Client Relationship Manager, Employee Benefits - IAS, West

baldwin; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Baldwin Group seeks a Client Relationship Manager, Employee Benefits, to act as the primary liaison between carriers and clients. You will manage benefit programs, renewals, and day-to-day service inquiries, ensuring plan compliance and delivering a consistent Peace of Mind client experience.

You will collaborate with the Client Success Specialist, advisors, and carriers to provide tailored benefit solutions, competitive benchmarks, and timely deliverables while maintaining high service

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, insurance, finance or related field.
• Current Life & Health license required.
• 2-4+ years of employee benefits and account management experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for presentations.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong client relationships as the primary contact with clients and carriers.
• Assess client needs and tailor benefit solutions and coverage.
• Lead renewal process with benchmarking, claim experience, and plan design options.
• Manage onboarding, renewals, open enrollment prep, and plan documentation.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, HIPAA, ACA and related filings (5500).
• Coordinate with carriers/vendors to negotiate contracts and proposals.
• Oversee new client onboarding aligning with Peace of Mind process.

Skills

Client relationships

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/insurance/finance

Life & Health license (current)

Tools

Agency Management Systems (e.g., Brokerage Builder)

Microsoft Office Suite (Excel/Word/PowerPoint/Outlook)

ZYWave and digital workflow tools

Job description

The Baldwin Group is an award-winning entrepreneur-led and inspired insurance brokerage firm delivering expertly crafted Commercial Insurance and Risk Management, Private Insurance and Risk Management, Employee Benefits and Benefit Administration, Asset and Income Protection, and Risk Mitigation strategies to clients wherever their passions and businesses take them throughout the U.S. and abroad. The Baldwin Group has award-winning industry expertise, colleagues, competencies, insurers, and most importantly, a highly differentiated culture that our clients consider an invaluable expansion of their business. The Baldwin Group (NASDAQ: BWIN), takes a holistic and tailored approach to insurance and risk management.

Position Summary

The Client Relationship Manager (CRM), Employee Benefits, is the primary liaison between insurance carriers and clients, managing employee benefit programs, renewals, and day‑to‑day service inquiries. They ensure plan compliance, analyze benefit trends, and provide advice and guidance on coverage, with the goal of driving client relationships, satisfaction, and retention. The CRM applies practical benefits knowledge to ensure timely, accurate deliverables and supports the delivery of a consistent "Peace of Mind" client experience. This role collaborates closely with the Client Success Specialist, Advisor, carriers, and internal Baldwin support colleagues to ensure excellent service delivery.

Primary Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong client relationships as the primary point of contact, proactively communicating expectations, updates, and strategic recommendations.
• Assess client needs and develop tailored benefit solutions, including evaluating existing programs and identifying opportunities for additional coverage.
• Lead the renewal process by preparing, analyzing, and effectively presenting benefit options, benchmarking, claim experience, contribution modeling, and plan design alternatives.
• Manage the client service calendar, including onboarding, renewals, open enrollment preparation, compliance updates, and delivery of required plan documentation.
• Ensure benefit programs comply with federal and state regulations (ERISA, HIPAA, ACA) and oversee related compliance activities such as 5500 filings and plan documents.
• Liaise with carriers and vendors to negotiate contracts, resolve issues, solicit proposals, and manage policy activity to ensure timely, accurate service delivery.
• Oversee new client onboarding in alignment with the Peace of Mind process, including timely C-suite engagement.
• Partner with Client Success Specialists and internal teams to clarify data needs, monitor task progress, and maintain consistent, high-quality workflows.
• Develop employee facing communication materials, including Benefit Guides, and coordinate or conduct enrollment meetings.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, timeliness, and completeness in all interactions.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, tools, and workflows, escalating issues to leadership as needed.

Required Knowledge & Experience

• Strong industry knowledge of benefit programs, preferably in a brokerage firm.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
• A commitment to providing exceptional client service.
• Ability to evaluate complex information, identify issues within defined parameters, and recommend next steps.
• Strong attention to detail when reviewing materials for completeness and accuracy.
• Proficiency with Agency Management Systems (e.g., Brokerage Builder), Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) Products, Zywave and digital workflow tools.
• Able to prioritize tasks, manage deadlines, and follow structured processes to support client commitments.
• Build strong relationships with clients through responsive, reliable communication and a proactive service-oriented approach.
• Demonstrates firm's core values with aligned corporate culture. Including reliability, integrity, and follow-through; communicates clearly about status and next steps.
• Works effectively within cross‑functional teams, contributing to shared objectives and escalating issues constructively.
• Strong presentation skills, both verbal and written communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, insurance, finance, or related field; professional insurance designation preferred.
• Current state License required (Life & Health)
• 2-4+ years of employee benefits and account management experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to deliver presentations to decision-makers and employees.
• Foundational understanding of employee benefits processes, and renewal workflows, including functional knowledge of plan funding types such as self‑funded and level‑funded.
• Experience coordinating with offshore teams or third‑party partners is preferred.

Skills & Behaviors

Functional/Technical Skills

Strategic Execution: Navigating workflows through proactive performance