Director, Account Management, Commercial - State Accounts

Kaiser Permanente; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider seeks an experienced leader to drive sales and retention strategies across multiple regions. This role involves directing a cross-functional team to implement customized solutions while ensuring the highest level of customer satisfaction. Candidates must possess strong negotiation skills, significant experience in sales or account management, and a proven record in managing complex customer relationships. The ideal candidate will be adept at utilizing market intelligence to shape decisions and enhance organizational strategy.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a leadership role with direct reports.
• 9+ years of experience in sales, customer service, or related field.
• Disability Insurance License (Washington) within 3 months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Direct development and implementation of competitive sales and retention strategies.
• Oversee the operation of multiple units to meet member and operational needs.
• Manage customer and market turnaround while establishing strategic direction.

Skills

Change Management

Negotiation

Customer Data

Benefits/Services

Market Research

Sales Operations

Customer Experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Social/Physical/Life Science, Business, or related field

Master's degree in Health Administration, Public Health, or Business Administration

Job description

Technical Summary:

In addition to the job summary and essential responsibilities outlined below, this role is distinguished by the complexity of supporting the organization-s two largest customers, whose memberships span two regions and require high visibility with senior leaders and close collaboration across multiple functions in both WA and NW.

Job Summary:

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, this position is also responsible for directing the development and implementation of complex competitive sales and retention strategies for KPs largest accounts including multi-year benefits strategies; establishing expectations for partnering with customer organizations, key union influencers and/or decision makers, consultants, and other influencers to develop and implement reposition and growth strategies; directing the renewal sales negotiation to achieve the goals of the renewal or sale and align with the customers strategy; overseeing internal partners on the execution of customized account strategies to meet customer needs and provide exemplary service in a highly complex customer environment; providing expert consultation on strategy and expansions into other KP regions, ancillary products, and new populations of eligibles, collaborating with other internal partners as appropriate; directing a cross-functional team (e.g., Client Service Management, physician ambassadors, underwriting, marketing, territory managers, labor liaisons, actuarial, community affairs, government relations) to ensure optimal resource use as account strategies are executed; ensuring that the latest market intelligence, key trends, and customer insights are utilized to influence broader organizational decisions; and demonstrating sensitivity while navigating internal or external issues that may impact KP labor management partnership.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Prepares individuals for growth opportunities and advancement; builds internal collaborative networks for self and others. Solicits and acts on performance feedback; drives collaboration to set goals and provide open feedback and coaching to foster performance improvement. Demonstrates continuous learning; oversees the recruitment, selection, and development of talent; ensures performance management guidelines and expectations to achieve business needs. Stays up to date with organizational best practices, processes, benchmarks, and industry trends; shares best practices within and across teams. Motivates and empowers teams; maintains a highly skilled and engaged workforce by aligning resource plans with business objectives. Provides guidance when difficult decisions need to be made; creates opportunities for expanded scope of decision making and impact.
• Oversees the operation of multiple units within a department by identifying member and operational needs; ensures the management of work assignment completion; translates business strategy into actionable business requirements; ensures products and/or services meet member requirements and expectations while aligning with organizational strategies. Gains cross-functional support for business plans and priorities; assumes responsibility for decision making; sets standards, measures progress, and fosters resolution of escalated issues. Communicates goals and objectives; analyzes resources, costs, and forecasts and incorporates them into business plans; prioritizes and distributes resources. Removes obstacles that impact performance; guides performance and develops contingency plans accordingly; ensures teams accomplish business objectives.
• Manages experience customer and market turnaround by: establishing long-term strategic direction for team member communications with customers, consultants, brokers, and/or channels for contract, benefit/service, and renewal activities and resolve escalations when needed; serving as an expert on product knowledge and directing team members to educate customers, consultants, brokers, and/or channel partners, resolving any questions or concerns; setting best practices for building expertise in prospect or customer business to ensure that Request for Renewal (RFR) response and engagement strategies are in alignment with customer and company-wide goals; managing team relationships with engagement team/specialist, and setting long-term strategic direction for engagement programs (e.g., member wellness); and setting long-term strategic direction for providing recommendations for new products, benefits/services offerings, and pricing models to address customer, consultant, broker, and/or channel needs.
• Demonstrates commitment to KP sales and retention goals by: directing the team to meet or exceed challenging targets for retention and growth for accounts in the Book of Business; establishing company-wide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and monitoring progress using the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform; and directing the team in alignment with the sustained growth and competitive position of KP in the market.
• Contributes to the execution of sales and renewals by: directing broad strategy for RFR processes, troubleshooting and resolving escalations when necessary; establishing and promoting best practices for teams sales and renewals including administration, negotiations, and presentations and rate product and benefit/service validation; directing teams across the organizations to ensure that contracts, pricing, and membership accounting implement the negotiated terms for sales and renewals; and providing consultation across organizations to develop and implement highly advanced strategies for cross-sell and upsell opportunities to increase growth and retention.
• Supports internal and external communication by: directing teams across organizations to collaborate on account strategy, and ensuring alignment with company-wide long-term objectives; directing the flow of information across the company to advance and ensure deadlines and objectives are met; providing consultation to teams developing highly advanced recommendations for customer channels on all aspects of health benefits/services strategy and offering; and representing the marketplace perspective to influence strategic direction and decision-making of senior leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum three (3) years of experience in a leadership role with direct reports.
• Bachelors degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Social/Physical/Life Science, Business, or related field AND minimum nine (9) years of experience in sales, customer service, telemarketing, account management, health plan administration, insurance, or a directly related field OR minimum twelve (12) years of experience in sales, customer service, telemarketing, account management, health plan administration, insurance, or a directly related field.
• Disability Insurance License (Washington) within 3 months of hire.

Additional Requirements:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Change Management; Negotiation; Customer Data; Benefits/Services; Brand Strategy; Market Research; Persuasion; Sales Operations; Sales Opportunity Orchestration; Sales Performance Data; Sales/Partnership Strategy and Techniques; Customer Experience; Goal Setting; Member Service; Underwriting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Health Administration, Public Health, or Business Administration.
• Five (5) years of experience in group health care benefits sales, account management, and/or implementation, or a directly related field.