Business Relationship Manager

Athene; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Athene is seeking a seasoned Relationship Manager to oversee the operational relationship between Athene and the back offices of Key Distribution Partners (KDPs) such as Banks, Broker/Dealers, and Wirehouses. The role focuses on proactive support, strong partnerships, and effective communication across internal teams.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in relationship management within financial services, with a solid grasp of annuity operations and DTCC feeds.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in relationship management within the insurance or financial services industry or relevant experience.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills with internal/external partners.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and ability to drive issues to resolution.
• Adaptability and continuous improvement mindset; leverage technology/AI-enabled tools.
• Working knowledge of annuity operations and related systems; MS Office proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Acts as KDPs primary contact for operational escalations, tech needs, and initiatives.
• Collaborates with internal teams to provide 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 processes and service delivery; monitors trends for strategic insights.
• Travels to KDPs or industry conferences ~10% or less.

Skills

Relationship management

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Adaptability

Annuity operations knowledge

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

DTCC feeds

Annuity order-entry systems

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. Athene is a Military Friendly Employer! Learn more about how we support our Veterans.

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.

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.