Account Handler

Stride Resource Management; Colchester; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Colchester office

Autonomy to develop

Job summary

Stride Resource Management in Colchester is seeking an experienced Commercial Account Handler to take ownership of a broad SME portfolio and deal directly with insurers.

You will renew, adjust, and service clients with autonomy, developing technical knowledge as the team grows, while enjoying hybrid working and a culture that values relationships over process. Salary up to £40,000 with three days in the office.

Qualifications

• Experienced handling commercial insurance across SME/general risks.
• Comfortable speaking directly with clients and insurers.
• Ability to renew, mid-term adjust, and service client portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Manage a broad portfolio of commercial clients across multiple lines.
• Handle renewals, mid-term adjustments and ongoing client servicing.
• Negotiate terms directly with insurers to secure suitable cover.
• Identify gaps in cover and opportunities to deepen client relationships.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues to support new business opportunities.

Skills

Commercial insurance

Client relationship management

Renewals

Insurer negotiation

Job description

You are already an experienced Commercial Account Handler and you want more ownership, more room to develop and the chance to work somewhere that still feels close to its clients and its people.

You will handle a broad cross-class commercial portfolio, working on risks with premiums of up to around £50,000, within a growing independent broker where Account Handlers are trusted to use their judgement rather than being boxed in by layers of process.

The opportunity

You will join a business that has been built around strong client relationships, technical knowledge and a more personal style of broking.

The role gives you proper ownership of your work. You will manage clients across a broad range of commercial risks, deal directly with insurers and have the freedom to take responsibility for cases rather than passing everything through multiple layers of approval.

There is also clear scope to develop. The business is growing, the team is expanding and people are encouraged to build their technical knowledge and take on more responsibility as they progress.

For somebody coming from a larger broker, the attraction is the chance to keep working on good quality commercial business while losing some of the red tape that can make larger organisations feel restrictive.

What the role looks like

• Managing a broad portfolio of commercial clients across multiple product lines.
• Handling risks with premiums of up to around £50,000.
• Taking responsibility for renewals, mid-term adjustments and ongoing client servicing.
• Working directly with insurers to negotiate terms and secure appropriate cover.
• Building strong relationships with clients and becoming a trusted point of contact for their insurance requirements.
• Identifying gaps in cover and opportunities to broaden existing relationships where it is appropriate for the client.
• Supporting new business opportunities and working closely with colleagues across the wider broking team.
• Taking ownership of problems when they arise and seeing them through to a sensible conclusion.
• Continuing to develop your technical knowledge across a broad commercial portfolio.

Who this could suit

• You will already have experience handling commercial insurance and be comfortable working across a broad range of SME and general commercial risks.
• You may currently be working as a Commercial Account Handler, Senior Account Handler or Commercial Broker and want a role where you have more autonomy over your clients and more opportunity to develop.
• You will be comfortable speaking directly with clients and insurers, confident managing renewals and capable of handling a varied workload without needing every decision escalated.
• You will also care about the quality of the relationship. The strongest fit will be somebody who enjoys understanding a client properly and solving problems, rather than simply processing transactions.

The business

You will be joining a privately owned commercial insurance broker that has grown from a relatively small start-up into an established team serving more than 2,000 businesses, property owners and directors.

The business works across SME, mid-market and more specialist commercial risks, with particular strength in areas including property, manufacturing, professional services, technology, hospitality and motor.

What stands out is the operating style. The business has deliberately built a people-first culture, with autonomy, continuous learning and direct client relationships at the centre of how the team works. Senior people remain close to the day-to-day business, decisions are made quickly and employees are given room to take ownership of their area rather than being constrained by a heavily corporate structure.

Package and working pattern

• Salary up to £40,000 depending on experience.
• Hybrid working with three days per week in the office.
• Based in the Colchester area.
• Genuine scope to develop your technical knowledge and take on greater responsibility over time.

The next step

You will want to understand the make-up of the portfolio, how much autonomy you will genuinely have, what support sits around the role and where progression can realistically lead.

We can talk you through that confidentially, including the team structure, the type of clients you will handle and how the business supports people who want to develop their careers further.