Business Development Executive - National

Independence Pet Group; Illinois; Hybrid; USD 153,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Parental leave

HSA

Retirement plan

Pet-friendly office

Job summary

Independence Pet Holdings is seeking a driven Business Development Executive to identify, pursue, and close new distribution partnerships across agencies, brokers, MGAs/MGUs, affinity groups, and InsurTech platforms. Hybrid role in New York City or Chicago, 5–10 years of relevant experience, and ability to own end-to-end deals from prospecting to signed contracts.

You'll collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Operations to launch partnerships and drive long‑term growth, reporting on pipeline

Qualifications

• 5–10 years in business development, partnerships, or channel sales in insurance or insurtech.
• Proven pipeline development from prospecting to signed contracts.
• Knowledge of insurance distribution models and partner economics.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage multi‑stage pipeline of prospective insurance distribution partners.
• Source and qualify new opportunities through outbound prospecting and referrals.
• Own deal cycles from first contact to signed agreement and drive to close.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Operations for successful launches.
• Track pipeline health, velocity, and forecasting; report progress against targets.
• Represent the company at events and with prospective partners.

Skills

Business development

Partnerships

Channel sales

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

Established in 2021, Independence Pet Holdings is a corporate holding company that manages a diverse and broad portfolio of modern pet health brands and services, including insurance, pet education, lost recovery services, and more throughout North America. We believe pet insurance is more than a financial product and build solutions to simplify the pet parenting journey and help improve the well‑being of pets. As a leading authority in the pet category, we operate with a full stack of resources, capital, and services to support pet parents. Our multi‑brand and omni‑channel approach include our own insurance carrier, insurance brands and partner brands.

PTZ Pet Insurance is seeking a driven Business Development Executive to identify, pursue, and close new distribution partnerships across the ecosystem — including agencies, brokers, MGAs/MGUs, affinity groups, embedded/InsurTech platforms, and other channel partners. This individual will own a defined segment of the partnership pipeline end‑to‑end: prospecting, qualifying, structuring, negotiating, and closing. This role calls for a partnerships professional with 5–10 years of relevant experience who is ready to build and run a high‑velocity pipeline independently.

Job Location: Hybrid – New York City or Chicago

Main Responsibilities

• Build and manage a robust, multi‑stage pipeline of prospective insurance distribution partners across target segments (agencies, brokers, MGAs, affinity/association channels, embedded insurance platforms).
• Proactively source and qualify new partnership opportunities through outbound prospecting, industry networking, conferences, and referrals.
• Own deal cycles from first conversation through signed agreement — structuring commercial terms, coordinating internal stakeholders (legal, product, underwriting, operations), and driving deals to close.
• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the insurance distribution landscape, including competitive dynamics, partner economics, and emerging channel models.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Marketing, Product, and Operations to ensure new partnerships are set up for successful launch and long‑term growth.
• Track pipeline health, deal velocity, and conversion metrics; report regularly on progress against targets.
• Represent the company at industry events and with prospective partners, serving as a credible, knowledgeable point of contact.

Basic Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in business development, partnerships, or channel sales, ideally within insurance, insurtech, financial services, or a related distribution‑driven industry.
• Demonstrated success building a pipeline from scratch and independently driving deals from first touch to signed contract.
• Working knowledge of insurance distribution models (agency, broker, MGA/MGU, affinity, embedded) and how partner economics work.
• Strong commercial instincts — comfortable structuring deal terms and negotiating with a range of partner types and sizes.
• Excellent relationship‑building and communication skills, with the ability to influence both external partners and internal stakeholders.
• Highly organized and self‑directed, with the discipline to manage a multi‑stage pipeline and prioritize across many concurrent opportunities.
• Comfort working in a fast‑paced, evolving environment where processes are still being built.
• CRM proficiency (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar) and comfort with pipeline reporting and forecasting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Existing relationships within insurance distribution channels (agency networks, MGAs, affinity partners, or InsurTech platforms).
• Experience at a PE‑backed or high‑growth company where scope and process evolved quickly.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

Compensation

New York base pay range: $166,367 - $207,960 per year. Chicago base pay range: $152,503 - $190,630 per year. This is the range we reasonably expect to pay at hire. Placement within the range depends on job‑related factors such as experience, skills, and certifications. This position is eligible for bonus. Base pay is one part of a total rewards package that includes the benefits listed below.

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All of our jobs come with great benefits including healthcare, parental leave and opportunities for career advancements. Some offerings are dependent upon the location of where you work and can include the following:

• Comprehensive full medical, dental and vision Insurance
• Basic Life Insurance at no cost to the employee
• Company paid short‑term and long‑term disability
• 12 weeks of 100% paid Parental Leave
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Retirement savings plan
• Personal Paid Time Off
• Paid holidays and company‑wide Wellness Day off
• Paid time off to volunteer at nonprofit organizations
• Pet friendly office environment
• Commuter Benefits
• Group Pet Insurance
• On the job training and skills development
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)