Account Manager - Group Benefits

At The Standard, you'll join a team focused on putting our customers first.
Our continued success is driven by a high-performance culture. We're looking for people who are collaborative, accountable, creative, agile and are driven by a passion for doing what's right - across the company and in our local communities.
We offer a caring culture where you can make a real difference, every day.
Ready to reach your highest potential? Let's work together.
What You'll Do
You will be supporting our business growth, profitability, and retention of clients in your region by developing and maintaining an effective account management strategy for assigned accounts within our Employee Benefits Sales and Service office. Assigned groups will include cases with 500-4999 lives. These cases can have complicated plan designs, sensitive or problematic administrative issues, multiple divisions and locations or groups assigned to key producers. This will take you having the ability to develop effective business relationships and communicate with diverse audiences in many different settings. High level problem solving and decision making, while delivering top notch service to your clients.

• Develop and manage effective primary relationships with key policyholders and producers through frequent on-site visits, professional negotiation, responsive communication, problem resolution and meeting customer expectations.
• Work with clients to understand their concerns and needs and act as liaison between home office departments and the customers to initiate plan improvements and resolve administrative inconsistencies.
• Prior to each renewal, organize a face-to-face visit with key identified clients to present an analysis of claims experience and/or review the adequacy of the contract to recommend coverage or contractual changes to appropriately affect their experience and/or rates. When changes are requested, manage the amendment process for assigned accounts.
• In partnership with the assigned sales rep and underwriter, monitor renewal activity and prepare to present renewals with a customized strategy to retain the account. In preparation, gather underwriting data, review claims experience, review the recommended renewal action and prepare a summary justifying the renewal and recommending changes if appropriate.
• Incorporate information gathered from the pre-renewal visit with the policyholder or broker. Negotiate rates, contract provisions and administrative issues with Regional or National Accounts. Aggressively pursue opportunities to improve profitability and retention.
• Identify and promote the sale of additional lines of coverage or plan improvements on assigned block of business whenever possible.
• Request and review inforce proposal requests, providing all appropriate information to Regional or National Accounts, and present or assist in the presentation of the proposal to the broker and/or policyholder.
• Be actively involved with the sales rep and/or National Accounts Consultant in the acquisition, submission and implementation of National Accounts cases and Regional Accounts cases over 500 lives.
• Lead and coordinate the submission, set up and installation of assigned new groups with the policyholder, producer and home office. Provide similar support to new administrators at assigned in-force accounts.
• Facilitate the enrollment process, which may involve preparation of enrollment materials, conducting enrollment meetings or being present at benefit fairs.
• Serve as mentor with all service and sales employees in the office on service issues.

What You'll Need

• 5+ years of experience in group insurance account management in the 500+ lives space.
• Life and Disability insurance license for all states within the office's assigned territory.
• Personal automobile is available for business use with adequate insurance and a safe driving record.
• Experience working through mergers and acquisitions, managing the unknown with grace and professionalism.
• Excited to be in a position that will be leading change and be an advocate for change.

What You'll Get From Us

• Collaborative, Positive and Supportive Work Culture
• Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities -we are GROWING!
• Excellent Incentive Compensation
• Generous PTO (that we encourage you to use!)
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Life/STD/LTD
• 401K With Great Matching and Non-Elective Contribution
• Supplemental Benefits
• Quarterly Bonus Program
• Flexible Work Schedule
• Tuition reimbursement

Job Specifications:
1. Experience: Minimum three to five years of progressively responsible work experience in group insurance administration, benefits, underwriting or actuarial areas.
2. Proven ability to develop effective business relationships and communicate with diverse audiences in many different settings using multiple media; problem solving and decision making consistent with company objectives, or the equivalent combination of education and/or relevant experience. Active in local insurance community through advanced education and affiliation memberships.
3. Professional certification required: Life and Disability insurance license for all states within the office's assigned territory. License must be obtained within 6 months of hire date.
4. Other: Personal automobile is available for business use with adequate insurance and a safe driving record.
Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Equities, Inc. and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., marketed as The Standard, are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. The Standard offers a drug and alcohol free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on Standard property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation, employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.