Sr. Annuity New Business Specialist

Job Summary

This position provides support focusing on escalated cases/issues while serving as single point of contact for the company’s top producing annuity agents or financial institutions. This position functions as a proactive liaison between the agents, distribution partners, third-party administrators, Sales, Legal, Claims and Actuarial departments to resolve annuity new business and customer service issues. This individual will conduct appropriate customer outreach to solicit feedback to improve customer service and customize service solutions for individual top producing agents.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish professional relationship with agents or distribution partners, as well as key administrative staff to facilitate proper business flow between various business units.
• Provide phone coverage for inbound calls as scheduled and complete outbound calls as assigned for projects, relationship building, and to resolve issues with new business applications.
• Review new business applications for agents and serve as the primary owner for a submitted application from the time the case is submitted to the point the case is issued.
• Understand key operational process flows, controls, and compliance criteria and resolve new business and policy holder service issues.
• First line of defense to handle and resolve escalated phone calls involving service issues or training needs.
• Achieve required phone and transaction quality performance as defined for the Senior Annuity New Business Specialist.
• Work with team lead and supervisor to suggest, create, and/or update procedures and other documentation.
• Research and track documents and resolve complex service issues with emphasis on a designated function.
• Monitor and handle additional team inboxes to assist teammates and resolve complex situations.
• Takes part in company projects, as directed.
• Proactively keep producers and uplines up-to-date on products and processing guidelines.
• Resolve moderate to complex sales/operational needs/inquiries as it pertains to product clarification, pending new business, supply needs, illustrations, marketing administration, and PHS needs.
• Resolves problems & guides producers in software usage and web initiatives.
• Serve as back-up in team lead absence, handling work assignments, queue monitoring, and escalated situations.
• Assist in training and mentoring new hires as well as completing their second reviews until quality expectation is received.
• Adheres to company policies and legal requirements regarding sales and product compliance.

Experience and Education Requirements

• AA or BA degree preferred.
• Relevant experience considered in lieu of degree.
• Minimum of 3 years experience working in the insurance or financial services industry.
• Experience handling escalated phone calls involving service issues or training needs.
• Successful completion of Life insurance related education such as LOMA or CLU coursework strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Understands how the functional units interact with each other; recognizes business changes within coverage area and the impact.
• Demonstrates ability to build new skills and adapt to new ways of thinking.
• Strong knowledge of customers through collaboration and communication.
• Develops and maintains goal-oriented, collaborative and productive, team-driven relationships.
• Reads verbal, non-verbal and written cues; effectively adjusts communication style to suit the needs of different audiences and situations.
• Promotes new ideas and ways of working; suggests new techniques, methods, and practices.
• Demonstrates strong pr