Head of Strategic Partnerships

First Acceptance•Dallas, TX

2d•Remote

About The Position

The Head of Strategic Partnerships is responsible for developing, managing, and expanding high-impact partnerships that drive profitable growth for First Acceptance’s insurance business. This role combines strategic vision, business development, and relationship management to identify new distribution opportunities, enhance existing partnerships, and position the company as a unique offering in the nonstandard auto market. You will collaborate closely with product, underwriting, claims, marketing, finance, and technology teams to deliver partnership solutions that improve customer acquisition, retention, and experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
8+ years of progressive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or distribution leadership within P&C insurance — nonstandard auto experience strongly preferred.
Proven success in building, negotiating, and managing partnerships with agencies, MGAs, or Insurtech’s.
Strong understanding of the nonstandard auto insurance market, including regulatory environment, pricing models, and customer acquisition channels.
Excellent negotiation, influencing, communication, and relationship management skills.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate insights into executable partnership strategies.
Strong analytical and financial acumen; able to assess partnership profitability (ROI modeling) and performance metrics.
Entrepreneurial mindset with a bias toward action and results in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
High level of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
Requires regular travel 30 - 50% of the work week
Must have an acceptable driving record
Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills with the ability to evaluate partnership profitability and build business cases
Familiarity with policy administration, quoting/rating, and agency management systems
Working knowledge of BI/reporting tools and data analysis
Understanding of API integrations and partner technology onboarding
Knowledge of insurance distribution compliance and regulatory requirements

Nice To Haves

MBA or related advanced degree preferred
nonstandard auto experience strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the company’s partnership strategy to support revenue, growth, and profitability goals.
Identify and evaluate potential distribution and affinity partners, including MGAs, brokers, digital agencies, Insurtech’s, nontraditional channels (e.g., gig platforms, auto dealers, lenders), as well as complementary services partnerships throughout the insurance vertical, such as MGUs, TPAs, etc.
Build and manage a structured pipeline of partnership opportunities aligned with corporate strategy and underwriting appetite.
Negotiate partnership agreements, ensuring alignment on commercial terms, performance metrics, and compliance standards.
Manage key existing relationships to optimize performance, deepen engagement, and expand collaboration scope.
Serve as the primary point of contact for strategic partners, ensuring smooth communication and issue resolution.
Work closely with underwriting, claims, actuarial, and product teams to design partnership-specific programs or distribution models.
Collaborate with product and analytics teams to track and report partnership performance and ROI.
Partner with IT and operations to ensure partner integrations (API, data feeds, quoting systems) meet technical and service expectations.
Monitor market trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes in the nonstandard auto segment.
Provide insights to inform executive strategy and help the company adapt to evolving distribution landscapes.
Actively representing the company at insurance industry conferences, partner events, and association forums to cultivate relationships and drive new business opportunities; regular attendance is an expectation of the role.
Maintain ongoing continuing education to stay current on regulatory requirements, market trends, and distribution innovations.