Employee Benefits Director, Relationship Management - East Region

The Hartford•Charlotte, NC

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Hartford is seeking an Employee Benefits Director to lead its East Region Relationship Management team. The role provides direct and indirect leadership to Assistant Directors, Relationship Managers, and Client Relationship Executives, with accountability for persistency, growth, customer satisfaction, and overall book-of-business performance. The Director focuses on talent development, operational excellence, and a superior customer experience, partnering closely with the AVP and peer leaders to shape and execute segment strategy. The position may be performed remotely or in a hybrid arrangement. Employees located near a Hartford office are expected to work onsite Tuesday through Thursday; employees who do not live near an office may work remotely, with periodic travel to a Hartford office as business needs require. Travel of up to 30% is required. The Director establishes and executes the Regional Accounts Relationship Management organization’s strategic vision, leads and develops a high-performing team, and translates enterprise and segment strategies into measurable priorities and action plans. The role anticipates market and customer needs, champions change, represents customer and field perspectives, and builds partnerships across Sales, Underwriting, Claims, Operations, Product, and Service. The role provides strategic oversight of the Regional Accounts book of business and leads account strategies to support retention, growth, profitability, risk performance, and customer experience. It guides resolution of complex customer, broker, and business issues; drives renewal, add-issue, and cross-functional execution; and builds relationships with customers, brokers, consultants, and marketplace stakeholders. The Director establishes performance expectations and operational standards, uses data and analytics to guide decisions and improvement, and oversees adoption and governance of tools and processes including Salesforce, MAP, and Customer Barometer. The role also optimizes capacity and talent deployment, develops leaders and succession plans, leads operational excellence initiatives, and ensures regulatory, audit, and governance requirements are met.

Requirements

10 or more years of Group Benefits experience, including at least five years in relationship management.
At least five years of experience successfully leading teams.
Depth of Group Benefits product knowledge and relationships.
Demonstrated business acumen and strategic thinking skills.
Critical thinking skills and capability in operational excellence, prioritization, and execution.
Understanding of organizational processes, methods, and systems, with ability to influence cross-functional resolution and outcomes.
Ownership, independent action, improvement orientation, and high standards for self and others.
Ability to drive employee engagement and build an inclusive environment with professional development opportunities for team members.
Understanding of external market dynamics and ability to use best practices and data to influence persistency and OAI.
Group Life & Health license, with ongoing continuing education completed in a timely manner to maintain license(s).
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 30% of the time.

Nice To Haves

Highly effective, inspirational leadership.

Responsibilities

Establish and execute the strategic vision for the Regional Accounts Relationship Management organization in alignment with business objectives, growth priorities, and operating plans.
Lead, inspire, and develop Relationship Management leaders and professionals, fostering accountability, engagement, inclusion, and continuous development.
Translate enterprise and segment strategies into clear priorities, measurable goals, and actionable plans.
Anticipate market dynamics, customer needs, and industry trends to influence strategy and identify opportunities for innovation, differentiation, and growth.
Champion change and adoption of new operating models, capabilities, and organizational initiatives.
Represent customer, field, and marketplace perspectives in strategic planning, product development, and enterprise decision-making.
Build partnerships across Sales, Underwriting, Claims, Operations, Product, and Service organizations.
Provide strategic oversight of the Regional Accounts book of business to achieve retention, growth, profitability, and customer experience objectives.
Lead comprehensive account strategies that strengthen client relationships, improve persistency, and enhance risk performance.
Promote a customer-centric culture and consistent delivery of service, advocacy, and value across the customer lifecycle.
Guide resolution of complex customer, broker, and business issues, removing barriers and aligning resources.
Drive disciplined renewal, add-issue, and cross-functional execution strategies.
Develop strategic relationships with customers, brokers, consultants, and marketplace stakeholders.
Establish and monitor performance expectations, business metrics, and operational standards.
Use data, insights, and performance analytics to identify trends, inform decisions, and drive continuous improvement.
Ensure adoption and governance of critical tools, processes, and initiatives, including Salesforce, MAP, and Customer Barometer.
Optimize organizational capacity, resource allocation, and talent deployment.
Build accountability through coaching, leadership development, succession planning, and performance management.
Lead operational excellence initiatives to improve efficiency, scalability, compliance, risk management, and business effectiveness.
Ensure adherence to regulatory, audit, and governance requirements.