Operations Manager (Funeral Home Support)

National Guardian Life Insurance Company•Madison, WI

19h•Remote

About The Position

We are adding an Operations Manager to our team! Who We Are: Since 1909, National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) has been one of America’s most successful and highly rated independent life insurance companies. We specialize in a suite of innovative products for life’s journey, giving people the financial stability, careful guidance and peace of mind to lead a life filled with confidence, dignity and grace. NGL's Core Values – integrity, dependability, collaboration, compassion and growth are a foundation of our company and help to build on the interactions we have with our policyholders, partners, funeral homes and each other. We believe in creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all where diversity is celebrated, and everyone is encouraged to live their best, most authentic self. We offer Employee Resource Groups for employees to get involved, learn, network, and offer professional and personal development opportunities. With over 100 years of experience, our passion is to serve people. Learn more . Work Environment: NGL offers a flexible work environment where employees can work fully remote, hybrid or onsite at our Madison, Wis. office. We support virtual working arrangements in certain states outside of WI. A Day in the Life: The Operations Manager position is responsible for the effective and successful management of all aspects within their designated team. This includes providing leadership, guidance, coaching, problem-solving, metrics, judgment and communication to staff with the objective of meeting all critical success factors. Responsibilities include overseeing processes to ensure service levels meet or exceed customer expectations and internal service turnaround goals, while identifying process improvement opportunities. This position actively contributes and provides recommendations related to strategic planning and budgeting. The Operations Manager works closely with their designated team, members across Service Operations, various internal departments and external partners.

Requirements

Proven in-depth knowledge of Life/Health/Annuity/Preneed products or equivalent
Proficiency with or demonstrated learning mindset with necessary technology, including computers, software applications, etc.
Demonstrated business acumen on how organizations and end-to-end business processes work together to deliver an optimal customer experience
Proven experience in identifying and implementing process improvement initiatives to improve quality, reduce cost and increase productivity
Ability to lead and exercise good judgment on daily duties
Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
Collaborative, inclusive approach with other leaders and team members that possess diverse backgrounds and work styles
Ability to lead change, adjust strategy and alter course as needed
Results oriented, driven by seeing measurable operational performance improvement
Proactively solve problems with looking at the bigger picture and identifying the root cause
Ability to think analytically by leveraging facts and statistics to inform opinions and solutions.
Comfort with or desire to learn basic data and/or process analysis
Passionate about customer centricity and continuous improvement
Minimum: High School or GED
A minimum of two years of leadership or management experience, in an informal or formal role
A minimum of three years of insurance/financial services experience
A minimum of five to seven years of related work experience

Nice To Haves

Preferred: 4 year / Bachelors Degree
A minimum of three years of NGL experience desired

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and direction
Actively motivate, inspire, and develop key talent by serving as a role model of NGL’s core values, applying effective leadership principles and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Build and maintain high-performing teams including selecting, developing, coaching, rewarding and recognizing employees.
Champion or sponsor cross-functional business initiatives or improvements and delegate project responsibilities where appropriate for growth opportunities.
Manage day-to-day operational and workforce risks to ensure NGL processes adhere to industry, regulatory, and workplace compliance standards.
Create alignment within teams and processes by increasing collaboration and defining talent development paths and opportunities.
Provide leadership to designated team through coaching, career development and training
Build and maintain a high performing team.
Oversee selection, training, goal setting, performance management including improvement, disciplinary issues and terminations, delegation, and staff recognition
Motivate and provide ongoing coaching and performance feedback to staff to provide outstanding customer service to internal and external customers
Drive employee engagement and oversee career development and growth
Ensure company policies and guidelines are followed and maintain complete employee documentation
Develop staff on issues pertinent to customer support to ensure that customers receive exemplary service.
Monitor performance towards daily, weekly and monthly targets, analyze variances, and take corrective action as necessary
Foster a workplace environment that is consistent and embodies NGL’s mission, vision, guiding principles, and values
Monitor and provide insight on trends and data, while also making recommendations to further enhance customer experience
Final responsibility for all work performed by the Team as well as meeting all agreed upon completion dates for project participation by Team members
Monitor to ensure staff is following procedures and compliance guidelines
Oversee the review, development, and updating procedures and reference materials, in alignment with departmental norms.
Assure staff training, cross training, and back-ups are in place for all processes, building, maintaining, and leveraging lean staffing model to ensure optimal staffing and expenses allocated to the team function
Mitigate risk and collaborate with other areas to ensure business practices are followed and maintain compliance with state and federal legislation/ regulations
Lead team operations and end-to end processes to align with corporate strategies and provide exceptional customer service
Optimize process performance and productivity while implementing cost-effective solutions, streamlining process flow, and standardizing processes
Leverage Lean projects and tools to optimize overall performance and continuously look for ways to improve processes/procedures and workflows which will result in greater efficiencies and employee engagement
Develop and report on statistics that are pertinent to the business process, including quality, timeliness in completion of requests, and productivity
Provide insights on the performance of the business process
Work to continuously improve customer experience through process improvements, partnering with other operational areas to drive end-to-end performance
Develop and maintain staffing models by leveraging capacity to address service needs
Mediate complaints and disputes on customer escalated issues
Assist in managing designated budget, expenses and proactively look for effective cost saving measures
Develop business partnerships with other leaders and departments
Provide dedicated expertise when requested to collaborate with other departments in problem-solving, product development, designing service enhancements, or any other activity and/or expertise is required
Participate in networking, peer relationship building, and project team meetings
Collaborate with other areas to facilitate proactive solutions that benefit NGL overall
Monitor progress toward goals, analyze variances and take corrective action as necessary

Benefits

20 days of Paid Time Off growing to 25 days after 5 years
11 Paid Holidays (10 company holidays and 1 personal holiday of your choice)
Health care, dental and vision plans
Up to $1,500 (Family) or $1,000 (Single) annually towards a Health Savings Account
Annual bonus based on company performance
Paid Parental Leave
401(k) match up to 9%
Paid Sabbatical after 8 years
Paid Volunteer Time
Education Assistance Program
Employee Recognition Program