Director, Commissions Operations – Life & Annuity
About The Position
The Director, Commissions Operations leads the agent commission system for life and/or annuity products and is responsible for service delivery to customers and agents. The role oversees multifunctional operations teams, including service providers, and focuses on strategic planning, operational excellence, and customer-centric initiatives. The Director collaborates with senior leadership to develop and implement organizational strategies, drive innovation, and improve service quality. The role also mentors and develops senior managers and fosters a culture of excellence, accountability, risk management, and continuous improvement. This position develops and executes operational strategy; oversees daily operations, budgets, and resources; and leads teams to achieve results. It identifies improvement opportunities, supports committees and projects, coordinates work across functions, serves as an escalation point, and provides management reporting and operational insights. The position is hybrid, with three days per week in the office at a hub location in Cedar Rapids, Denver, or Philadelphia, and occasional travel of less than 10%. Relocation assistance is not provided.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a business field or equivalent experience.
- 10 years of experience working in an operations environment; insurance or financial services experience is preferred.
- Five years of management experience.
- Leadership skills to oversee teams and drive performance results.
- Problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
- Communication and interpersonal skills to interact with staff and all levels of management.
- Ability to handle multiple responsibilities under pressure.
- Ability to grasp technical and complex concepts and convey them to staff and internal or external customers.
- Ability to build productive partnerships with leaders throughout the organization and with external vendor partners.
- Leadership presence and communication skills to convey strategic objectives, success strategies, and outcomes.
- Analytical skills to articulate KPIs and financial objectives and assess financial and operational objectives and performance.
- Initiative, results-driven approach, and problem-solving ability.
- Strong organization skills and ability to drive competing priorities.
- Influencing skills through verbal communication and high-impact, data-driven presentations.
- Proficiency with MS Office tools, including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Legal authorization to work in the U.S. without immigration-related employment authorization sponsorship.
Nice To Haves
- In-depth knowledge of insurance practices and principles.
- Project management experience.
- Experience managing in-office and virtual teams.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the operational strategy for the organization.
- Oversee day-to-day operations to ensure smooth functioning and timely delivery of services.
- Manage operational budgets and resources, ensuring optimal allocation of funds.
- Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing operational teams.
- Be accountable for team results.
- Identify and implement opportunities for improvement throughout Operations and provide proposals to executive leadership.
- Assist, facilitate, and lead committees, teams, and projects.
- Promote teamwork, collaboration, and implementation of best practices throughout the Operations function.
- Collaborate with colleagues to improve performance and coordinate activities between cross-functional teams.
- Serve as an escalation point for teams to support a high level of customer satisfaction.
- Prepare and deliver ongoing management reports to a variety of audiences.
- Work on cross-functional projects representing leadership direction for the department.
- Ensure visibility and transparency to internal and external stakeholders on operational health, including critical needs, dependencies, and risks.
- Invest in employees' career success and take ownership for engaging and developing the team.
- Use data to drive decision-making and provide insights into operational performance and customer experience.
Benefits
- Annual bonus eligibility based on the Company Bonus Plan and individual performance, at the company's discretion.
- Pension plan.
- 401(k) match.
- Employee stock purchase plan.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Disability insurance.
- Medical insurance.
- Dental insurance.
- Vision insurance.
- Employee discounts.
- Career training and development opportunities.
- Paid time off starting at 160 hours annually for employees in their first year of service.
- Ten paid holidays per year.
- Holistic wellness program with wellness coaching and reward dollars.
- Paid parental leave of 15 days per calendar year for eligible employees with at least one year of service.
- Adoption assistance.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Back-Up Care Program.
- PTO for volunteer hours.
- Employee matching gifts program.
- Employee Resource Groups.
- Inclusion and diversity programs.
- Employee recognition program.
- Referral bonus programs.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
