and may be hybrid or fully remote, with the ability to travel as needed to support agency engagement, market development, and key meetings throughout the West region. The position may be based in CA, OR, WA, AZ, UT,ID or CO. At The Hanover, our culture is grounded in our Care Values—we care about our people, our customers, and the communities we serve. We foster an inclusive, supportive environment where experienced professionals are empowered to make decisions, share ideas, and grow their careers while working together toward shared goals. The Hanover is a diverse and inclusive organization committed to attracting, developing, and retaining top talent. We believe diverse perspectives and experiences strengthen our teams, our performance, and the relationships we build every day. This role resides within Commercial Surety areas of the Specialty division. Underwrites, manages, and coaches team of Underwriters within defined territory, with support and guidance from regional management. Provides oversight on day-to-day underwriting functions. Collaborates with underwriting assistants, manages assigned book of business, primarily with key agents and increased level of complexity. Responsible for assessing the present and future resource needs for employees and provide the leadership, mentoring and guidance necessary to build and sustain a high performing workforce. This is a full-time, exempt role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and surety experience.
Minimum of 7+ years of experience underwriting a broad range of commercial surety bonds and building agency relationships resulting in profitable new and renewal business.
Acts as a change advocate and is open to new and different ways of thinking.
Effective problem solver, who anticipates issues, seeks out and analyzes information collaboratively to propose solutions. Takes ownership for a successful resolution
High degree of business, commercial surety, and marketplace knowledge
Excellent communication skills are essential; effective face-to-face interactions and presentations to groups, as well as strong phone skills, along with sound written communications, including impeccable follow through
Ability to effectively coach and develop others
Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate and influence across multiple levels of the organization within senior and field management and underwriters.
Analytical Thinking
Influencing Others
Results Orientation
Agile and Adaptive
Talent Management

Nice To Haves

Professional designations are strongly preferred
Bachelor’s degree

Responsibilities

Knows and applies advanced underwriting concepts including risk selection, exposure and hazard identification and control, coverage implications, and loss analysis.
Understands pricing components and rating methodology and correlates pricing to exposure, financial and competitive analysis.
Adheres to UW guidelines and underwriting discipline to minimize exposure and appropriately price.
Effectively identifies root cause and brings forth solutions to problems.
Participates in referrals and consultations from UAs and UWs within assigned territory
Reviews key metrics and uncovers trends that may lead to new business opportunities with agents while achieving profitable growth in accordance with business strategies.
Understands the relationship between changes in business strategies and financial results (e.g., loss ratio’s, premium, retention, and non-rate and book mix strategies).
Keeps current on state/territory issues, regulations, and trends.
Coaching and mentoring the territory UW team, providing business direction, driving UW actions towards our business objectives, training, and development of employees.
Underwriting management, development, and execution of specific territorial business plan strategies, including territorial business cultivation and agency management.
Manage agency related functions for personal book of business.
Involvement in key new business and renewals.
Stays current with and ensures team adheres to underwriting best practices and guidelines.
Oversee the operational and technical work of the team and where applicable implement claim handling best practices.
Managing underwriters, coaching, and mentoring, providing business direction, driving UW actions towards our business objectives, training, and development of employees.
In partnership with the Director or AVP provides ongoing team leadership including Underwriting, performance coaching, development, and engagement, talent hiring, selection and progressive performance management if needed.
Conducts formal/informal training sessions on Small Commercial Surety accounts and Transactional surety or emerging issues in order to help elevate the level of underwriting expertise in the team.
Drives underwriting quality through the self-review process.
Collaborates with Operations to execute best practices, including optimizing productivity and managing service and quality with agents.
Identifies and develops talent pipeline.
Demonstrates a willingness to consistently enhance team performance.