Manager, Carrier Relationship
Title: Manager, Carrier Relationship
Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid)
Reporting to: V.P. of Business Development & Partnerships
About Hippo:
Hippo exists to protect the joy of homeownership. We believe that insurance should protect the things you treasure through an intuitive, modern experience. We provide tailored insurance coverage and preventative maintenance plans that keep you protected throughout your homeowner journey. We’ll also help you find coverage for everything life brings—from auto to flood—reimagining how you care for your home.
About the Role:
The Carrier Relationship Manager is responsible for building, managing, and expanding relationships with insurance carrier partners. This role owns the carrier strategy end-to-end, including identifying coverage gaps, sourcing and onboarding new carriers, and negotiating commission structures and incentive programs. The ideal candidate brings a mix of strategic thinking, relationship management, and strong insurance market knowledge.
About You:
You are a strategic relationship builder who excels at developing and managing high-impact partnerships. You bring strong negotiation and influencing skills, allowing you to align diverse stakeholders and drive mutually beneficial outcomes. With a sharp eye for market and competitive analysis, you identify opportunities, anticipate shifts, and position initiatives for success. You thrive in cross-functional environments, collaborating seamlessly across teams to move complex projects forward. Above all, you communicate with clarity and confidence, delivering executive-level insights that inform decisions and inspire action.
What You'll Do:
Carrier Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all carrier partners, ensuring clear communication and alignment.
- Develop and maintain strong, long-term relationships with carrier executives and operational stakeholders.
- Lead recurring performance reviews and strategic business updates to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
Carrier Strategy & Expansion
- Identify product, geographic, and underwriting gaps; proactively source and evaluate new carrier partnerships to support growth.
- Lead end-to-end carrier onboarding, including due diligence, contract negotiation, and cross-functional coordination.
- Monitor carrier appetite, underwriting guidelines, and capacity to ensure alignment with company strategy and market demand.
Negotiation & Commercial Management
- Negotiate commission structures, overrides, profit-sharing agreements, and performance-based incentive programs.
- Partner with finance and executive leadership to model carrier economics and evaluate partnership profitability.
- Structure agreements that align with revenue growth objectives and long-term margin targets.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with sales, underwriting, product, and operations teams to execute carrier initiatives.
- Communicate carrier requirements, updates, and opportunities across internal stakeholders to ensure seamless execution.
- Support new product launches and geographic expansion efforts from a carrier strategy perspective.
Performance & Market Insights
- Track and analyze carrier performance metrics, recommending optimization strategies to improve production and profitability.
- Stay informed on insurance market trends, carrier positioning, and competitive dynamics to guide strategic decision-making.
- Provide leadership with data-driven insights and recommendations regarding carrier-related risks, opportunities, and market shifts.
Must Haves:
- 5+ years of experience in insurance carrier management, brokerage, underwriting, or related roles
- Strong understanding of P&C insurance products, carrier economics, and distribution models
- Proven experience negotiating commissions, incentives, or agency/carrier agreements
- Excellent relationship-building, communication, and negotiation skills
Nice to Have:
- Experience working with multiple carriers across different lines or states
- Familiarity with insuretech or digitally enabled insurance platforms
- Analytical mindset with comfort interpreting financial and performance data
Benefits and Perks
Hippo treats its team members with the same level of dedication and care as we do our customers, which is why we’re fortunate to provide all of our Hippos with:
- Healthy Hippos Benefits - Multiple medical plan options, 100% covered dental and vision for you and your family, and a wellness program that rewards healthy habits. We also offer a 401(k)-retirement plan, short & long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health and dependent care, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 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
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 the Hippo’s People Team to make the need for an accommodation known.