Sr. Sales Development Representative - Personal Lines (Orange County Territory)

Mercury Insurance - Costa Mesa, CA

Full-time

Costa Mesa, CA

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

About the position

Join an amazing team that is consistently recognized for our achievements and culture, including our most recent Forbes award for being one of America's Best Midsize Employers for 2024! This role supports an Orange County Territory, and candidates must physically reside in the Territory. The primary job function is to maintain and build the relationship between the Company and the agency force in an assigned outside territory. This position serves as the primary liaison to the agency force, which includes increasing sales, profitability management, training agents on Company systems, products, and processes, as well as prospecting and appointing new agency partners within their territory. The essential job functions include being responsible for the growth and profitability management of an assigned territory. The role requires developing expertise in Mercury's Commercial products, platforms, and services to provide solutions for our agents. The candidate will motivate and inspire the assigned agency plant to achieve new business growth, a mix of business, retention, and profitability goals. Creating sales visit plans and completing effective in-person sales visits within the assigned territory is crucial to drive the new business required to meet financial goals and sales call objectives. Additionally, the candidate will provide feedback and recommendations to management concerning market conditions, service levels, and the effectiveness of Company programs. Responding to telephone and written correspondence, comments, questions, and concerns from agents and/or customers is also part of the role. Participation in advanced studies through seminars/courses to contribute and apply expanded knowledge is encouraged. The candidate will assist with interviews and/or train newly hired employees as needed, establish a path to achieve semi-annual/annual production goals while managing profitability, and review and monitor agent production reports, loss ratios, and hold performance discussions to improve and drive new business growth. The role also involves promoting products and programs to ensure understanding of Company philosophy, procedures, and practices, collecting competitive intelligence and industry trends, and providing feedback and recommendations to management. Occasional attendance at Regional and State meetings, group conventions, and/or agent-related tradeshows is expected, along with interviewing and recruiting agents for new agency appointments. The candidate will analyze and consider current business operations to develop recommendations and show initiative and the ability to resolve a variety of complex issues with minimal supervision from their leader. Consistently assisting management with special assignments outside of established responsibilities is also part of the job. Territorial responsibilities may require occasional overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and build relationships with the agency force in an assigned territory.
• Increase sales and manage profitability within the assigned territory.
• Train agents on Company systems, products, and processes.
• Prospect and appoint new agency partners within the territory.
• Create sales visit plans and conduct effective in-person sales visits.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to management regarding market conditions and service levels.
• Respond to correspondence and inquiries from agents and customers.
• Participate in advanced studies to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Assist with interviews and training of newly hired employees.
• Establish paths to achieve semi-annual and annual production goals.
• Review and monitor agent production reports and hold performance discussions.
• Promote products and programs to ensure understanding of Company policies and practices.
• Collect competitive intelligence and industry trends for management feedback.
• Attend Regional and State meetings, conventions, and tradeshows as needed.
• Interview and recruit agents for new agency appointments.
• Analyze current business operations to develop recommendations.
• Resolve complex issues with minimal supervision.
• Assist management with special assignments outside of established responsibilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record required.
• At least 5 years of experience in marketing, especially in the Property & Casualty Insurance industry, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Exhibit leadership skills recognized by management and peers.
• High level of professional written and phone communication skills.
• Ability to interact professionally with agencies and team members.
• Strong organization and time management skills.
• Ability to motivate, monitor, and develop assigned agencies.
• Negotiating and mediating skills to achieve resolutions.
• Ability to analyze complex reports and multi-task projects.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products.