Vice President, Unit Leader- Commercial Insurance

Title : Vice President, Real Estate Practice Leader

Location : Overland Park, Kansas

Date : January 2026

Salary Grade : Salaried Exempt

Bonus Structure : Quarterly Bonus tied to Real Estate Client Retention

Leadership Scope : 2 Account Executives, 2 Account Managers, 2 Client Account Specialists

Reports To : Senior Vice President, Commercial Property & Casualty

Current Book : $4,000,000 | Growth Target : $10,000,000 Book within 3 years

Virtus Insurance, a nine‑time Best Places to Work in Insurance award‑winner, is redefining what a modern brokerage looks like. We are fast, specialized, and relentlessly client‑centric, operating across Real Estate, Hospitality, Private Capital, Benefits, Construction, Retail & Distribution, Food & Beverage and Small Business / Personal Lines. Our culture rewards ownership, excellence, and fearless pursuit.

We are looking for a proven leader who wants to build something extraordinary.

What This Role Is

The Vice President, Real Estate Practice Leader is a high‑impact leadership role responsible for managing some of the firm’s largest Commercial Real Estate clients and leading a high‑performing Real Estate Client Success Unit. You will be the operational engine, the cultural standard‑bearer, and a key strategic partner in advancing one of Virtus’ most important industry verticals.

At scale, this role will transition to full people leadership, managing direct reports exclusively.

This is a role for someone who wants both command and accountability — and the autonomy to build a best‑in‑class practice within a growing national platform.

Who Thrives at Virtus

• Embody the Virtus Core Values: Better Tomorrow, Fearless Pursuit, One Virtus.
• Are energized by leading people, elevating performance, and building high‑trust teams.
• Manage complex Real Estate placements with confidence and technical mastery.
• Are a disciplined operator who values process, quality, and measurable results.
• Communicate with clarity, conviction, and executive polish.
• Want a seat at the table helping shape the future of the Real Estate Practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead and mentor a full Real Estate Client Success Unit (AEs, AMs, CAS).
  • Set the standard for service excellence, technical accuracy, and client experience.
  • Conduct workflow reviews, renewal readiness checks, and quality audits.
  • Optimize workload distribution and team capacity planning.
  • Deliver real time coaching, formal evaluations, and individualized development plans.
  • Recruit and retain top performers; support succession and bench strength.
  • Serve as senior point of escalation for client issues, carrier obstacles, or process bottlenecks.
  • Maintain compliance with all internal systems, documentation, and licensing standards.
  • Lead weekly or bi‑weekly alignment meetings with the team focused on performance, renewal excellence and career progression.
• Strategic Practice Leadership
  • Collaborate with Practice Leadership on service model evolution, operational strategy, and staffing structure.
  • Participate in leadership meetings and support practice level forecasting and financial planning.
  • Lead cross‑functional improvements to drive efficiency and scalable growth.
  • Influence key stakeholders and help roll out new workflows and service innovations.
  • Reinforce One Virtus—building cohesion, alignment, and shared accountability.
• Book of Business Management
  • Manage a personal portfolio of upper‑middle‑market Commercial Real Estate accounts until a certain Book scale is reached, then exclusively manage the Unit team members.
  • Lead strategy around coverage architecture, risk transfer, stewardship reporting, and renewal planning.
  • Maintain deep understanding of each client’s business model, risk exposure, operations, and strategic priorities.
  • Provide executive‑level guidance on risk management, market conditions, and financial structures.
  • Maintain exceptional retention and growth metrics across assigned accounts.
• Portfolio Oversight & Technical Excellence
  • Provide oversight into unit deliverables: proposals, marketing strategies, and submissions.
  • Review complex placements including layered property programs, self‑insured retention programs, captives, builder’s risk, management liability, cyber, and specialty structures.
  • Ensure delivery meets Virtus standards for quality, accuracy, and documentation.
  • Strengthen carrier and wholesaler partnerships and utilize market insights to drive strong outcomes.
  • Stay current on industry trends, legal changes, and emerging Real Estate risks.
• Operational & Financial Accountability
  • Own unit KPIs: retention, renewal discipline, file quality, service plans, client satisfaction.
  • Support practice profitability through revenue execution, margin discipline, and cross‑sell strategies.
  • Ensure timely, precise completion of all renewals, endorsements, certificates, audits, and communications.
  • Support producers in strategic planning and new business opportunities.

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years commercial insurance experience with proven Real Estate specialization.
• Direct experience leading, coaching, or managing within a brokerage environment.
• Deep technical understanding of complex Real Estate risks and placements.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to build connection quickly.
• Proficient with modern systems, workflows, insurance platforms and Microsoft 365.
• Exceptional communication skills including public speaking and executive presentation.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; CPCU or related designations strongly preferred.
• Active Property & Casualty license.

What Will Make You Stand Out

• Expertise in large Real Estate programs, alternative risk, captives, aggregate deductibles, and self‑insured retention structures.
• Experience leading large multi‑stakeholder engagements at scale.
• Proven track record of team performance improvement and operational excellence.
• Prior Unit Manager, Client Service Leader, or similar leadership experience at a top brokerage.

Physical Requirements

The employee must be able to sit, use hands to handle or feel, talk or hear frequently; and occasionally stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. Must have close and distance vision.

Travel

Approximately 10%-20% dependent on client needs.

Why Join Virtus?

Virtus offers the freedom and trust to build a world‑class practice within a supportive, high‑performance environment. We invest in our people through:

• Market‑leading compensation and bonus programs
• 401(k)
• Health, dental, and vision
• Unlimited PTO
• Continuous professional development
• An entrepreneurial culture where great ideas become reality

Push Forward – We've got your back!