As we continue to grow, we're looking for a Principal, Industry Strategist to lead Hi Marley in developing innovative communication solutions for P&C insurance. You'll bring expertise in either Customer Service (e.g., Policy, Billing, etc.) or Sales & Distribution, specifically related to operations, strategy, and metrics, as well as a deep understanding of the customer and employee challenges that are ripe for improvement. You'll use that expertise to break down communication siloes in insurance, supporting an end-to-end communication experience that deepens the relationship with the customer over time.

This role serves as both an internal and external industry authority-leading discovery with our customers, identifying high-value problems worth solving, shaping product direction, and driving thought leadership that positions Hi Marley at the forefront of P&C innovation. The Industry Strategist informs strategic decision-making through market insight, competitive intelligence, and structured evaluation of opportunities. The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of customer empathy, industry fluency, and analytical rigor to influence Hi Marley's roadmap, accelerate strategic account impact, and elevate our industry relevance

This role owns the identification, framing, and prioritization of high-value industry problem spaces that guide Hi Marley's long-term product investment strategy, roadmap direction, and market positioning. A core thread throughout is solving for the complexity inherent in insurance communication-such as the three-way dynamic between policyholder, carrier, and agent-and identifying where automation can replace slow, manual touchpoints with immediate, proactive service that lowers cost to serve. Operating with a multi-year horizon, the Principal, Industry Strategy serves as Hi Marley's primary industry authority for Customer Service or Sales & Distrubution in P&C insurance and shapes what problems the company chooses to solve next. Teamwork and shared enthusiasm is a core part of our culture, which is why this role involves joining us in the Boston Office for 2-3 days each week.

What You'll Do:

• Own and lead structured industry discovery with insurance carriers, establishing the source of truth for which problems represent the highest customer and enterprise value.
• Define and recommend major product investment bets in partnership with Product and leadership, grounded in industry insight, ROI frameworks, and validated demand.
• Develop and maintain repeatable frameworks for evaluating industry opportunities, customer problems, and ecosystem partnerships to inform ongoing product and GTM prioritization.
• Serve as Hi Marley's primary external industry authority for Customer Service or Sales & Distribution, shaping narratives with analysts, industry bodies, and strategic partners, brought to life through publications and conferences
• Influence long-range product and ecosystem strategy by translating market trends, customer insight, and competitive intelligence into clear strategic direction rooted in meaningful Hi Marley differentiation.
• Lead packaging and pricing of new products
• Establish and scale cross-functional fluency in Customer Service or Sales & Distribution challenges and Hi Marley's Service solutions-shaping how Product, Marketing, and Sales understand, position, and sell our Service offering.
• Identify and prioritize opportunities for automated, proactive communication (e.g., AI-driven outreach, self-service, event-triggered updates) that reduce cost to serve while delivering immediate, always-on responsiveness across the customer journey.
• Own the strategy for resolving complexity in multi-party insurance communication-policyholder, carrier, and agent-defining where automation, process redesign, or new product investment can eliminate friction and close communication gaps between stakeholders.

What We're Looking For:

• 8-10+ years of experience in P&C insurance strategy, product strategy, or industry advisory roles, with a proven track record of shaping product direction and influencing enterprise-level investment decisions.
• Deep expertise in P&C insurance Customer Service or Sales & Distribution operations, strategy, and performance metrics, with an ability to translate industry knowledge into actionable product and GTM guidance.
• A naturally curious, open-minded problem solver who challenges assumptions, explores alternative perspectives, and relentlessly seeks to understand the "why" behind customer pain points.
• Someone who thrives in customer-facing environments-earning trust quickly with executives and frontline teams alike through credibility, active listening, and clear communication.
• A strategic thinker and storyteller who can craft concise, compelling narratives that connect industry needs, Hi Marley's capabilities, and long-term innovation opportunities.
• Strong analytical rigor, using data, ROI frameworks, and structured reasoning to evaluate opportunities and shape product investment decisions.
• Sharp intuition and pattern recognition-able to quickly identify true value, distinguish signal from noise, and guide the team toward the highest-impact problems.
• Familiarity with AI-driven applications or digital transformation initiatives within insurance, with an understanding of where AI delivers meaningful operational or customer value.
• Experience identifying or scaling automation and proactive-communication strategies that lower operational cost while improving speed and quality of service

Compensation, Benefits & Perks:
At Hi Marley, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The annual base salary for this role is expected to fall within the range of [$142,000-$263,000], depending on experience, skills, qualifications, and location. Offers are determined based on these factors as well as internal peer equity. It's most common for new hires to start near the midpoint of the range, allowing room for growth as employees develop in their role.

In addition to base pay, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports both your wellbeing and professional growth, including:

• Equity grants for all employees
• A 4% matching 401(k) program
• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage for employees working 30+ hours per week
• Monthly wellness stipend
• Paid parental leave
• A flexible vacation policy - we all work hard and take time when we need it