AVP Product Development

AVP Of Product Development – Client Facing Systems

Gallagher Bassett's client-facing systems are industry-leading, consistently recognized by independent reviewers. As AVP of Product Development – Client Facing Systems, you will have the chance to shape the future of these award-winning systems, including innovations great and small that will make them differentiating offerings for Gallagher Bassett for years to come.

Responsibilities:

• Proposes and gains leadership buy-in on a clear vision for core product innovation globally ensuring continual improvement in terms of system usability, functionality, flexibility, security, and distinctiveness — ultimately driving system usage and client satisfaction.
• Ensures the voice of business stakeholders (e.g., clients and GB Client Services) are heard and that their needs are represented in the vision.
• Deconstructs product vision into achievable product roadmap and feature blueprints, aligning with delivery (IT) teams on technical feasibility.
• Establishes product roadmaps (internal and external) and keeps these up to date.
• Acts as business owners throughout the development process to ensure that decisions (both major and detailed) are made in furtherance of the product vision.
• Oversees implementation of core product vision in partnership with execution functions (e.g., Gallagher Bassett (GB) IT, Analytics, Data Science; and technology/vendor partners).
• Aligns with GB IT on technical platform(s) to meet core product needs where an existing platform is insufficient.
• Influences vendor and partner product direction, both formally and informally, to the benefit of GB and to fulfill the product roadmap.
• Sets direction for product marketing materials, providing sales and marketing personnel key points of differentiation that should be highlighted.
• Respond to RFP/RFIs regarding the product vision and roadmap.
• Manages the product on a day to day basis, including:
• Performing release management, including communications with users and stakeholders about core product changes and improvements.
• Providing direction on prioritization of product-related work.
• Acting as business owner during outages or technical issues (prioritize the need based on criticality / impact to end users and cost to resolve).
• Acting as subject matter expert for sales, marketing, and user support.
• Owns and manages the product budget, including forecasting, tracking spend, and ensuring investments align with the product vision and business priorities.
• Manages vendor contracts and relationships, including negotiating terms, overseeing service levels, and holding vendors accountable to their commitments.

About You

Required:

• Minimum 8 years of relevant professional and/or technical experience, including experience leading product and/or technology initiatives.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience with client-facing systems.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, communication, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong understanding of product development and product management principles.
• Strong experience developing and maintaining product roadmaps.
• Proven experience managing projects and working in an agile manner.
• Technical fluency with regard to client-facing systems and/or business intelligence technology platforms.
• Knowledge of emerging business intelligence / analytics topics and trends, including their potential application to insurance.
• Bachelor's degree; 6 years professional experience with quantitative analysis.
• Less than 20% travel.
• Highly polished presentation skills.

Preferred:

• Degree in a related field.
• Background in claims, insurance, or financial services.
• Experience working in an agile product development environment.

Work traits:

• Adroitly pivots from visionary thinking (creative, high-level thinking; unconstrained by the today's technical reality) to technical implementation (practical, detail-oriented) depending on the situation.
• Combines empathy ("putting yourself in the users' shoes") with creativity to deliver a better product and higher client satisfaction.
• Communicates in a clear, structured manner.
• Breaks down large problems or challenges into bite-sized chunks that can be more easily solved; able to communicate…