AVP Business Strategy SIAG

Sammons Financial Group • West Des Moines, IA

5h

About The Position

Provide leadership and oversight of strategy for the Sammons Independent Annuity Group (SIAG) business unit (BU) by partnering with key business leaders and subject matter experts (SMEs) to design, implement and continuously enhance strategies, initiatives and tools in order for SIAG to achieve growth. Continuously communicate necessary facts to drive corrective and proactive changes utilizing knowledge of the business, products, processes and systems. Build electronic capabilities, work with external partners and be involved with potential alternative distribution opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems, Finance, Marketing, Computer Science or Business or similar Required
• Possess technical and analytical skills to answer complex questions and problem solve
• Possess strong ability in working well with others
• Must embrace and effectively shadow the corporate core values
• Effective leadership, management, decision-making and motivational skills
• Excellent communication skills, including listening, oral and written
• Must exhibit excellent organizational skills and have well-developed oral and written communication skills with which to communicate effectively with a variety of personalities
• Ability to establish and articulate a vision, set goals, develop and execute strategies, and track/measure results
• Must exhibit a high degree of decision making ability, using tact and good judgment
• Demonstrated persistence with a positive, results driven and creative attitude
• Ability to work effectively with individuals and groups at various levels within the organization
• Due to the financial nature and level of accountability of this position, a credit and criminal background check is required

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree in a related area Preferred
• Minimum 10 years' experience with analysis Preferred
• Minimum 10 years' experience in the Insurance or Financial Services industry Preferred

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for planning, developing and implementing strategy across multiple distribution channels by collaborating with key business leaders and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
• Work with business owners to understand their business requirements/strategies/initiatives; utilize requirements/strategies/initiatives to develop industry leading electronic capabilities; Accelerate the delivery of strategic initiatives based on data, technology, automation, continuous insights – and lead the analytics track within larger strategic initiatives.
• Plan and facilitate strategy meetings for business unit (BU) leadership team. Synthesize outcomes to refresh strategic plan.
• Exercise leadership influence and direction within the division to the plan; find solutions and drive implementation of strategic initiatives. Partner with senior business decision makers to prioritize and evaluate key initiatives to align the key initiatives with the division strategy.
• Create and maintain future strategic roadmaps to ensure current and future states are aligned and focusing on the right initiatives that will drive the business forward.
• Serve as the Business Product Owner for the SIAG BU for the Agent Experience (AX) agile team. Lead and drive the strategy of what is implemented to support the BU.
• Provide guidance, strategy and leadership to product line managers developing future strategic roadmaps to ensure current and future states are aligned and focused on the right initiatives that align to the BU strategy that will drive the business forward. Provide leadership, coaching, guidance, and mentoring to the teams to drive overall success for the teams. Be innovative and foster an innovative environment.
• Work with division leaders and departmental SMEs across SFG to develop an understanding of the annuity business, products, processes and systems. Provide thought leadership by helping the business measure and drive efficiency, incrementally and consistently, over time.
• Assist BU leadership team in developing and driving new opportunities for alternative distribution including digital markets (direct to consumer) and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) fee-based distribution. Work directly with outside distribution partners and consultants to drive business opportunities by managing operations onboarding relationships, driving process improvements and serving as main point of contact. Manage relationships through the launch of new products by influencing and coordinating both internal and external teams.
• Serve as core member and decision maker of working groups that drive business solutions for the division. These working groups include (but not limited to) Issue Log, regulatory groups, RIA Core group, e-enablement group, etc.
• Provide influence and feedback to BU Leadership team to ensure shift to a collective mindset of making decisions based upon strategic focus with a broader lens of the needs of the BU Division.
• Work with key leaders during the annual strategic planning process to provide guidance on budget and develop and evaluate strategic initiatives.
• Lead the division in processes to become more flexible and nimble such as incorporating Agile philosophy.
• Collaborate and strategize with all applicable teams to drive direction and effectiveness with Salesforce and Marketing Cloud. This includes Business Intelligence, Marketing, Sales and AX teams.
• Commitment to embrace Sammons Financial Group Companies shared values (Accountability, Connection, Openness, Respect and Integrity).
• As stated within the Company Attendance and Punctuality policy, regular attendance is required and expected in order to meet the business service levels and workflow demands.
• Participate in other initiatives and/or projects as necessary.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA & FSA options, and term life insurance.
• Competitive compensation with a performance-based incentive program tied to clear goals and individual and/or company success.
• Invest in your future with our 100% company-funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), plus automatic enrollment in our 401(k).
• Work–life balance that means something. Friday afternoons off year-round, generous paid time off, and paid holidays.
• Commit to your growth with paid development time, tuition reimbursement, and professional development opportunities across industry, individual, and leadership programs.
• Make an impact beyond the workplace through volunteer time off, and our company nonprofit matching gift program, supporting the causes that matter most to you.
• An ownership culture that inspires; join a connected, values-driven workplace where employees take accountability, support one another, and are empowered to do their best work—together shaping our future shared success.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior