Senior Territory Sales Manager - South Carolina

Title: Senior Territory Sales Manager – South Carolina (candidate must reside in territory - Eastern SC)

Summary of Position:

We are seeking a seasoned, dynamic, and results-driven Territory Sales Manager to lead our property insurance sales efforts across South Carolina as we launch a new carrier in the state.

The ideal candidate will bring an established network of independent insurance agents throughout South Carolina, a strong understanding of the state’s property insurance market, and a proven track record of developing profitable agency relationships. This role is responsible for building market presence, driving new business, increasing market share, and establishing the carrier as a valued partner within the South Carolina insurance community.

The Territory Sales Manager will develop and execute strategic territory and agency plans aligned with company growth and profitability objectives. This individual must be highly relationship-oriented, technologically savvy, flexible, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.

This is a field-based role requiring regular in-person engagement with agency partners and travel throughout the assigned territory, supplemented by virtual meetings based on agency needs and geographic considerations. The Territory Sales Manager must reside within the designated territory.

Essential Job FunctionsTerritory Strategy & Sales Management
Take ownership of the South Carolina territory and establish a strong market presence for the new carrier.
Leverage existing agency relationships and industry connections to identify, recruit, and prioritize high-potential independent agency partners.
Develop and execute comprehensive territory and agency sales plans aligned with company growth, production, retention, and profitability objectives.
Establish and maintain a strategic mix of agency partners based on market opportunity, production potential, profitability, and long-term partnership value.
Achieve or exceed territory goals for new policy issuance, new written premium, retention, market penetration, and profitability.
Develop strategic sales call plans that prioritize high-value agency relationships and create a consistent pipeline of target-market business.
Regularly evaluate agency performance, including new business, quoting activity, retention, and loss ratio, and develop action plans as needed.
Prioritize agency opportunities across strategic partners, larger agency groups, emerging agencies, and agencies with untapped production capacity.
Continuously evaluate market conditions and adjust territory strategies to maximize growth opportunities.

Agency Development & Relationship Management
Cultivate, maintain, and expand strong relationships with independent insurance agents and agency leadership.
Leverage an existing South Carolina agency network to accelerate market entry and establish new carrier relationships.
Prospect for and develop relationships with new agency partners to expand distribution and market share.
Conduct impactful in-person and virtual sales meetings with agency owners, producers, and key decision-makers.
Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic business partner, helping agencies identify opportunities to grow their personal lines business profitably.
Provide agents with tools, resources, product knowledge, market insights, and value-added strategies to help them compete effectively.
Help agencies understand and communicate the carrier’s unique value proposition, emphasizing value, coverage, service, and long-term partnership rather than price alone.
Identify agency-specific growth opportunities and develop strategies to increase production and profitability.
Participate in state and local insurance association meetings, industry events, and other networking opportunities to build brand awareness and strengthen relationships.
Serve as a brand champion and ambassador within the South Carolina insurance market.
Maintain a minimum of 15 high-quality agency visits per week, with a focus on meaningful engagement with agency leadership and staff.
Document agency visit activity and follow-up notes in the designated CEM or sales management system no later than 10:00 a.m. the following Monday.
Stay current on South Carolina property insurance market conditions, regulatory developments, competitive activity, industry trends, and emerging opportunities.
Gather, organize, and communicate meaningful competitive intelligence regarding key existing and emerging carriers operating within the territory.
Identify market niches and opportunities where the carrier’s products can provide a competitive advantage.
Use data and available technology to monitor agency performance, identify trends, and make informed business decisions.

Product Knowledge & Agency Training
Maintain a strong working knowledge of company products, coverage options, underwriting guidelines, systems, and competitive positioning.
Conduct new agency onboarding, product training, system training, and ongoing education for agency partners.
Communicate product updates, system enhancements, underwriting changes, and other company initiatives effectively.
Provide agencies with practical strategies to identify and capture profitable business within target markets.
Educate agency partners on market opportunities, including the needs and preferences of mature and preferred personal lines customers.
Ensure agents understand how to effectively position the carrier based on value, coverage, service, and appetite.

Internal Collaboration
Work closely with Underwriting, Marketing, Agency Resources, Agency Success, Claims, Customer Service, and other internal teams to create a seamless agency experience.
Collaborate with internal teams to assist with territory projects/planning/initiatives while strengthening the overall partnership.
Communicate agency feedback and market intelligence internally to help influence product, service, and business strategies.
Leverage internal resources, sales initiatives, marketing programs, compensation opportunities, training, and technology to drive agency growth and profitability.
Support broader company initiatives and assist other departments as needed.

Minimum Requirements & Competencies
Established network of independent insurance agency relationships throughout South Carolina is strongly preferred and considered a key qualification.
Proven experience in property insurance sales, business development, agency management, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant sales, business development, marketing, analytics, or insurance experience preferred; a combination of education, professional designations, and experience may be considered.
Property and/or personal lines insurance experience strongly preferred.
In-depth knowledge of the South Carolina insurance market, including agency dynamics, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment.
High School Diploma or GED required; Bachelor’s degree and/or insurance industry designation preferred.
Demonstrated history of increasing responsibility and success in a sales or business development role.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data from multiple systems and sources.
Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, presentation, and listening skills.
Ability to communicate effectively using technical, insurance, and agency-specific terminology.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to build trust, credibility, and long-term professional relationships.
Highly adaptable, flexible, creative, and comfortable operating in an environment of change and growth.
Technologically savvy with the ability to quickly learn and effectively use CRM, sales, quoting, and other business systems.
Agile learner with the ability to quickly absorb information and translate it into actionable business strategies.
Demonstrated leadership ability and the ability to influence and inspire agency partners and internal stakeholders.
Strong personal accountability, integrity, enthusiasm, and commitment to a high-performance sales culture.
Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including occasional overnight travel.
Must reside within the designated South Carolina territory.

Performance Expectations
The successful candidate will embody a high-performance, sales-driven culture focused on excellence, accountability, profitable growth, and long-term agency partnerships. Success will be measured not only by production, but by the quality and profitability of the agency portfolio, market penetration, agency engagement, retention, and the ability to establish a strong foundation for the carrier’s long-term growth in South Carolina.

This individual will play a critical role in launching and establishing the carrier’s presence in South Carolina and will be expected to leverage existing relationships, market expertise, and strategic selling skills to quickly build credibility, distribution, and profitable production.

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.

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