Head of Distribution

Reporting to the Head of Client Solutions and Wealth Management, the Head of Distribution will build, lead and execute a sales and distribution vision and strategy to accelerate the growth of Guardian’s individual financial protection business. The successful candidate will assess current capabilities, distribution model, and strategy, and will drive transformation to elevate performance results. This executive will lead a highly experienced team of leaders accountable for accelerating and expanding sales growth in key-growth markets.

• Lead the sales and distribution vision and strategy for Guardian Life’s individual businesses in new and existing channels, including general agency, third-party and multi-life channels.
• Build and expand third-party distribution capabilities across life, annuity, disability, multi-life (life and disability) and investment products and solutions.
• Assess distribution organizational structure and teams to determine priorities for change and investment.
• Design and build key distribution support capabilities, including relationship management, sales enablement, sales effectiveness, compensation and sales analytics.
• Reimagine multi-channel relationship development strategies to strengthen Guardian Life’s presence in key growth markets.
• Partner closely with product and P&L leaders and serve as the lead distribution executive for the financial protection and retirement solutions business unit.
• Partner closely with the group benefits business to grow multi-life and worksite solution sales.
• Cultivate leaders and talent; assess teams, capabilities and performance and lead development and succession planning.
• Modernize and optimize technology, data and metrics to empower sales teams and increase productivity and profitability.
• Align sales and distribution leaders and teams around a shared vision, empowering effective collaboration, driving and accelerating change and elevating team performance.
• Lead strategy for investing in and/or acquiring new distribution assets.
• Build a culture of aspiration and innovation that embraces differences and promotes inclusion.
• Serve as an active participant in community and industry associations, representing Guardian Life.
• Build relationships with all levels of leadership to achieve client and organizational growth objectives.
• Lead process improvement to drive rigor and consistency in sales and distribution performance.
• Partner with enterprise leadership and teams to drive next-generation data and digital innovation to optimize growth.

• Proven leadership impact and track record at the executive level.
• Expertise in multiple distribution channels and life, annuity, and disability products.
• Demonstrated business acumen; understanding of the balance sheet and economics of the life, annuity, and disability business and a P&L-driven approach to growth.
• Talent builder and developer; ability to evaluate performance and potential and prepare teams for succession.
• Strong collaborator and relationship builder.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to influence, build followership and facilitate.
• Record of planning, sponsoring and leading large-scale, complex transformation.
• Skilled at successfully leading and navigating teams through transformation.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance or business, additional advanced coursework preferred; investments licenses and certifications strongly preferred (e.g., Series 7, 24, 27, 63, 65).
• Experience with U.S. securities and other applicable laws and regulations, including FINRA rules.
• Preferable experience with both life and annuity products and distribution.

• Drives overall growth of individual distribution and channels, increasing sales and profitability.
• Sets effective strategic growth objectives with a record of successfully balancing strategic partnerships, client segments and multiple sales channels.
• Proactively seeks to improve processes and implement best-in-class solutions, raising the quality and productivity of teams.
• Demonstrates an ability to think out of the box to generate revenue growth. Holds self and team accountable.
• Strategic Thinking:…