Director Sales, Commercial Lines

Job Description
About the role

Nova is India's fastest-growing B2B benefits and insurance broker. Commercial Lines is our next major growth chapter, and we're building it into a full-stack practice across Property, Liability, Marine, Engineering, Cyber, and Motor.

As Director of Sales, Commercial Lines, you own the strategy, the P&L, and the team that gets us there. This is a build-from-the-front role for an industry leader who has run a Commercial Lines book at scale and now wants to do it inside a profitable, tech-led broker.

What you'll own

1. P&L for Commercial Lines. Annual NB premium, retention, brokerage, EBITDA contribution.
   
2. GTM strategy. Define the ICP, segmentation (enterprise / mid-market / SME), pricing posture, and partnership architecture.
   
3. Team. Build and lead a team of business development managers
   
4. Insurer partnerships. Own senior relationships across the top 10 insurers and key reinsurance markets. Negotiate panel terms and bespoke programmes.
   
5. Product and pricing. Partner with underwriting to launch new lines (Cyber, D&O, Trade Credit, Surety) and sharpen pricing intelligence.
   
6. Cross-sell with EB. Define how the Commercial Lines team partners with EB Relationship Managers to convert the existing 1,000+ client base.
   
7. Reporting. Drive monthly business reviews with the founders and board.
   

KPIs

1. Annual NB premium and brokerage targets for Commercial Lines
   
2. 95%+ retention on the existing book
   
3. Team productivity: premium per BDM, win rate, sales cycle length
   
4. Hiring quality and retention within the Commercial Lines team
   
5. Insurer placement TATs and quality of market access
   

Compensation

• Fixed: Good compensation, Negotiable based on experience and current book
  
• Variable: tied to P&L outcomes, uncapped
  
• Meaningful ESOPs
  

Why Nova

• Greenfield at scale. Commercial Lines inside Nova is a startup with distribution attached. You shape the function.
  
• Tech leverage. Our platform handles policy ops, claims, and renewals so the sales team sells.
  
• Founder access. Direct lines to leadership. Quick decisions, no committees.
  
• Real ownership. ESOPs that matter and a P&L that's yours to run.
  

Requirements
What we're looking for

• 15+ years in Commercial Lines, with at least 5 years in a leadership role at a top broker, insurer, or insurtech
  
• Has personally built or run a Commercial Lines book of ₹100 Cr+ in annual premium
  
• Deep technical breadth across Property, Liability, Marine, Engineering, Cyber, and Motor
  
• Track record of building and retaining high-performing sales teams
  
• Senior insurer and reinsurer relationships across India, and ideally one of London / Singapore / Dubai markets
  
• Strong communicator; comfortable in front of CXOs, boards, and insurer leadership
  
• Bonus: experience with M&A insurance, large cross-border programmes, or captives
  

Benefits

Health insurance, Accident insurance for family

Annual Health Check-ups

Mental wellness support

Esops

Requirements
What We Are Looking For 8 to 14 years of experience in insurance placement or underwriting, with a strong focus on employee benefits Deep relationships with insurers, both private and PSU Strong working knowledge of GMC underwriting criteria and pricing structures Comfort with GPA and GTL is expected; non-EB experience is a plus Sharp Excel skills and comfort working with data to build pricing arguments Someone who can negotiate confidently, communicate clearly, and follow through Skills Excellent Excel Skills Excellent relationships with insurers and understanding of their relative aggression in the market they’re Understanding of EB (GMC, GPA, GTL) underwriting criteria of insurers Non-EB understanding is a plus