Big Progressive hiring initiative to include IT staff

Progressive Insurance plans to fill more than 7,500 IT, analyst, corporate function and claims positions by the end of 2018.

The majority of the jobs will be based at Progressive’s larger offices. Both the company’s Tampa Bay, Fla. and Cleveland, Ohio headquarters will bring 1,300 professionals on board, according to the company. Other locations undergoing mass expansion include: Austin, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Colorado Springs, Colo; and Sacramento, Calif.

“We have many career paths you might not expect at an insurance company—like software developers and systems engineers,” said Steve Kaczynski, Progressive’s associate manager of recruitment marketing. “Not only will we continue to reach customers where they are, i.e. Flo Chatbot on Facebook Messenger, but the company’s vision is to be the customer's number one choice for auto and other insurance, like home, motorcycle and RV.”

John Quinn/Bloomberg News

The search for additional talent comes purely as a result of Progressive’s continued growth, according to the company. The Senate’s corporate tax cuts passed at the end of last year had not effect on the decision, it says.

In Sept 2016, Progressive also set out to hire 1,300 industry professionals, primarily in IT. Roles then included developers, systems engineers, software design engineers and IT managers in its Cleveland and Colorado Springs offices. Most of the technology jobs this go round will also be concentrated
in those locations.