Senior Strategy and Relationship Director, Group Benefits

The Senior Strategy and Relationship Director will report to the Head of National Broker & General Agency Partners, Group Benefits. The successful hire will work to develop growth and retention strategies, determine new product placement opportunities, identify, and perform due diligence on potential new national or regional partners, collaborate across the Group Benefits organization, and seek opportunities to broaden and deepen national relationships across the Group Benefits organization. 

The scope of the role focuses on national benefits brokers, and consultants, as well as alternative distribution channel partners such as general agencies, third party administrators and technology platforms.

You Will:

The Senior Strategy and Relationship Director will collaborate with key internal partners and Distribution leaders to create and execute strategic plans for assigned partners and drive results throughout the year. In addition, the role is responsible for strengthening and broadening existing partner relationships and identifying efficiency and technology alignment opportunities. 

Specific Responsibilities include:

• Act as point of contact for executive level relationships and demonstrate deep industry knowledge fostering confidence and trust.
• Create and manage business plans for assigned partners and successfully execute against agreed upon objectives.
• Active and ongoing collaboration with distribution leaders, sales professionals, and account management teams to drive success locally.
• Act as escalation point for internal and external partners.
• Represent Guardian at industry and partner events.
• Collaborate with distribution to design and implement growth strategies for targeted partners.

The Group Benefits Distribution organization relies on the Senior Strategy and Relationship Director’s diverse experience and skills, broad understanding of the employee benefits industry, and institutional knowledge of Guardian’s Group Benefits business to execute on business and engagement plans as well as other unique growth and retention initiatives designed to accelerate growth, strengthen relationships, retain business and improve profitability. 

You Have:

Functional Skills:

The success of the role will depend heavily upon building strong and trusted partnerships with all areas of the Group Benefits organization. The successful candidate must work with and influence peer groups and individuals with specific functional expertise. It will be necessary to build consensus through persuasive presentation of well-developed, rational business cases, complete with supporting information, impact analysis, and success metrics. A key responsibility lies in the ability to influence and manage people over whom there is no direct authority. The successful candidate must develop a thorough understanding of distribution, operations, risk management, and applicable regulations for all market segments, including both industry practice standards and Guardian process and systems.

Sales & Customer Skills:

• Partner Focus:  Dedicates themselves to learning the partners’ business model and needs at both a local and national level. Monitors satisfaction and champions resolution to systemic impediments to excellence. 
• Relationship Development:  Fosters highly productive and respected business relationships with broad and unique audiences at national and local levels. Takes initiative to establish relationships and strengthen them through repeated contact and generating trust and respect though the exchange of ideas and sharing of information. Demonstrates a personal commitment to establishing an optimal working environment. Fosters a high level of teamwork through an understanding of how work is related across functional areas and contribute to organizational and partnership objectives. Ability to manage multiple diverse internal customers (legal, sales, admin, underwriting, etc).
• Influence:  Ability to define and execute a plan in a compelling manner in order to foster consistent understanding across a wide group of individuals.  Build consensus and enthusiasm for objectives.
• Balancing Interests:  Recognizes, manages, and resolves issues that emerge between groups with competing interests and needs. Ability to understand and determine the root cause of conflict between various constituencies. Seeks compromise and develop solutions that drive success

Leadership:

• Professionalism:  Conducts business in a consistently professional manner. Demonstrates integrity, honesty, and enthusiasm at all times
• Communication:  Open and honest; Leads by example and through various modes of communication. 
• Team Alignment:  Provides a sense of cohesiveness, identity, and purpose to a work group, which helps to inspire motivation among its members toward a common goal.
• Respect for Diversity: Supports a culture of diversity by fully utilizing the potential of all employees regardless of background or ethnicity. Will treat all employees, customers, and vendors with dignity and respect.
• Developing-self:  Actively seeks and takes on additional challenges to grow and develop professionally; Demonstrates self-awareness regarding strengths, development needs, personal values, and professional aspirations 

Qualifications:

Education and Experience: 

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

Experience: 

• Knowledge of group benefit brokers, trends, and product offerings (Guardian knowledge preferred)
• 5 years of group & worksite (or similar) insurance experience required (10 years preferred)
• 3 years of relationship (client/partner/vendor) management experience required
• 5 years’ experience demonstrating activities developing core competencies required
  • Accountability for results
  • Sales and client management
  • Leadership
• Experience in at least two of the core business areas required
  • Distribution
  • Underwriting, Finance, & Pricing
  • Product Development & Marketing
  • Operations & administration
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint required; SharePoint & virtual meeting platforms preferred

Other Requirements:

• Anticipated travel is approximately 30-40%

Location and Work Arrangement:

• The work arrangement is "Mobile" with a preference for hiring near one of the following Guardian Office locations: New York, NY; Boston, MA; or Bethlehem, PA.

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.