Commercial Insurance Service Manager

At Community Financial System, Inc. (CFSI), we are dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, personalized, high-quality financial services and products. Our retail division, Community Bank, N.A., operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Beyond retail banking, we also offer commercial banking, wealth management, investment management, insurance and risk management, and benefit plan administration.

Just as our employees are committed to helping our customers manage their finances, we're committed to our employees. After all, they make it happen for our customers every day.

To ensure our people can enjoy long and successful careers here at CFSI, we offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and professional development and advancement opportunities. As an equal-opportunity workplace and affirmative-action employer, we celebrate and support a diverse workplace for the benefit of all: our employees, customers and communities.

The Commercial Insurance Service Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and operational effectiveness of the Commercial Insurance Department. This role oversees commercial service, remarketing, renewals, and new business operations while ensuring exceptional client service, adherence to agency procedures, regulatory compliance, and achievement of departmental goals.

The role provides strategic direction, staff development, workflow management, and quality control to support agency growth, client retention, and operational excellence. This individual is responsible for managing the existing commercial book of business, developing new business opportunities, and overseeing the successful placement and binding of commercial insurance accounts.

Essential Duties:

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop Commercial Lines team members.
• Conduct regular team meetings, training sessions, and performance discussions.
• Maintain department goals, productivity standards, and service expectations.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and positive team culture.
• Promote employee engagement, professional development, and succession planning.
• Provide onboarding, training, and ongoing coaching for new and existing employees.
• Identify skill gaps and develop training plans to enhance team performance.
• Develop, implement, and maintain Commercial Lines procedures and workflows.
• Ensure consistent application of agency procedures, documentation standards, and best practices.
• Monitor workloads and staffing levels to maintain service efficiency and client satisfaction.
• Oversee workflow distribution and resource allocation across the department.
• Collaborate with Operations to improve processes, workflows, and system efficiencies.
• Support training initiatives related to EPIC and other department technology platforms.
• Support team members in resolving complex client service issues.
• Assist with escalated customer concerns and high-value accounts.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with commercial clients.
• Ensure prompt, professional, and accurate responses to client inquiries.
• Monitor retention performance and implement strategies to improve client retention.
• Ensure team members proactively communicate with clients a minimum of ninety (90) days before policy renewal.
• Oversee commercial new business submissions, marketing efforts, quoting activities, and policy issuance.
• Monitor renewal pipelines and ensure timely completion of all renewal activities.
• Support producers and advisors in achieving growth and revenue objectives.
• Partner with the Marketing Manager to establish and maintain relationships with referral sources and prospective clients.
• Participate in meetings with potential clients and referral partners to support agency growth initiatives.
• Manage and oversee the sales process through booking and policy issuance to ensure opportunities are brought to a successful conclusion.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with commercial underwriters and carrier partners.
• Monitor carrier performance and identify opportunities to improve service, profitability, and market access.
• Stay informed of carrier appetite changes, underwriting guidelines, and market conditions.
• Ensure opportunities, policy information, and documentation are accurately maintained in EPIC.
• Conduct audits of account documentation, policy transactions, and departmental workflows.
• Ensure compliance with carrier requirements, agency procedures, and regulatory standards.
• Monitor the accuracy of policy entry, billing information, commissions, and coverage documentation.
• Review and address workflow deficiencies, service gaps, and processing errors.
• Ensure accurate and consistent use of activity codes, workflows, and policy management procedures.
• Maintain high documentation standards and account maintenance practices throughout the department.
• Prepare management reports, departmental metrics, and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Monitor production, retention, service, and operational performance indicators.
• Promote accountability through regular feedback, coaching, and performance management activities.

Education, Training, Experience, and Skill Requirements:

• Florida 220 License
• Minimum five years' experience quoting, writing, and managing commercial lines policies as well as the support staff.
• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, risk management, or a related field.
• Extensive knowledge of commercial lines markets, products, coverages and underwriting guidelines, Florida commercial property insurance, general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, and workers comp insurance.
• Experience in providing positive leadership and training to the commercial team.
• Strong proficiency in agency management systems such as Applied EPIC.
• All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.