Vice President of Business Insurance Service

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 Vice President of Business Insurance Service is a leadership position responsible for overseeing the entire Commercial Service team, all team leads, and driving strategic operational excellence across the department. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on client management, requiring oversight of performance metrics, retention rates, standard operating procedures, and quality assurance initiatives. The VP will carry a book of business while ensuring the team delivers exceptional client service in managing complex business insurance risks.

Essential Duties:

Strategic Leadership & Operational Excellence

Strategy & Vision in collaboration with Senior Leadership

• Develop and implement comprehensive strategic plans that align Commercial Service operations with organizational goals and market demands
• Set long-term departmental vision while ensuring alignment with company mission, values, and board objectives
• Lead organizational change initiatives and manage strategic transformation across the Commercial Service division

Standard Operating Procedures & Workflows

• Update, maintain, and optimize all SOPs and workflows to ensure operational consistency and scalability
• Establish documented playbooks that govern how teams execute work under audit requirements
• Implement standardized operations across all insurance workflows to drive faster onboarding and reduce operational errors
• Ensure SOPs align with carrier requirements, compliance standards, and audit protocols

Performance Management & Metrics

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for the entire Commercial Service team to drive efficiency, accuracy, and customer
• Implement data-driven decision making through regular analysis of performance trends and operational metrics
• Develop and execute performance improvement strategies when teams are not achieving desired goals
• Find efficiencies to ensure teams are operating at peak performance

Client Retention & Revenue Management

Retention Strategy

• Maintain accountability for client retention rates across the Commercial Service team
• Develop and implement comprehensive retention strategies to maximize policy renewals and client satisfaction
• Analyze retention trends and identify opportunities to improve client loyalty and reduce churn
• Establish retention targets and monitor progress against benchmarks

Book of Business Management

• Serve as Client Advisor to assigned book of business, providing expert guidance on complex commercial insurance risks
• Maintain exceptional client advisor skills and serve as role model for client service excellence
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key clients, demonstrating thought leadership and industry expertise
• Ensure high-touch service delivery for strategic accounts while balancing team oversight responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

Leadership of Team Leads

• Directly supervise and mentor all Commercial Service team leads, providing strategic direction and support
• Conduct performance evaluations for team leads and provide ongoing feedback on leadership effectiveness
• Foster a positive, collaborative team environment that encourages innovation and professional growth
• Hold team leads accountable for their teams' performance, service quality, and adherence to SOPs

Talent Development & Culture

• Develop succession planning programs to identify and nurture high-potential leaders within the organization
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-functional collaboration across the Commercial Service division
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and service excellence
• Ensure adequate staffing, training, and resource allocation across all service teams

Quality Assurance & Audit Oversight

Quality Assurance Management

• Oversee the audit and quality assurance position, ensuring robust quality control processes are in place
• Establish QA checkpoints, sign-offs, and systematic review processes for all critical workflows
• Review quality control and audit spreadsheets to identify training needs and process improvement opportunities
• Implement dual-review systems and ensure 100% QA coverage for critical workflows

Operational & Financial Management

Day-to-Day Operations

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Commercial Service team to ensure continuous growth and revenue generation
• Delegate and shift work within team environment to optimize efficiency and workload balance
• Troubleshoot complex issues for team members, Account Executives, and Producers [
• Confront and resolve conflicts in a timely manner, maintaining team cohesion

Budget & Resource Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets, ensuring efficient resource allocation
• Contribute to business development strategy and overall profitability of the Commercial Service division
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs while maintaining service quality

Technology & Innovation

Technology Leadership

• Assess automation needs and provide strategic input on technology solutions
• Guide teams in the adoption of available technology solutions and platforms
• Champion digital transformation initiatives to streamline workflows and improve operational efficiency
• Leverage analytics, AI, and automation tools to enhance decision-making and service delivery

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Attend Department Manager meetings and contribute to executive-level strategic discussions
• Report on departmental performance to SVP and senior
• Serve as liaison between Commercial Service teams and executive leadership
• Represent the organization in meetings with stakeholders, clients, and industry partners

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Facilitate cross-functional communication and collaboration across the organization
• Coordinate with other departments to ensure alignment and synergy
• Elevate issues, concerns, and innovative ideas to senior leadership as needed
• Sign legally binding documents and make commitments on behalf of the department

Administrative Responsibilities

• Hold productive, periodic team meetings to ensure communication and alignment
• Maintain department calendar of time off, approve timecards, and maintain attendance records
• Complete Absence Reports for all staff as required
• Strive to meet deadlines and Business Insurance Services Department goals
• Participate in seminars and classes for skill and knowledge development
• Perform other duties as required

Education, Training, Experience, and Skill Requirements:

Education

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management, Insurance, or related field

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or related advanced degree

Professional Certifications/Licenses

Required:

• Property/Casualty License (active and in good standing)
• Maintain Agent/Broker License through continuing education

Required - Professional Designations:

• Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) or Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR)

Strongly Preferred:

• Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation
• Additional industry certifications such as ARM (Associate in Risk Management) or CPCU courses

Experience

Required:

• Minimum 10-15 years of progressive experience in commercial insurance operations, with at least 5-7 years in senior leadership or management roles
• Proven executive leadership experience managing multiple teams, departments, or divisions
• Extensive experience with commercial lines insurance including underwriting, servicing, and claims management
• Demonstrated success in managing performance metrics, retention rates, and operational KPIs
• Experience developing and implementing SOPs, workflows, and quality assurance programs

Preferred:

• Experience in M&A, business operations, or strategic transformation initiatives
• Background in audit, compliance, or quality assurance oversight
• Track record of successfully leading organizational change and process improvement

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.