Director, Internal Sales Desk

Manulife•Boston, MA

1d•$150,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Internal Sales Desk is a senior sales leader responsible for building and leading a high-performing Sales Desk that drives distribution growth and delivers consistent, high-quality presales support. This role oversees both Internal Wholesalers and Sales Support Specialists, ensuring a balanced model of proactive sales engagement and efficient service delivery across the presales lifecycle. The Director translates strategy into execution, develops talent, and drives continuous improvement in sales effectiveness, service quality, and operational performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and business experience.
5+ years of progressive management and sales leadership experience.
7+ years of experience in insurance, financial services, or a closely related distribution environment.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives and managing complex priorities
Sales leadership and execution
Talent development and performance management
Service operations and process optimization
Business acumen and analytical thinking
Stakeholder influence and collaboration
Change leadership and continuous improvement
Strong communication and decision-making

Nice To Haves

Life and Annuities experience preferred
Required licenses: Life & Health.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a high-performing, multi-tiered Sales Desk team
Align Sales Desk priorities with distribution strategy and business goals
Drive sales opportunity development and conversion outcomes
Deliver efficient, scalable, and high-quality presales support
Establish disciplined operations, service standards, and performance management
Contribute to distribution leadership and cross-functional initiatives
Lead, coach, and develop Internal Wholesalers and Sales Support Specialists with clear roles, expectations, and performance outcomes
Build a strong team culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Implement targeted development programs to strengthen sales capabilities and technical/service expertise
Establish clear career pathways and succession planning across roles
Translate distribution strategy into actionable Sales Desk plans and priorities
Drive proactive sales activity, opportunity identification, and pipeline development
Provide oversight on complex cases, proposals, and engagement strategies
Optimize collaboration between Internal Wholesalers (sales development) and Sales Support Specialists (case execution) to improve conversion and client experience
Oversee end-to-end presales support, including inbound inquiries, case coordination, illustrations, and product support
Establish and manage service levels, response standards, and quality expectations for all support activities
Ensure consistent, accurate, and professional interactions with internal and external stakeholders
Manage workflow, capacity, and case distribution to support high-volume activity efficiently
Monitor service metrics (e.g., turnaround time, quality, responsiveness) and drive continuous improvement
Serve as a key member of the Distribution Management team and Sales Leadership forums.
Contribute to enterprise planning, decision-making, and cross-functional initiatives.
Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on Sales Desk capabilities and performance.
Oversee daily Sales Desk operations across sales execution and service delivery
Define and optimize staffing models, workflows, and resource allocation
Implement performance metrics and reporting across sales and service functions
Drive improvements in tools, systems, and processes to increase efficiency and scalability
Partner with Sales, Product, and Distribution leaders to align priorities and execution
Act as a key liaison between field sales and internal support teams
Provide insights to inform business planning, process improvements, and system enhancements
Contribute to distribution strategy, planning, and leadership forums
Ensure clear, consistent communication across Sales Desk and stakeholders
Lead training on sales campaigns, product updates, tools, and processes
Equip teams with the knowledge, resources, and messaging needed to perform effectively