Senior Account Manager, Contract Surety

Position Summary:  The Senior Account Manager, Contract Surety is an experienced surety professional responsible for independently managing a portfolio of commercial and/or contract surety accounts, including accounts of increased complexity.

This position combines strong account-management capabilities with established technical surety knowledge and is expected to anticipate client needs, identify potential issues, and proactively coordinate solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  None

Essential Tasks:

• Independently manage an assigned portfolio of commercial and/or contract surety accounts
• Maintain client/account responsibilities appropriate to experience, capacity, and team structure
• Handle complex bond requests, renewals, continuations, riders, and related transactions
• Develop a thorough understanding of client operations, bond programs, and carrier relationships
• Prepare complete underwriting submissions
• Communicate independently with clients and carrier partners
• Review bond forms, contracts, and specifications for unusual requirements
• Review financial and underwriting information and recognize relevant trends or concerns
• Independently manage multiple client accounts, bond requests, renewals, deadlines, and competing priorities with accuracy and appropriate follow-through
• Assist with financial statements, WIP schedules, backlog, and other underwriting information
• Proactively manage renewals, open bond activity, and underwriting requirements
• Partner with producers and Account Executives on client and carrier meetings
• Exercise independent judgment and recognize situations requiring escalation
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows and client service
• Serve as a technical and procedural resource to less-experienced team members
• Support onboarding, training, and mentoring as appropriate

Core Competencies:

• Leadership: Display leadership skills and ability to motivate fellow employees
• Ability to Analyze and Solve Problems: Skill in recognizing challenges, exploring options, and implementing effective solutions in a timely manner
• Attention to Detail: A strong focus on completing tasks and projects accurately and thoroughly
• Communication Skills: Capable of expressing ideas clearly in both verbal and written forms and engaging with various audiences
• Timely Task Completion: Ability to finish tasks and projects efficiently, managing resources and priorities effectively
• Team Collaboration: Willingness to work together with others, promoting teamwork and supporting shared goals
• Client Focus: Dedication to understanding and addressing the needs of clients and stakeholders to ensure their satisfaction
• Dependability: Acknowledgment of the importance of being present and punctual
• Creative Thinking: Openness to suggesting new ideas and methods to improve processes and outcome
• Organizational Skills: Capability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Adaptability: Willingness to adjust to changing situations and priorities, showing resilience in a dynamic work environment
• Problem Solving & Judgment: Ability to recognize issues, evaluate options, exercise sound judgment, and resolve problems effectively and timely

Experience and Education: 

• 3 - 5 years of Surety insurance experience including bond forms, underwriting requirements, carrier processes, and surety documentation
• Working knowledge of financial statements and surety underwriting information, with the ability to identify and communicate relevant information to producers and carrier partners

Licensing and Credentials: 

• Active General Lines or Property & Casualty License required
• AFSB (Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding) designation preferred, or candidates open to pursuing the designation as part of their professional development

Systems:

• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Erlon and Applied Epic experience preferred, but knowledge of similar Account Management System (AMS) is acceptable
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize agency, surety, and other business technology and adapts readily to new systems and tools

Location:

• Hybrid work schedule will be considered for qualified candidates (must live a commutable distance from office location). 

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift 25 pounds
• Repeated use of sight to read documents and computer screens
• Repeated use of hearing and speech to communicate on telephone and in person
• Repetitive hand movements, such as keyboarding, writing, 10-key
• Walking, bending, sitting, reaching and stretching in all directions

Benefits and Compensation: 

• Higginbotham offers medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, 401(k), equity incentive plan as well as multiple supplemental benefits for physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing
• Employee Wellness Program 
• Company paid holidays, plus PTO 

Notice to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: To protect the interests of all parties, Higginbotham Insurance Agency, Inc., and our partners, will not accept unsolicited potential placements from any source other than directly from the candidate or a vendor partner under MSA with Higginbotham. Please do not contact or send unsolicited potential placements to our team members.

*Applications will be accepted until the position is filled