Founding Head of Markets

Hedge Specialty•San Francisco, CA

18h

About The Position

Hedge is hiring a founding Head of Markets to build and operate the market-access foundation behind its distribution platform. The role owns carrier and MGA appointments, capacity strategy, appetite coverage, producer codes, portal access, submission routes, and the operational readiness required to place business. It is distinct from strategic distribution partnerships. The Head of Markets will build a market strategy around agency demand, appetite gaps, and placement economics; source and negotiate relationships across carriers, MGAs, MGUs, programs, and delegated authority; and turn appointments and agreements into working placement channels. The role partners with brokers, underwriting, product, and compliance, maintains clear records of authority and operational constraints, and measures placement performance to improve the portfolio. Success includes establishing a source-of-truth view of markets, authority, and gaps within the first 30 days; advancing a ranked appointment and activation pipeline by day 60; activating meaningful new capacity and improving placement readiness by day 90; and building a differentiated portfolio with measurable utilization and economics within 12 months. The position works directly with the founders and may be based in San Francisco or remotely within the United States. Regular travel for market and team work is expected.

Requirements

Strong market relationships and the ability to turn agreements into working placement channels.
Technical insurance judgment.
Ability to distinguish appointment, authority, portal access, appetite, submission route, and bind capability.
Operational ownership and follow-through.

Responsibilities

Build a market strategy based on agency demand, appetite gaps, and placement economics.
Source and negotiate carrier, MGA, MGU, program, and delegated-authority relationships.
Drive appointment, contracting, producer-code, portal, and submission-route activation.
Maintain clear records of authority, appetite, commission, and operational constraints.
Partner with brokers, underwriting, product, and compliance to make market access usable.
Measure placement performance and continuously improve the market portfolio.
Establish a source-of-truth view of current markets, authority, and gaps within the first 30 days.
Advance a ranked appointment and activation pipeline by day 60.
Activate meaningful new capacity and improve placement readiness by day 90.
Build a differentiated portfolio of markets with measurable utilization and economics within 12 months.