Business Development
Core
Building deep, lasting relationships with broker partners to align Shepherd's AI-native commercial insurance platform with the goals of leading construction-focused brokerages.
Role type
Business Development Manager (Commercial Insurance)
Builds
Shepherd's AI-driven underwriting platform and commercial insurance products for high-hazard industries
Domain
Commercial Insurance / Construction Technology
Deliverable
client delivery
Required skills
Selling insurance, Wholesale brokerage capacity, Casualty and Builder's Risk knowledge, P&C/Surplus Lines licensing, Relationship management, Strategic outreach, Pipeline management, Post-sale engagement, Cross-functional collaboration
Preferred skills
Entrepreneurial mindset, Technical insurance and software concepts fluency, Presentation and storytelling, Organization
Technologies
Shepherd platform, Procore, Autodesk, OpenSpace, DroneDeploy
Responsibilities
Develop new broker relationships through inbound leads and targeted outbound outreach, Identify high-potential targets for strategic campaigns, Meet goals for qualified opportunities and closed business, Track and manage sales activity, Own post-sale engagement and partner success, Serve as primary point of contact for broker satisfaction, Maintain fluency in products and platform, Proactively identify and resolve risks to broker success
Seniority
Mid-Senior, hands-on IC
Full job description
WHAT WE DO
Shepherd is an AI-native commercial insurance platform transforming how high-hazard industries get covered. Our mission is to make risk frictionless for the builders and operators shaping the physical world — protecting progress from concept through construction and into decades of operation.
The infrastructure behind the AI boom — data centers, semiconductor fabs, renewable energy assets — has to be built and insured. But traditional carriers weren't built for this speed:
- Complex commercial construction projects routinely wait weeks for a single quote
- Legacy carriers rely on static applications and disconnected systems
- Brokers chase carriers through calls, emails, and resubmissions
We built Shepherd to solve that. Our AI performs the same underwriting workflows in seconds, and integrates real-time data from construction technology partners — Procore, Autodesk, OpenSpace, DroneDeploy, and others — to see risk as it actually exists, not just as it was reported on a static form.
We're pursuing the most ambitious technical vision in commercial insurance: fully autonomous underwriting. We're closing in on the first fully agentic submission in the industry — email in, price out, no human intervention until the last mile.
With Shepherd, safety, speed, and quality no longer trade off against one another — they compound. We're building:
- Faster decisions
- Smarter, more accurate pricing
- Better risk outcomes for insureds who invest in safer practices
We're not just modernizing insurance products. We're building the risk infrastructure for the next generation of financial services.
OUR INVESTORS
In March 2026, Shepherd raised a $42M Series B https://www.linkedin.com/posts/justindlevine29_today-were-announcing-our-42m-series-b-activity-7442200922291630080-z1gw?rcm=ACoAAAkOMEwBRnAAXmdnQcaOJeioCu6VCqR6Gzc&utm_medium=member_desktop&utm_source=share — bringing total funding to over $60M — led by Intact Private Capital, the investment arm of one of the largest insurers in the world. Intact is not only our lead investor but also a carrier partner, a testament to the confidence the incumbent industry has in what we're building. Our investors:
- Intact Private Capital https://www.intactfc.com/about-us/intact-ventures
- Spark Capital https://www.sparkcapital.com/
- Costanoa Ventures https://costanoa.vc/
- Y Combinator https://www.ycombinator.com/
- Susa Ventures https://www.susaventures.com/
- And several others
OUR TEAM
We're a team of technologists and insurance enthusiasts, bridging the two worlds together. Check out our About https://www.shepherdinsurance.com/about page to learn more.
ABOUT YOU
Business Development at Shepherd is about building deep, lasting relationships with our broker partners. We’re looking for experienced sales professionals to help us grow by aligning Shepherd’s products, technology, and underwriting expertise with the goals of leading construction-focused brokerages. Your mission: drive broker success and unlock growth by bringing Shepherd’s most compelling ideas to market.
This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join a dynamic early stage startup experiencing rapid growth across a diverse set of product offerings.
YOU WOULD BE OUR DREAM CANDIDATE IF…
- 5+ years experience in selling insurance or in a wholesale brokerage capacity
- Comfort with Casualty, Builder’s Risk, and construction-related coverages
- Active P&C / Surplus Lines license
- Existing relationships with retail brokers
- Self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset
- Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent presentation and storytelling ability
- Quick to learn technical insurance and software concepts
- Highly organized; able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
ABOUT THE ROLE
Shepherd is building a better and faster way to underwrite commercial insurance for high-hazard businesses, including using novel data sources and applying AI to reduce administrative inefficiencies for underwriting and servicing teams. Our products are supported by a full-stack platform purpose built to launch and support everything from submission intake to policy issuance. Shepherd leverages its technology to make quick, informed, underwriting decisions.
- Develop new broker relationships through a mix of inbound leads and targeted outbound outreach
- Identify high-potential targets for strategic outbound campaigns
- Consistently meet goals for qualified opportunities, pipeline value, and closed business
- Track, report, and manage all sales activity in coordination with the broader BD team
- Own post-sale engagement and success for Shepherd’s broker partners through strong relationships, planning, and product expertise
- Serve as the primary point of contact for broker satisfaction and long-term growth
- Maintain deep fluency in Shepherd’s insurance products and technology platform; tailor positioning to broker needs
- Proactively identify risks to broker success and work cross-functionally to resolve
- Travel up to 30% based on territory and broker footprint
#LI-Onsite
BENEFITS
🏥 Premium Healthcare
100% contribution to top-tier health, dental, and vision
🥕 Fertility benefits and family building support
🏖️ Unlimited PTO
Flexibility to take the time off, recharge, and perform
🥗 Daily lunches, dinners, and snacks
We work together, and enjoy meals together too
🖥️ SF, NYC, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and LA Offices
📚 Professional Development
Access to premium coaching, including leadership development
🏦 Competitive 401(k) Plan
🐶 Dog-friendly office
Plenty of dogs to play with and make friends with in the SF office