Program Development Manager

Authentic helps insurance brokers create better insurance products for their clients. We provide the technology platform and behind-the-scenes support that lets brokers build custom insurance solutions for specific industries or customer groups. Think of us as the operating system that powers these specialized insurance offerings. For brokers, this means they can offer unique products their competitors don't have, earn more money, and spend less time on paperwork and administrative tasks. We handle the complex (technology, compliance, and partnerships with highly-rated insurance carriers), so they can focus on serving their customers and growing their business.

We are seeking a motivated and analytical Underwriter to join our growing team. This role is ideal for someone with strong commercial insurance experience who is looking to take ownership of accounts, deepen carrier and broker relationships, and contribute to a high-growth organization.

Position Summary

The Program Development Manager leads the Dayton team that builds Authentic's insurance programs. The team turns approved rates, rules and forms into live configuration in Authentic's policy administration system (PAS), and handles the steady flow of changes that live programs need. You'll start by managing a small team of 5-6 Program Developers and will be responsible for building and growing that team as our program portfolio expands. You'll own how their work is planned, prioritized and delivered, and stay close enough to the work to pick up builds yourself.

This role reports to the VP of Programs and sits within Authentic's Programs department. The Programs department designs and builds Authentic's insurance programs end to end: the Program Design team handles market research, actuarial studies, rate development, forms and state filings, and the Program Developers configure and launch those programs in Authentic's policy administration system.

This is a player-coach role for a people leader, not a software engineer. We're looking for someone who has managed people and projects, is comfortable around technology, and genuinely enjoys helping others grow. Insurance experience isn't required; we'll teach you the domain. As the team and our program portfolio expand, there is real room to grow your scope.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development
• Manage a growing team, currently 5-6 Program Developers: set priorities, run weekly 1:1s, give regular feedback and lead performance reviews.

Program Build & Delivery

• Own the team's workload end to end: intake, scoping, prioritization, assignment and delivery tracking for program builds and configuration changes.
• Oversee the build and configuration of rates, rules and forms in the PAS, making sure live programs match approved rate development and filings.
• Manage the queue of inbound Operations requests (endorsements, build configuration, class mappings and form attachments), setting turnaround expectations and keeping requesters informed.
• Run new program launches as projects: timelines, dependencies, QA testing in staging and go-live readiness.
• Keep a consistent review and release process for configuration changes the team ships through GitHub to carrier programs, tenants, products and coverages.
• Spot recurring bugs and requests and turn them into process or tooling fixes.

Hands-On Work

• Take on builds, configuration tasks and bug fixes yourself, especially early on and during busy periods.
• Learn the PAS and configuration workflow well enough to unblock developers, check their work and estimate effort accurately.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work closely with the actuarial and program design teams, including Product Analysts, so rate, rule and form work moves cleanly from filing to build.
• Partner with Operations, underwriting and program stakeholders to set priorities and communicate timelines.
• Notice where handoffs between departments break down and propose practical fixes, from clearer SOPs to better intake processes.
• Coach developers on build quality, problem solving and ownership, and create clear paths for them to take on more complex work over time.
• Be a visible, on-the-ground presence in the Dayton office: available, approachable and checking in on how the work and the people are doing.
• Build and scale the team: partner with the VP of Programs on headcount planning, hiring, onboarding and training as the team grows.
• Build the team's documentation, playbooks and best practices so knowledge doesn't live in one person's head.

Qualifications

• We're looking for a people leader who is comfortable with technology, not a software engineer. You don't need insurance experience. If you're smart, thoughtful and interested in how insurance programs get built, we'll teach you the rest.
• 5+ years of professional experience, including 1-2 years managing people (direct reports preferred; formal team lead experience considered).
• Experience in insurance, insurtech or financial services, especially with a policy administration system (an in-house PAS, Guidewire, Duck Creek or similar).

Nice to Have

• Exposure to rating, rules or forms configuration, or to SERFF filings.
• Hands-on time with GitHub, configuration-as-code or basic scripting and query languages (for example, SQL or Python).
• Experience leading an implementation, configuration or business systems team.
• Experience growing a team through hiring, onboarding and building out its processes.
• Formal project management training (PMP, Agile or Scrum).
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Proven project management skills: you've run several workstreams at once, managed dependencies and deadlines, and kept stakeholders informed.
• Background in IT, technical operations, systems implementation or another tech-adjacent environment.
• A genuine desire to develop people, with real examples of coaching someone to grow in their role.
• Comfortable with technical and configuration systems, and willing to learn basic coding and Git workflows (no software engineering background required).
• Some strategic thinking: you can see how your team's work connects to the rest of the business and improve how it gets done.
• Clear, proactive written and verbal communication with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong judgment, organization and attention to detail.
• Able to work onsite in Dayton, OH.

Our (FTE) benefits

• Competitive salary, equity, and role trajectory
• Comprehensive health benefits for you and your family
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid parental leave

About Authentic

Authentic is transforming how insurance is distributed. We design and power custom insurance programs, helping brokers and partners unlock better economics and deliver a modern, tech-enabled experience to their clients. We’re a Series A company backed by top investors, including FirstMark Capital, Zigg Capital, Slow Ventures, Clocktower, Commerce Ventures, and Altai. We’ve grown 15x+ in the past year with a massive market opportunity ahead.

Authentic is committed to building an inclusive working environment regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, education, age, or other personal characteristics. We believe that people do their best work when they can be themselves, and different perspectives and experiences make us stronger as a team. We’re proud of the supportive and inclusive workplace we're building together and are always working to make it even better.

Pay: From $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person