Agency Development Manager Trainee

Agency Development Manager Trainee / Benefits Leadership Opportunity

UPPER ROOM SOLUTIONS | Northeast Ohio Market

Location: Local to Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Green, and surrounding Northeast Ohio areas
Work Style: Local field-based business development, networking, training, and client support
Job Type: Contract / Independent Contractor
Ideal Candidate: Graduating Seniors, Class of 2026
Career Areas: Business, Sales, Leadership, Recruiting, Employee Benefits, Entrepreneurship

About the Opportunity

Colonial Life is seeking motivated graduating students in the Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Green, and surrounding Northeast Ohio area for an Agency Development Manager Trainee / Benefits Leadership Opportunity.

This opportunity is ideal for soon-to-be graduates who want more than a standard entry-level job. You will gain hands-on experience in business development, sales leadership, recruiting, training, and employee benefits while helping local businesses strengthen the benefits they offer their employees.

As you grow in the role, you will work as an independent insurance agent while learning how to recruit, mentor, and support other independent agents. Colonial Life provides tools, resources, mentorship, and professional development to support agents as they build their business.

What You’ll Do

You will work locally throughout the Northeast Ohio market, connecting with businesses, brokers, HR professionals, and community decision-makers.

Responsibilities may include:

• Building relationships with local business owners, HR teams, brokers, and key decision-makers
• Learning how to present employee benefit solutions to businesses
• Supporting voluntary benefits enrollment and employee education
• Recruiting, interviewing, and helping train new sales representatives
• Coaching new agents on prospecting, presentations, and client conversations
• Participating in onboarding and field training
• Attending local sales meetings, trainings, and business development activities
• Helping create a competitive, supportive, and team-focused agency environment

The ADM role is built around recruiting, coaching, field training, B2B sales, broker relationships, and leadership development.

Who We’re Looking For

This opportunity may be a great fit for graduating students who are:

• Local to Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Green, or nearby Northeast Ohio communities
• Graduating in 2026 and ready to begin a career in business, sales, or leadership
• Interested in entrepreneurship, employee benefits, insurance, recruiting, HR, or business development
• Comfortable meeting new people and building professional relationships
• Self-motivated, coachable, and goal-driven
• Willing to obtain a Life & Accident/Health Insurance License
• Excited by the idea of growth, leadership, and performance-based opportunity

Previous experience in sales, athletics, leadership, customer service, recruiting, student organizations, internships, or business-related coursework is helpful but not required.

What You’ll Gain

• Local mentorship and professional development
• Real-world business-to-business sales experience
• Training in employee benefits, client conversations, recruiting, and leadership
• Experience working with business owners, HR professionals, and brokers
• Opportunity to grow into a leadership role supporting other agents
• A career path with uncapped performance-based earning potential
• Access to Colonial Life’s tools, resources, and support network

Compensation

This is an independent contractor opportunity, not a salaried employee position. Compensation is based on sales results and may include commissions, renewal income, bonuses, and incentive opportunities.

Any income range associated with this posting represents potential pre-tax earnings as a business owner in this role, not guaranteed salary or guaranteed earnings. Earnings are sales-results based and uncapped, with growth potential based on effort, business activity, and performance.

Why This Is a Strong Fit for Graduating Seniors

This opportunity gives graduating students a way to enter the professional world with leadership potential from the start. Instead of sitting behind a desk waiting for experience to appear, you will be out in the local business community learning how companies make decisions, how benefits support employees, and how to build long-term professional relationships.

It is a strong fit for someone who wants to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves.

Recommended Majors

Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship, Management, Insurance/Risk Management, Psychology, or related fields.

Apply

Students graduating this year who are local to the Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Green, and surrounding Northeast Ohio area are encouraged to apply.