Insurance & Risk Strategy Lead

What You Will Do

Buckstop is seeking an experienced Insurance & Risk Strategy Lead to help build the insurance, risk management, and strategic partnership foundation for our platform.

This is not a traditional underwriting role.

We are looking for a builder who understands insurance markets, carrier relationships, brokerage ecosystems, and risk management across industrial, energy, logistics, manufacturing, and asset-intensive businesses.

The ideal candidate has spent years working with carriers, brokers, underwriters, and enterprise customers and understands how insurance products are structured, sold, priced, and managed. Just as importantly, they bring a strong network of industry relationships and can help Buckstop develop partnerships that create long-term strategic value.

As one of the company's early hires, you will work directly with the founders to shape how insurance and risk management become part of Buckstop's broader platform strategy.

• Develop Buckstop's insurance and risk management strategy
• Evaluate customer, operational, environmental, transportation, and asset-related risks
• Design scalable frameworks for assessing and managing risk across customer engagements
• Advise leadership on insurance requirements, liability considerations, and risk mitigation strategies
• Identify opportunities to leverage insurance as a value-added component of Buckstop's platform

• Build and manage relationships with insurance carriers, brokers, MGAs, and underwriting organizations
• Identify strategic partners that can support Buckstop's customers and growth initiatives
• Facilitate introductions and business development opportunities across the insurance ecosystem
• Advise leadership on carrier appetite, underwriting trends, and market dynamics
• Help negotiate and structure insurance solutions for enterprise customers

• Serve as a trusted advisor during customer discussions involving risk, insurance, and compliance considerations
• Help customers navigate complex insurance and risk challenges related to asset recovery, logistics, recycling, manufacturing, and energy operations
• Identify emerging risks and market opportunities across the circular economy ecosystem
• Support development of new insurance-enabled products and services

• Build processes, frameworks, and best practices from the ground up
• Partner directly with founders on strategic initiatives and growth opportunities
• Contribute to product, go-to-market, and partnership discussions
• Operate with a founder mentality and willingness to solve problems beyond your functional area
• Help establish the culture and operating standards of a high-growth startup

• 7+ years of experience in commercial insurance, underwriting, brokerage, risk management, or insurance consulting
• Deep expertise in industrial, manufacturing, logistics, energy, infrastructure, environmental, or asset-intensive industries
• Strong understanding of commercial insurance products and underwriting principles
• Experience working directly with insurance carriers, brokerage firms, and enterprise clients
• Existing network of carrier, broker, underwriting, and risk management relationships
• Strong business judgment and ability to evaluate complex risk scenarios
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• Experience supporting energy, industrial, circular economy, sustainability, recycling, or reverse logistics organizations
• Background developing underwriting programs, specialty insurance products, or strategic insurance partnerships
• Experience working with startups, venture-backed companies, or emerging markets
• CPCU, ARM, CRM, or similar industry certifications
• Experience helping build new business lines, partnerships, or insurance programs from the ground up

• You are known as a trusted expert within the insurance industry
• You have meaningful relationships across carriers, brokers, and underwriting organizations
• You understand both the technical and commercial sides of insurance
• You enjoy building new programs, partnerships, and processes
• You are highly entrepreneurial and thrive in ambiguous environments
• You take ownership and operate with a founder mentality
• You are excited by the opportunity to help build a category-defining company

Employment Type: Contract to hire

Location: Washington, DC

Workplace Type: Hybrid