Manager Sales Development & Training

WoodmenLIfe•Omaha, NE

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager of Sales Development & Training leads the team responsible for designing, delivering, and continuously improving onboarding, product, sales, recruiting, leadership, and compliance training for WoodmenLife’s nationwide Sales force. The role partners with Sales and divisional leaders to identify capability needs, align learning priorities with business strategy, and build scalable programs that improve representative readiness, recruiting effectiveness, retention, productivity, and customer outcomes. The manager oversees training staff, faculty, vendors, projects, learning technology, and budgets. They establish performance expectations, measure training effectiveness and business impact, and ensure learning content remains current, accessible, and compliant with company standards and applicable insurance and securities requirements. This is an in-office position at the WoodmenLife Tower in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. WoodmenLife is a purpose-driven, not-for-profit life insurance company that has served members and communities since 1890. It offers a comprehensive benefits package and emphasizes family, community, country, and equal opportunity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, education, instructional design, insurance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Seven or more years of progressive experience in sales, sales training, learning and development, or a related function, including at least three years leading a team or training function.
Demonstrated knowledge of life insurance products, the sales process, field distribution, recruiting, onboarding, and the regulatory environment affecting insurance sales training.
Current Life and Health insurance license.
FINRA Series 6 or 7 and Series 63, and FIC, FICF, LUTCF, or CLU designations, required at hire or within a timeframe established by WoodmenLife.
Experience designing, implementing, facilitating, and evaluating adult learning programs using instructional design principles and classroom, virtual, blended, and self-directed delivery methods.
People-leadership skills, including setting expectations, coaching, performance management, resource planning, and developing high-performing teams.
Experience with learning management systems, virtual learning platforms, digital content tools, and training administration and recordkeeping.
Ability to use data, assessments, and sales performance measures to identify needs, evaluate training effectiveness, communicate results, and recommend improvements.
Experience using AI-enabled tools to create learning resources, improve workflows, and develop scalable processes, with sound judgment regarding accuracy, privacy, security, compliance, and responsible use.
Strong communication, facilitation, stakeholder management, project management, budgeting, problem-solving, and change-leadership skills, with the ability to influence field and senior leaders.
Ability to provide seamless, trustworthy, attentive, and resourceful (S.T.A.R.) customer service; engages well with others and is passionate about providing an exemplary customer experience.
Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; WoodmenLife will not sponsor applicants for work visas.
Candidates must successfully complete applicable criminal background, credit, fingerprint, drug-screen, and reference checks.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop the Sales Development and Training team; set priorities and performance expectations, allocate resources, evaluate performance, and support succession and professional development.
Partner with Sales leaders, field leaders, product teams, Marketing, Compliance, Legal, and other divisions to assess needs and maintain a learning strategy aligned with business goals and Sales force capabilities.
Oversee onboarding and ongoing development for representatives, Regional Directors, and Recruiting Sales Managers, covering life insurance products, needs-based selling, recruiting, leadership, technology, business practices, and customer experience.
Apply adult learning and instructional design principles to deliver effective classroom, virtual, blended, and self-directed learning for a geographically dispersed Sales force.
Maintain curriculum governance and content standards so training materials are accurate, current, accessible, consistently delivered, and compliant with company policies and applicable insurance and securities requirements.
Manage learning platforms, digital content, training records, schedules, vendors, and operational processes to provide a reliable and scalable learning experience.
Use AI and other learning technologies responsibly to create tools and content, personalize learning, automate repeatable work, and improve team and Sales force productivity while protecting confidential information.
Establish learning metrics and reporting; evaluate learner readiness, adoption, behavior change, production impact, and return on investment, and use findings to improve programs.
Manage the department budget, project portfolio, vendor relationships, and implementation plans to deliver priorities on time and within approved resources.
Stay current on life insurance products, sales practices, regulations, market trends, adult learning practices, and emerging technology; recommend changes that strengthen Sales force performance.
Provide seamless, trustworthy, attentive, and resourceful (S.T.A.R.) customer service and contribute to an exemplary customer experience.