Client Manager - Group Benefits

Oswald Companies; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Oswald Companies seeks a Client Manager to deliver high-quality client management of employee benefits relationships, anticipating needs, researching, and guiding renewal management with senior input.

Role includes retaining and expanding accounts, preparing proposals, benchmarking, analyzing claims data and cost projections, and identifying cross-selling opportunities while meeting client satisfaction targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; applicable experience considered in lieu.
• 3–5 years’ employee benefits experience with medium accounts.
• Executive presence and strong rapport-building skills for client interaction.
• Strong judgment, decision-making and time-management abilities.
• Effective collaboration with internal/external stakeholders and teams.
• Excellent written and spoken communication; proficient with Excel/PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage the client service cycle and renewals on time.
• Assist CE/Producer with annual meeting planning and research.
• Prepare proposals, quotes, and cost projections for clients.
• Benchmark programs, analyze claims data and financial underwriting.
• Analyze coverage options, negotiate with carriers and present analyses.
• Identify cross-selling and additional revenue opportunities.
• Develop understanding of client business and industry practices.
• Respond to client needs with sound, day-to-day recommendations.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Executive presence

Interpersonal skills

Oral and written communication

Analytical thinking

Time management

Team player

Stress management

Adaptability

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Risk Management, Analytics or related field

High school diploma or GED with industry experience

Tools

EPIC agency management system

Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Job Summary

The Client Manager will be responsible for providing quality client management of client relationships by anticipating client needs and questions, performing research to ensure the client’s employee benefits program supports their financial and organizational goals, and providing renewal management with oversight, guidance, and input from other senior members of the team. This also includes growth on the current book of business, an understanding of the client’s business, and a minimum of 95% retention and client satisfaction rating.

Essential Functions

Quality, Client Service & Expertise

• Proficiently manage the client service cycle, monitor time frames and meet renewal deadlines.
• With oversight, guidance and input from the CE/Producer:
  • Participate in annual meeting planning by completing pertinent portions of the report and conducting research.
• Retain and develop accounts by:
  • Preparing and writing proposals, and providing quote comparisons.
  • Performing program benchmarking/demographic analysis, analysis of claims utilization data, financial underwriting review, and cost projection reporting.
  • Providing additional resources for the client as needed.
• Market renewal and new lines of coverage including:
  • Creating coverage specifications.
  • Analyzing quotes received from carriers.
  • Negotiating with carriers.
  • Creating and presenting the coverage analysis.
• Review policy coverage and identify cross-selling and additional revenue opportunities.
• Develop a thorough understanding of client business, their policies, practices and industries.
• Understand and guide clients through the initial objective setting process.
• Analyze data to draw conclusions and recommend findings to client.
• Respond to client needs and questions, making sound recommendations on a day-to-day basis.
• Produce high quality work and remain informed on technical and professional standards by attending company-sponsored and industry educational activities, to include webinars/seminars and conferences.
• Ensure legislative, regulatory and technical developments are appropriately communicated to clients.
• Service clients in accordance with PAR E&O professional service standards by complying with all E&O Plus, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Achieve a minimum rating of 90% from E&O Plus audits on all accounts.
• Functional understanding of EPIC and update accordingly.
• Ensures adequate time for peer review of all client work including calculations, reports and presentations for accuracy prior to client delivery.

People Management and Relationship Skills

• Delegate appropriately and provide development opportunities for co-workers.
• Display professional, social and teamwork skills
• Work well within a team and possess a positive attitude
• Manage and meet expectations of co-workers and clients.
• Possess good oral and written communication skills both internally and externally.

Productivity

• Participate in internal and external networking activities.
• Manage projects to meet deliverable deadlines and meet expectations.
• Remain up-to-date and current on all tasks.
• Possess awareness of firm’s service capabilities to generate ideas and solutions for clients and cross selling opportunities.

Minimum Education/Abilities/Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Risk Management, Analytics or other related field is preferred; high school diploma or GED, in concert with industry experience, in lieu of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is necessary.
• 3 – 5 years’ employee benefits experience handling medium accounts at a high level of responsibility.
• Exhibits executive presence, and has strong rapport-building/interpersonal skills for positive interaction with customers and co-workers.
• Exercises sound judgment and exhibits a strong critical thought process to make good decisions, despite time constraints.
• Able to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, be a team player and exhibit a positive attitude.
• Possesses strong oral and written communication skills; communicates effectively with clients and insurance companies.
• Possesses excellent organizational skills and strong financial analysis acumen.
• Excellent working knowledge of EPIC agency management system and of underwriting requirements of carriers as well as policy provisions and policy changes.
• Exhibits solid time management skills; able to work under pressure and meet deadlines and deliverables, and is highly responsive to internal and external stakeholders’ needs and requests.
• Demonstrates agility and is able to multi-task, as well as pivot to changing priorities, as circumstances warrant.
• Contribute to team efficiency by sharing knowledge and best practices.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Products, including Excel and PowerPoint, are required.
• This position requires a high energy level and the ability to handle stress-related situations on a daily basis.

Other Qualifications

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Required to Perform the Essential Job Functions

• Possess appropriate, jurisdictional licenses - Life and Health