Business Development Specialist - Surety

Risk Placement Services, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision plans

401(K) and Roth options

Educational expense reimbursement

Paid parental leave

Flexible work hours

Job summary

Risk Placement Services, Inc. seeks a Business Development Specialist in San Francisco, CA. This role involves driving new agency relationships through outreach and re-engaging dormant partnerships. Candidates should demonstrate strong sales skills, a Bachelor's degree, and the ability to communicate effectively. A competitive compensation package, including medical benefits and flexible work hours, awaits the successful candidate. Join a team where every voice counts and diverse perspectives are celebrated.

Qualifications

• 1–3+ years experience in sales, business development, or relationship management.
• Ability to clearly explain complex concepts and build credibility quickly.
• Willingness to travel and attend in-person meetings and events.

Responsibilities

• Drive new agency relationships through high-volume outreach and prospecting.
• Reignite dormant partnerships by uncovering new opportunities.
• Collaborate with internal underwriters to prioritize opportunities and solutions.
• Attend insurance and industry events to build market presence.

Skills

Cold calling

Outbound email outreach

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Introduction

At RPS, we don’t just embrace bold ideas, we make them happen. We’re a team of entrepreneurs, big-picture thinkers, and passionate experts who thrive on possibility. Every day, we collaborate across teams, challenge convention, and push boundaries to design innovative solutions for our clients. With access to top-rated carriers and a dynamic marketplace, we bring strategy and creativity together to deliver what others might call impossible. Here, every voice counts, every perspective matters, and every challenge is an opportunity to grow. You’ll be supported by a culture that celebrates ownership, curiosity, and high performance, where you’re trusted to do your best work and encouraged to keep learning along the way.

Overview

At RPS, we specialize in solving hard-to-place risks for retail agents. As a Business Development Specialist, you'll help agencies tackle challenging accounts by connecting them with the right underwriting resources. This role is all about building relationships, staying visible in the market, and creating opportunities. In this role, you'll be the driving force behind agency growth in the Northeast. You'll open doors, re-energize partnerships, and connect retail agents with our underwriting teams. By staying proactive and visible, you'll ensure RPS is seen as a trusted, resource-first partner. Whether you're reaching out to new agencies, re-engaging quiet ones, or attending local events, your work will create real momentum and lasting relationships. Surety experience is not required.

How You'll Make An Impact

• Drive new agency relationships by leading consistent, high-volume outreach that opens doors and introduces RPS as a go-to surety resource.
• Reignite inactive partnerships by proactively re-engaging agencies, uncovering new opportunities, and bringing fresh momentum to dormant relationships.
• Collaborate closely with internal underwriters to strategically prioritize opportunities, align on solutions, and keep deals moving from first conversation to close.
• Be the face of RPS in the market by attending local insurance and industry events, increasing visibility, strengthening relationships, and building a strong regional presence.

About You

• Demonstrated confidence in cold calling, outbound email outreach, and proactive prospecting; surety experience is not required.
• Ability to clearly explain complex concepts in simple, compelling terms and build credibility quickly with prospects and clients.
• Willingness to travel and attend in-person meetings and industry events to develop a strong market presence.
• 1–3+ years of experience in sales, business development, or relationship management.
• Bachelor’s degree required, with at least one year of related experience.
• Strong understanding of prospective clients and the insurance brokerage industry is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate information, make sound decisions, and resolve issues.
• Ability to effectively plan, prioritize, and manage workload while responding to multiple competing demands.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with internal and external stakeholders.

Compensation And Benefits

We offer a competitive and comprehensive compensation package. The base salary range represents the anticipated low end and high end of the range for this position. The actual compensation will be influenced by a wide range of factors including, but not limited to previous experience, education, pay market/geography, complexity or scope, specialized skill set, lines of business/practice area, supply/demand, and scheduled hours. On top of a competitive salary, great teams and exciting career opportunities, we also offer a wide range of benefits.

Minimum Core Benefits

• Medical/dental/vision plans, which start from day one!
• Life and accident insurance
• 401(K) and Roth options
• Tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA)
• Educational expense reimbursement
• Paid parental leave

Other Benefits

• Digital mental health services (Talkspace)
• Flexible work hours (availability varies by office and job function)
• Training programs
• Gallagher Thrive program – elevating your health through challenges, workshops and digital fitness programs for your overall wellbeing
• Charitable matching gift program
• And more...
• The benefits summary above applies to fulltime positions. If you are not applying for a fulltime position, details about benefits will be provided during the selection process.

We value inclusion and diversity

Click Here to review our U.S. Eligibility Requirements

Inclusion and Diversity Statement

Inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a core part of our business, and it’s embedded into the fabric of our organization. For more than 95 years, Gallagher has led with a commitment to sustainability and to support the communities where we live and work. Gallagher embraces our employees’ diverse identities, experiences and talents, allowing us to better serve our clients and communities. We see inclusion as a conscious commitment and diversity as a vital strength. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we live out The Gallagher Way to its fullest.

Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination by its managers, employees, vendors or customers based on race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity (which includes transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals), gender expression, hair expression, marital status, parental status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected (herein referred to as “protected characteristics”) by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.