Account Executive - Alternative Risk

Overview

The Account Executive is a thought leader in the industry and client niches he or she serves, and understands the overall business risks, financial implications, and employee health issues important to clients. He or she directly quarterbacks the service execution for clients within his or her own discipline. Working with a team of support and service personnel, the Account Executive builds a client base by adding new clients, new lines of coverage, and retaining and growing current clients. An effective negotiator, presenter, motivator, and relationship builder, the Account Executive leverages Assurance's sales methodologies, tools and resources, service platform, and best practices to successfully manage a growing client base.

Responsibilities

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

• Understands the client industry niche(s) served, recognizes the typical business problems faced by clients and how our service platform across all disciplines provides solutions to those issues
• Maintains proactive awareness of industry and how changes in the insurance industry, the economy, and legislation impact clients
• Represents Assurance in client and insurance industry through visible writing, speaking, and networking engagements
• Advocates for changes and additions to our service platform that increase the value created for our clients, add barriers to exit, and follow our strategic direction

CREATE AND CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS

• Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships, uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably
• Negotiates skillfully in tough situations with both internal and external groups; can win concessions without damaging relationships; can be direct and forceful as well as diplomatic; gains trust quickly of other parties to the negotiations

BUILD A CLIENT BASE

• Uses the Assurance sales process to analyze client and prospective client exposures and opportunities for improvement; and creates a compelling case to convince the decision-makers to select Assurance
• Creates presentations to clients and prospective clients that demonstrate our company's unique approach and culture, our established track record, our expertise and service platform specific to client niche, and a customized service plan for each client; is effective in a variety of formal presentation settings
• Understands each client's decision process, the people involved (decision-makers and service consumers), the business' goals and issues, and how our performance meets their expectations. Recognizes risks to losing clients, whether service breakdowns, new decision-makers, competitor involvement or other factors and acts to retain.
• Closes new business and renewals by figuring out the path to win and persevering through a methodical approach
• Uncovers opportunities to add new product and coverage lines and to cross-sell clients into other disciplines

 EXECUTE CLIENT SERVICE PLATFORM

• Understands business drivers of individual clients, their important metrics and measures of success, specific issues they are facing, and industry issues that may impact them; uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers
• Analyzes coverage, program financials, claims and loss rates, and other aspects to uncover opportunities for improvement; recommends changes and puts forth a service plan that creates measurable value
• Engages other teams and departments of Assurance to perform specialized analysis and service, monitoring results and service plan completion
• Quarterbacks the execution of client plans, services delivered, ensuring commitments are tracked and reported back in a unified, meaningful way to each client
• Understands insurance marketplace, carrier appetites, carrier programs, and services available; oversees the placement of insurance products within own discipline
• Monitors client satisfaction of every client through personal relationships and engagement, involvement with other Assurance team members, and any client surveys or feedback processes implemented

 SUPPORT AN EFFECTIVE TEAM

• Creates a climate in which people want to do their best; motivates many kinds of team or project members with influential authority; invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility; makes everyone feel his/her work is important through recognition and appreciation; is someone people like working with
• Conducts regular meetings with client service team to ensure all team members are up to speed on pending client issues, changing needs, implementation of service plans, and other issues
• Supports processes and procedures and agency best practices; participates in team, sales, and other meetings
• Mentors client service team members and new producers on topics relevant to their roles and continued development and advancement
• Recruits potential employee candidates to Assurance
• Leverages technology, tools, resources and information to maximize efficiency of self and other team members
• Conducts business planning to set goals for results and activities to achieve results
• Maintains a closing ratio and other efficiencies consistent with team expectations

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• Upon hire, Producers License (in state of residence) for Fire/Casualty 
• 5+ years of experience working with captives

PREFERRED:

• BS/BA in business, management, insurance or related field
• Proven success in Account Executive or client-facing position

 

About AssuranceAssurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, company, is a full-service brokerage providing business insurance, employee benefits, private client insurance, and retirement services to businesses and individuals across the country. Assurance operates as Marsh & McLennan Agency's Midwest regional headquarters. Consistently recognized as a top workplace, Assurance attracts and retains its insurance talent by rewarding expertise and investing in career development. Assurance employees enjoy an award-winning culture that fosters a highly productive and results-driven working environment.

 

Services: Business Insurance, Employee Benefits, Financial Services, Private Insurance, SuretyAwards: Assurance is continually named a "Best Place to Work" by leading publications and organizations such as Fortune magazine, the National Association for Business Resources, The Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business and Business Insurance magazine (check out all of our accolades).Culture: Our employees enjoy an environment that fosters success and creativity and provides countless opportunities for growth. We make sure our employees are happy and motivated by offering enviable benefits, rewards programs, celebrations, perks and a few surprises around every corner. Together, it all adds up to a company that develops and retains passionate individuals who deliver superior performance and measurable results to our clients.

 

Fun Fact: 31% of Assurance experts agree the best Saturday Night Live skit of all time is "More Cowbell".

 

Assurance has won over a hundred workplace awards largely due to our intentional and caring approach that begins with meeting our people where they are, celebrating their differences and creating an inclusive environment.

 

Assurance is a proud equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, marital status or civil partnership/union status, veteran status, citizenship, pregnancy, genetic information, physical or mental disability, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

 

Harassment or discrimination based upon any of the above is inconsistent with our values and will not be tolerated; this includes harassment or discrimination for being associated with or knowing someone that identifies with any of the above.

 

Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA) provides colleagues the freedom to make a career and difference. We encourage you to explore your curiosity and creativity. We gain new insight from diverse thinking, and take risks on new ideas. We embrace a culture that celebrates and promotes the many backgrounds, heritages and perspectives of our colleagues and clients. We are always seeking those with ethics, talent, and ambition who are interested in joining our client-focused teams. More than just insurance brokers, we believe that a business culture that supports a healthy, safe work environment does so by offering the right benefits, programs, policies and opportunities to keep employees engaged and productive including: health and welfare, tuition assistance, 401K, employee assistance program, volunteer opportunities, and other programs.

Employment Type: FULL_TIME