Mid-Large Associate Director

Manulife•Time, IL

5d•Remote

About The Position

The Associate Director (AD), Retirement Sales (Mid-Large Market) partners closely with a Regional Vice President (RVP) and is responsible for growing a Mid-Large market retirement franchise in the $50M+ plan segment. This role serves as a strategic extension of the RVP – supporting advisor relationships, opportunity execution and strengthening Manulife John Hancock’s competitive position with retirement plan advisors and consultants. Covering a defined territory, the AD partners with top-tier retirement plan advisors, consultants, and third-party administrators to deliver consultative, ERISA-focused solutions across defined contribution, defined benefit, and non-qualified plans. The AD plays a critical role in disciplined opportunity management, elite advisor segmentation, RFP execution, finalist preparation and deal strategy. The role provides meaningful exposure to complex retirement sales, deep advisor engagement, and hands-on leadership experience within the Mid-Large Segment while advancing Manulife John Hancock’s mission of helping people confidently save and invest for retirement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
4+ years of experience in retirement plans or financial services
4+ years of proven success in one or more of the following: Internal or external retirement plan sales, Relationship management, ERISA consulting, Communications, operations, or implementation
Active and maintain Life Insurance and Series 6 licenses

Nice To Haves

Strong passion for growing a territory and supporting advisor success
Deep knowledge of ERISA regulations and DC/DB/NQ plan design
Financial acumen applied to pricing strategy and value-based selling
Demonstrated success supporting complex, multi-decision-maker sales environments
Strong presentation, storytelling, and finalist preparation capabilities
Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including plan-level review and competitive analysis
Proven ability to influence advisors, consultants, plan sponsors, and internal partners
Track record of disciplined pipeline and territory management
Commitment to trust, accountability, and collaborative team performance

Responsibilities

Partner with the RVP to support ownership and growth of the Mid-Large Market retirement franchise across an assigned territory, focused on corporate plans with $50M+ in assets.
Contribute to territory strategy development aligned to new sales growth, advisor prioritization, and long-term franchise value.
Demonstrates ownership mindset for territory outcomes by proactively managing opportunities, prioritizing advisor engagement and exercising sound judgement on where to invest time and resources.
Deliver a consultative sales experience to advisors by understanding their business models, service offerings, growth objectives, and client needs.
Clearly articulate how Manulife John Hancock Retirement products, services, and experience align with advisor and consultant models.
Apply a discovery-driven approach to uncover opportunities, competitive positioning, and understanding of emerging client needs.
Build credibility and strong working relationships with retirement plan advisors, consultants, and TPAs.
Execute proactive engagement strategies across Elite Advisor Segmentation through intentional virtual meetings and live calls.
Maintain a strong working knowledge of ERISA, DC/DB/NQ plan design, pricing structures, and fiduciary considerations.
Stay current on industry trends, regulatory developments, and competitive offerings.
Review and interpret plan documents, SPDs, and disclosures to support opportunity analysis and sales strategy.
Lead qualification and analysis of opportunities to ensure alignment with Manulife John Hancock Retirement capabilities and strengths.
Execute a disciplined RFP process in partnership with RFP writers and internal teams, ensuring responses are accurate, concise, and competitively positioned.
Conduct detailed pricing analysis and collaborate with pricing partners to submit complete, timely, and well-articulated pricing requests.
Support finalist preparation by capturing key plan details, developing strategy documents, coordinating presentation messaging, and sharing committee insights with the RVP and presentation team members.
Partner closely with internal stakeholders, including Relationship Managers, Operations, Implementation, Marketing, and Communications, as well as external centers of influence including retirement plan advisors, TPA’s and DCIO’s.
Execute with strong organization, attention to detail, and follow-through across multiple active opportunities.
Leverage Salesforce, benchmarking tools, fee analysis, and prospecting resources to manage pipeline and advisor engagement.