Senior Business Development Representative - Northwestern Ontario
Date: Jul 16, 2026
Location: Ottawa, ON (Hybrid), CA Thunder Bay, ON (Hybrid), CA
Company: Wawanesa Insurance
Job ID: 10203
Employment Type: Existing Role
Working Business Language: English
Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top-up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan.
The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. The salary offered is estimated to be $100,000 + (Plus bonus and fleet vehicle). Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
Founded in 1896, The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, 100% owned by its members, with more than $4.1 billion in annual revenue and $12.5 billion in assets. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Wawanesa is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance solutions throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, a leading national distributor of personal and business insurance. In March of 2026, Wawanesa entered into an agreement to acquire Everest Insurance Company of Canada to strengthen its commercial insurance capabilities and advance its long-term growth strategy.
Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.8 million members and we are home to more than 3,000 employees across Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $4 million annually to charitable organizations, including more than $2 million each year in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team.
Job Overview
Under minimal supervision, the Senior Business Development Representative will manage brokerage relationships between Wawanesa and its broker network, develop and achieve targeted business goals with contracted brokers, and identify opportunities to grow the business through new partnerships, portfolio opportunities, mid-market commercial lines accounts, and personal lines group and affinity programs within the assigned region.
Job Responsibilities
- Act as the primary liaison between Wawanesa and brokers, ensuring effective communication and assisting in the resolution of company and brokerage concerns.
- Manage broker relationships through collaborative business planning, production management, growth initiatives, co-operative marketing plans, and assessment of brokerage contributions and risks relative to regional goals.
- Collaborate with internal departments and management teams to achieve business objectives, including delivering training sessions, facilitating meetings, implementing underwriting plans, providing market intelligence, and directing claims or underwriting concerns through appropriate channels.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the insurance marketplace, products, brokerage operations, and competitor activity.
- Identify and assess opportunities with non-contracted brokerages, portfolio acquisitions, mid-market commercial accounts, and personal lines group and affinity programs to support growth and production targets.
- Liaise and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders as required.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Post-secondary education in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant insurance experience with commercial lines experience.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Salesforce.
- Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong planning and organizational skills, including goal setting, performance measurement, and the development of effective action plans with defined activities, resources, and timelines.
- Strong presentation and facilitation skills with the ability to deliver impactful training sessions and presentations.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate ideas and ensure understanding.
- Strong team player who fosters high morale by encouraging enthusiasm, motivation, and engagement among colleagues.
- Professional insurance designations (e.g., CIP, FCIP, CRM) are considered an asset.
- #LI-WAWA
Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
At Wawanesa, we are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people – this is supported by having a representative workforce.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including racialized persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, gender-diverse and neurodiverse individuals, and anyone who can contribute to the further diversification of thought and ideas.
We aim to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out in confidence to jobs@wawanesa.com.
All Wawanesa job applicants are subject to Wawanesa's Privacy Policy.
Please note that the recruitment process for this position may involve the use of AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants. All final decisions are taken or reviewed by human recruiters and human hiring leaders in compliance with all applicable legislation.