Title
Director, Program Business
Location
Morristown, NJ / Dallas, TX / Austin, TX
Reports To
Chief Program & Underwriting Officer, Spinnaker
About Hippo
Hippo was built on a promise to make homeownership effortless. Nearly a decade later, that mission still drives us. We use technology and data to help our customers stay ahead of problems and protect what matters most. Today, that same tech‑native approach powers our work beyond homeowners. Hippo operates as a diversified carrier platform, partnering with MGAs to deliver tailored program solutions that help them grow and deliver better customer experiences. Behind that work is a team that values ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
About You
We are seeking a committed, experienced, and energetic individual to join our team. This collaborative leadership role is accountable for program management and underwriting of a sub‑portfolio of programs within Spinnaker. The ideal candidate will be self‑motivated, a change leader that challenges and continuously improves existing processes and procedures, and a subject matter expert in personal lines, commercial lines, program management and compliance.
What You’ll Do
A Director, Program Business at Spinnaker will act as “CEO” of a number of Spinnaker programs. You will have primary P&L responsibility for the book of business, and you will be responsible for setting program annual goals which will include strategies and tactics for profit, growth, expense management, and allocation of catastrophe capacity. A key strategic part of the role is relationship management, and you will act as the primary interface with each program’s claims TPA, reinsurers and brokers.
Day‑to‑Day Responsibilities
- Represent your assigned programs as a member of the Spinnaker senior leadership team
- Accountable for ensuring your programs are in compliance with our contractual terms and all regulatory requirements
- State filing review and sign‑off along with broader program-specific teams
- Maintain quality and accuracy of the deal‑specific business terms
- Ensure each program meets strategic objectives as set by the CEO and senior leadership team
- Oversee onboarding checklist(s) for new programs assigned to you
- Oversee renewal strategy in collaboration with Finance and Operations
- Collaborate with Finance and Operations to ensure monthly reinsurer reporting is done correctly
- Collaborate with Finance and Operations to ensure account reconciliation, including review and approval of account balances due to MGAs/reinsurers
- Collaborate with Finance and Operations to ensure claims and treaty reporting, including review and approval of program‑specific claims and IBNR is done correctly
- Participate in the new business development process, in collaboration with the broader team
- Review potential new business opportunities
- Collaborate with the Hippo Reinsurance team to ensure specific reinsurance placements are done correctly and timely
- Participate in industry conferences/events, marketing and reinsurer visits as needed
Program‑Specific Responsibilities
- Overall P&L responsibility for programs in your portfolio; implement action steps to improve underwriting results as necessary
- Develop annual growth and profit plans for the program
- Develop and/or amend underwriting guidelines specific to each program
- Plan, manage, and evaluate work of program administrators/MGAs
- Develop and manage CAT management objectives, including PML management in conjunction with Hippo risk management department
- Direct responsibility for portfolio management of assigned programs including, but not limited to, management/allocation of limit accumulations, remediation or culling of unprofitable business, and oversight of remediation of MGAs with unsatisfactory audit results
- Work with program brokers and MGAs to place reinsurance specific to the program and coordinate with Hippo risk management department; ensure signed reinsurance agreements are loaded to contract database
- Collaborate with Spinnaker Claims department to monitor claim activity on program and act where appropriate (e.g., underwriting guidelines, forms development, claims operations)
Key Program Audit Responsibilities
- Conduct underwriting audits and quality reviews to validate compliance with all underwriting guidelines and quality standards
- Conduct termination and run‑off processes for discontinued programs
Must Haves
- 7+ years of risk management experience in personal and/or commercial insurance positions of increasing responsibility
- Proficiency with setting and negotiating reinsurance programs
- Experience with coverage analysis
- Understanding of technical claims proficiency and best claim practices
- Knowledge of insurance concepts such as contracts, policy forms, reinsurance, state regulation, and claims coverage
- Strong business acumen and ability to collaborate with other departments and stakeholders
- Demonstrated success in exercising independent decision‑making, problem‑solving, and negotiation competency
- Strong organizational and analytical skills, ability to conduct analysis on unstructured data
- Intermediate Excel skills
- Customer‑service and relationship orientation
Benefits and Perks
- Healthy Hippos Benefits —multiple medical plans to choose from and 100% employer‑covered dental & vision plans for our team members and their families. We also offer a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long‑term disability, employer‑paid life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts for health and dependent care, and an Employee Assistance Program.
- Equity —this position is eligible for equity compensation.
- Training and Career Growth —training and internal career growth opportunities.
- Flexible Time Off —you know when and how you should recharge.
- Little Hippos Program —we offer 12 weeks of parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers.
- Hippo Habitat —snacks and drinks available for onsite employees.
The Morristown, NJ base pay range for this role is $150,000 - $250,000. Exact compensation may vary based on several job‑related factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to: skill set, experience, education/training, location, business needs and market demands.
Hippo is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a team culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion.
Hippo’s applicants are considered solely based on their qualifications, without regard to an applicant’s disability or need for accommodation. Any Hippo applicant who requires reasonable accommodations during the application process should contact Hippo’s People Team to make the need for an accommodation known.
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