Annuity Relationship Manager, Third-Party Distribution

New York Life•New York, NY

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Relationship Management team is responsible for managing and strengthening New York Life’s home office relationships with key third-party partner firms. This role serves as a central point of coordination across sales, product, and operations, ensuring a seamless and strategic partnership experience. The Relationship Manager will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to lead development of partner-specific strategies and drive alignment with enterprise distribution goals. This individual will play a key role in interpreting business trends, influencing strategic direction, and driving measurable business outcomes across partner relationships.

Requirements

5–8+ years of experience in financial services, preferably within annuities, asset management, or insurance distribution
Experience working with or supporting third-party distribution partners (wirehouse, Independent and banks)
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships with external partners
Strong understanding of distribution, product positioning, and/or operational processes within financial services
Excellent communication and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence outcomes without direct authority
Experience analyzing business performance and translating insights into strategic actions
Ability to work cross-functionally and influence without direct authority

Nice To Haves

Existing relationships within broker-dealer (preferred)
Familiarity with annuity products and platform distribution models (preferred)
Experience in a client-facing, sales support, or relationship management role (preferred)
FINRA licenses (Series 6/7, 63) and/or insurance licenses (preferred)
Experience presenting to or influencing senior-level stakeholders (preferred)

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary relationship contact for assigned partner firms at the home office level
Lead development and execution of strategic plans for assigned partner firms aligned to enterprise growth objectives
Partner with firms on strategic initiatives across sales, product, and operations
Analyze partner performance data to identify trends, risks, and growth opportunities; deliver data-driven recommendations
Support business growth by identifying opportunities within existing partner relationships
Drive complex, cross-functional initiatives to improve distribution effectiveness and partner experience
Coordinate cross-functional efforts internally (sales, product, operations, service teams) to deliver a consistent partner experience
Act as a liaison to resolve partner issues, escalate concerns, and drive timely solutions
Own resolution of complex and ambiguous partner challenges requiring cross-functional alignment
Maintain a strong understanding of partner firm priorities, structure, and key decision-makers
Assist in business planning, pipeline tracking, and execution of firm-specific initiatives
Support onboarding of new partners and ongoing relationship development
Provide insights and feedback from partners to inform product development and operational improvements
Influence internal stakeholders and senior leadership using insights derived from partner interactions and market trends
Lead business reviews with partner firms and present strategic recommendations to internal and external stakeholders
Build and maintain relationships with our sales team and internal partners (Marketing, Service, Product, etc.) to maximize our ability to hit sales targets and to maintain our team focused culture of “winning together”
Serve as a subject matter resource on third-party distribution and partner strategy, providing guidance to peers and junior team members