Associate Director - Bancassurance

metlife; Dubai; On-site; AED 400,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

MetLife in Dubai seeks a senior sales leader to drive Bancassurance success across banking partners. You will lead and coach Insurance Advisors/Specialists and Relationship Managers to meet ambitious growth targets while ensuring high-quality, compliant business across Term Life, A&H, and VUL.

You will build new partnerships, explore channels, and align with MetLife strategic priorities, delivering superior client outcomes in a multicultural market.

Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent academic qualification with strong business management foundations.
• 8–10 years of progressive experience in life insurance or financial institutions, UAE preferred.
• Proven leadership to build, motivate and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills for senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen with a record of sustainable growth and target achievement.

Responsibilities

• Oversee insurance business within designated banking partners across all product lines.
• Develop and execute strategies to achieve sales, profitability and market share goals.
• Lead, mentor, coach IA/IS and Relationship Managers to maximize performance.
• Identify and secure new Bancassurance partnerships and opportunities.
• Align with MetLife’s priorities and ensure compliance and governance standards.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic leadership

Bancassurance expertise

Sales leadership

Relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Regulatory/compliance awareness

Education

MBA or equivalent

Job description

The Opportunity

Develop and implement effective sales strategies to achieve overall business objectives, including sales growth and market share expansion, while maintaining an optimal mix and quality of business. Identify and capitalize on new Bancassurance opportunities with both existing and prospective banking partners. Lead, coach, and effectively manage a team of Sales Managers, Insurance Advisors/Specialists, and Relationship Managers to deliver agreed objectives across designated banking partnerships.

This opportunity will be located on Dafza and Dubai hills officer, alternatively.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and drive the overall insurance business within designated banking partners across all product lines, including Term Life, Accident & Health (A&H), Variable Universal Life (VUL), and any future lines of business.
• Develop and execute strategic initiatives to achieve sales, profitability, and market share objectives while ensuring a sustainable and high-quality business portfolio.
• Lead, mentor, coach, and support Insurance Advisors/Specialists (IA/IS) and Relationship Managers (RMs) to maximize performance and enhance customer outcomes.
• Identify, evaluate, and secure new Bancassurance partnerships and business opportunities within the assigned territory.
• Explore and develop new distribution channels, customer segments, and industry verticals to accelerate business growth.
• Ensure full alignment with MetLife's strategic priorities and effectively communicate and implement these objectives across the team.
• Promote a culture of excellence by ensuring adherence to sales quality standards and best practices across pre-sales, sales, and post-sales activities.
• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing by promoting best practices internally and across partner organizations.
• Build strong relationships with management and cross-functional teams to develop efficient processes and customer-centric solutions that position MetLife as the preferred insurance partner.
• Collaborate closely with Operations and other support functions to ensure service level agreements (SLAs) and operational standards are consistently achieved.
• Maintain the highest standards of regulatory and corporate compliance, including adherence to reporting requirements, screening procedures, record retention policies, and all applicable compliance training and governance standards

Required Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent academic qualification, with a strong foundation in business management and strategic leadership.
• 8 to 10 years of progressive experience within a leading Life Insurance company or Financial Institution, preferably in Bancassurance, including a minimum of 3 years of sales and relationship management experience in UAE.
• Proven leadership capabilities with the ability to build, motivate, and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen and a track record of delivering sustainable business growth and achieving ambitious sales targets.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong relationship and account management skills, with the ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships.
• Customer-centric mindset with a clear focus on delivering superior client experiences and business outcomes.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, coupled with sound judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Strong negotiation and business development capabilities, with the ability to identify growth opportunities and drive cross-selling and upselling initiatives.
• Effective people management skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and successfully lead diverse and multicultural teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional insurance qualifications, such as LOMA or Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) certifications, would be considered an advantage
• Advanced leadership or sales management certifications.
• AI experience is preferred in sales value prop customization and propensity model.