Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
Business Development at Shepherd sits at an interesting intersection of SaaS and a traditionally offline category: commercial insurance. The listing signals a platform-led approach where software, data integrations, and AI-driven workflows change how underwriting and distribution operate, with brokers as the go-to-market channel. That makes the role relevant to the broader wave of vertical SaaS and fintech infrastructure companies modernising regulated, operationally complex industries.
For a SaaS career, this kind of remit builds durable GTM pattern recognition: partner-led pipeline creation, translating a technical product into outcomes, and managing post-sale expansion through ongoing account ownership. The emphasis on tracking activity and coordinating with a broader BD function also reflects how modern SaaS teams run on process, forecasting discipline, and feedback loops between field learnings and product positioning.
This role tends to suit someone who prefers relationship depth over transactional selling and who enjoys navigating domain complexity while learning a software platform. It also fits professionals who want clear ownership across the funnel, from sourcing to long-term partner success, and who are comfortable operating with measurable targets and a defined territory footprint.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
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:
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 — 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:
Our Team
We're a team of technologists and insurance enthusiasts, bridging the two worlds together. Check out our 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
