Annuity New Business Manager
About the Role
Lead, coach, and develop Annuity New Business team members to provide efficient, compliant, and high-quality service to customers in support of the business unit's goals and established service level agreements. Drive individual and team performance to meet stated KPIs and SLAs while continuously improving efficiency and ease of doing business for customers. Adhere to Sammons Financial Group (SFG) member companies' shared values in all decisions and actions.
The Annuity New Business team supports Agent, MGA/IMO, and Broker Dealer customers through initial application review, not-in-good-order follow-up, incoming transfer facilitation, and issuance for sales of Midland National and North American Company products. The team provides processing and customer support for fixed Annuity distributions, managing multiple legacy systems, processes, and procedures. The team is located in West Des Moines, with many employees working remotely.
Responsibilities
- Lead and develop team and individual KPIs, SLAs, and goals that align with departmental, divisional, and SFG objectives. Ensure goals are compelling and transparent to drive understanding, ownership, and commitment.
- Continuously evaluate and adjust goals and targets to maintain a culture of high performance and engagement.
- Attract and retain top talent by identifying high-potential employees and providing opportunities to develop their skills and expand their influence within the organization.
- Partner with each team member to focus on individual performance and inspire action toward meeting team standards.
- Provide continual coaching and feedback regarding progress, strengths, and areas for development.
- Utilize corporate programs such as the Target Incentive Plan (TIP), annual merit reviews, and individual development plans (IDP) to reinforce employee performance and development.
- Review and analyze systems, processes, and data to improve workflow and increase efficiency through technology; implement change initiatives to enhance productivity and quality.
- Stay abreast of industry trends and competitive changes to drive necessary adjustments and maintain market competitiveness.
- Support and provide department-level training, including overseeing procedure documentation and work standards.
- Effectively lead and manage customer service-related issues and process improvements in an efficient and compliant manner.
- Assist the Legal and Compliance Departments in reviewing and resolving complaints, lawsuits, and other regulatory matters.
- Actively manage the department budget with a focus on unit cost reduction opportunities.
- Foster internal and external working relationships to achieve business goals, including managing vendor relations to ensure contractual agreements are met.
- Lead, develop, and engage employees across multi-site locations, including remote teams.
- Support and reinforce commitment to operational, financial, and internal controls processes (e.g., Model Audit Rule, Record Information Management, 38a-1) and stay current with the Business Continuity Plan.
- Create and maintain an operating environment that embraces shared values, Sammons Leadership Series (SLS) principles, and corporate culture.
- Commit to SFG's shared values: Accountability, Connection, Openness, Respect, and Integrity.
- Regular attendance is required to meet business service levels and workflow demands.
- Participate in other initiatives and projects as necessary.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience.
- Preferred: Insurance industry experience.
- Preferred: Prior management of KPIs, SLAs, planning, and workforce management data.
- Bias to action and sense of urgency; strong problem-solving, strategic, and process-thinking skills.
- Effective leadership, coaching, motivation, and decision-making skills.
- Strong focus on customer service.
- Proven ability to manage multi-faceted business needs and diverse processes.
- Ability to lead a workforce dispersed across multi-site locations servicing multiple lines of business and product lines.
- Exceptional verbal, written, and visual communication skills.
- Strong emotional intelligence.
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and effectively under deadline pressures.
- Strong analytical skills to evaluate facts and data using sound and mature judgment.
- Ability to balance business decisions by weighing cost benefits to ensure cost-effective solutions, considering long-term benefits and automation.
- Travel up to 25% may be required.
- Criminal background check required.
- If the position is in the SIG business unit, Annuity New Business Securities team, or involves holding securities licenses, FINRA regulations require fingerprinting; if holding securities licenses, a credit check will also be required.
Pay
Salary Range: USD $69,324.00 - USD $115,540.00 per year. Range includes data points from multiple labor markets. Specific range depends on the labor market where the incumbent will be hired. Starting salary is dependent on candidate qualifications and experience.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, and FSA options, and term life insurance.
- Competitive compensation with a performance-based incentive program tied to clear goals and individual/company success.
- 100% company-funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and automatic enrollment in our 401(k).
- Work-life balance: Friday afternoons off year-round, generous paid time off, and paid holidays.
- Paid development time, tuition reimbursement, and professional development opportunities across industry, individual, and leadership programs.
- Volunteer time off and a company nonprofit matching gift program to support causes important to you.
- An ownership culture that inspires, with a connected, values-driven workplace where employees take accountability and support one another.