Client Manager Associate, Premier Market - Syracuse, NY

The Client Manager Associate, Premier Market will assume overall responsibility for managing a client book of business in the 2-99 life space. They will be responsible for persistency, growth, and profitability of this book through relationship development with clients, brokers, and key Guardian internal partners. These partners include Underwriting, Sales Support, Service and Claims. This position will also directly work with Sales Representatives to uncover opportunities to add additional lines of coverage to existing business.

This position requires the individual to be an ambassador to the business and always use best practices.
The Client Manager Associate is directly and/or indirectly accountable for activities associated with renewing plans (plan retention) and adding new lines of coverage (“add issue”) including, but not limited to, generating plan options and quotes for additional lines of coverage. The individual will proactively evaluate their existing book of business for add issue opportunities, as well as handle incoming renewal and negotiation requests.

A successful candidate must demonstrate strong customer service acumen, strong consulting/negotiation skills, deep ancillary product knowledge (dental, vision, life, accident, disability, statutory, supplemental health, voluntary benefits, and leave management) with a high degree of operational effectiveness.
** You will:
*** Build relationships with brokers/producers/plan holders for groups with less than 100 enrolled lives
* Interpret, deliver, and clearly communicate renewals, alternative plan options, and add issue quotes to the broker/producer/client
* Review experience and utilization reports with Sales Reps for groups with under 100 lives;
Package and deliver appropriate reports based on group size and availability
* Proactively identify add issue opportunities for groups under 100 lives by utilizing Salesforce Reports and other strategies developed in collaboration with Sales Reps and generating quotes. Follow up with broker/producer regarding status of renewals and add issue quotes while also engaging the Sales Rep, as needed, to help close the renewal or sale.
* Provide renewal rate relief for groups under 100 lives through negotiations with underwriting, as well as determining and generating plan alternative options
* Serve as subject matter expert on various Guardian systems, capabilities, products, and workflow procedures
** You have:
*** Excellent written and oral communication skills
* Excellent customer service soft skills
* Very strong mathematical aptitude and analytical skills
* Strong consultative, negotiation, persuasion, and influencing skills with a sales orientation
* Ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships at all levels
* A client-focused approach
* Personal accountability
* Strong planning and organizational skills with ability to multi-task
* Ability to easily adapt to change
* Ability to work independently and in a group setting
* Motivation to meet goals:  Meet persistency goals, renewal target goals, cross-sell goals (add issue), etc.
* Computer proficiency in Outlook, Skype, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Salesforce, GCRS, Siebel, CPS, Phoenix, Business Objects, etc.
* Ability to represent Guardian in a professional manner
* The successful hire must be based in Syracuse, NY or Albany, NY.
* The work arrangement will be remote.
** Knowledge:
*** Solid knowledge of group insurance products, contracts, and services. Group insurance products include dental (PPO, DHMO, fully insured and ASO), vision, life, accident, short- and long-term disability (fully insured and ASO), statutory disability, supplemental health, voluntary benefits, and leave management (federal, state, and local).
* Solid knowledge of financing methodologies and strategies (fully insured and alternate funding)
* Solid knowledge of group insurance underwriting principles, methodologies, and practices
*
* Education:

*** BA or BS Degree is preferred. Will consider work experience equivalent.
*
* Experience:

*** 3 to 5 years of insurance industry experience, preferably in a sales environment
* Demonstrated success in servicing brokers/producers/customers
** Other:
*** Eligible for variable compensation for persistency and renewal target bonus and cross-sell/add-issue bonus, according to the current year Group Sales Incentive Compensation Plan for Client Manager Associates
* Must achieve required industry licensing within 90 days of date of hire and maintain license through…