Business Relationship Manager

Athene; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Athene is seeking an experienced Relationship Manager to oversee operational relationships between Athene and the back offices of our Key Distribution Partners. You will collaborate with internal teams to deliver proactive support, foster partnerships, and enhance processes in the annuity business.

Ideal candidates will show accountability, strong communication, and a drive for excellence. Occasional travel is required as part of partnerships and industry events.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in relationship management within insurance or financial services.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills with internal and external partners.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Adaptability and continuous improvement mindset, ability to work independently and leverage technology.
• Working knowledge of annuity operations and DTCC feeds; proficient with MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Acts as primary point of contact for operational escalations and initiatives with KDPs.
• Collaborates with internal teams to deliver proactive operational support and build partnerships.
• Develops and maintains relationships with KDPs and stakeholders in the annuity industry.
• Ensures clear communication between internal teams and KDPs.
• Identifies opportunities to improve operational processes and technology capabilities.
• Monitors trends to inform strategic decisions and improvements.
• Resolves operational issues in a timely manner.
• Educates KDPs on Athene's processes and service level goals.
• Understands how KDPs operate and the tech used in business.
• Supports onboarding and product launches for new KDPs and existing ones.
• Travels to KDPs or conferences up to ~10%.

Skills

Relationship management

Communication

Problem solving

Adaptability

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

DTCC feeds

CRM system

Microsoft Office

Job description

We are driven to do more. More for our customers and the financial professionals who offer our products. If you are driven to do more and love the challenge of pursuing more, Athene is your kind of company. You will find we offer more than the basics to create an inclusive and dynamic work environment at our various locations.

Purpose:

Responsible for managing the operational relationships between Athene and the back offices of our Key Distribution Partners (KDPs), which include Banks, Broker/Dealers, and Wirehouses. The candidate will collaborate closely with internal teams to deliver proactive operational support, fostering strong partnerships.

The ideal candidate will exhibit accountability, teamwork, excellent relationship-building skills, creative solutioning, and a strong drive for excellence.

Accountabilities:

• Acts as the KDPs primary point of contact for operational escalations, technology needs, and initiatives.
• Collaborates closely with internal teams to provide proactive operational support and fosters strong partnerships.
• Develops and maintains relationships with KDPs and key stakeholders in the annuity industry.
• Ensures efficient and effective communication between internal teams and KDPs.
• Identifies and drives opportunities to enhance operational processes, technology capabilities and improve service delivery.
• Monitors and analyzes trends to inform strategic decision-making and operational improvements. Includes industry benchmarking as requested.
• Addresses and resolves operational issues or concerns in a timely and effective manner.
• Educates the KDPs of Athene's processes, procedures, and service level goals.
• Possesses deep understanding of how the KDPs do business, including the operational technology used to conduct business together.
• Assists with the implementation of operational technologies, product launches, & other projects, as needed.
• Works closely with the Sales Team and Sales Key Account Managers on overall account management.
• Provides support to other members of BRM team as needed.
• Partner with the Onboarding team to ensure a seamless and effective onboarding experience for new KDPs, new product launches for existing KDPs, etc.
• Travels to KDPs and/or industry conferences as needed (10% or less).

Qualifications and Experience:

• 5+ years of progressive professional experience in relationship management within the insurance or financial services industry, or relevant experience , including experience supporting customer service, operations, sales, or related functions.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility, influence outcomes, and collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate moderately complex situations, develop creative solutions, take ownership, and drive issues through resolution.
• Adaptability and a continuous improvement mindset, including the ability to work independently, navigate changing business needs, identify opportunities to improve processes, and appropriately leverage technology and AI-enabled tools.
• Working knowledge of annuity and financial services operations, including annuity order-entry systems and DTCC feeds, preferred; proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required; relevant industry designations or FINRA licenses preferred.

Drive. Discipline. Confidence. Focus. Commitment. Learn more about working at Athene.

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Athene is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.