Manager, Workplace Solutions Enablement

Horace Mann; Springfield (IL); Remote; USD 90,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work environment

Job summary

Horace Mann in Springfield, IL seeks a strategic Manager, Workplace Solutions Enablement to translate priorities into actionable plans and lead cross-functional initiatives across product, distribution, marketing, and operations. You will oversee an initial two-person team and drive accountability, structure, and measurable business outcomes.

The role requires experience in the insurance sector, autonomous work style, and strong communication with executives to navigate ambiguity and align

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Insurance industry experience, including experience with individual Supplemental Insurance, Group Employee Benefits, or both.
• Prior people leadership experience with responsibility for employee development, workload management, prioritization, and performance.
• Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Proven ability to lead multiple complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Translate Supplemental & Group strategic priorities into actionable plans, workstreams, deliverables, and enablement activities.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives spanning product, distribution, marketing, operations, technology, compliance, legal, finance, and customer experience.
• Directly lead an initial team of two employees, with accountability for team performance, development, workload allocation, prioritization, and quality.
• Provide leadership with clear visibility into progress, risks, decisions, and business outcomes.

Skills

Strategic thinking

People leadership

Cross-functional influence

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience

Job description

Horace Mann is seeking a strategic, highly collaborative Manager, Workplace Solutions Enablement, to help turn our Supplemental & Group priorities into action and measurable business results.In this role, you'll translate strategic direction into structured plans, lead complex initiatives across the business, and develop a team responsible for helping move priorities from concept through execution. You'll work at the intersection of Product, Distribution, Marketing, Operations, Technology, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and Customer Experience , bringing the right people together to solve challenges and advance business objectives.This is an opportunity for an experienced insurance professional who thrives in ambiguity, knows how to create structure around complex problems, and can independently move work forward while keeping leaders informed of the decisions, risks, and tradeoffs that matter most.Key Responsibilities Strategy to Execution Translate Supplemental & Group strategic priorities into actionable plans, workstreams, deliverables, and enablement activities.Take broad or ambiguous strategic direction and determine the structure, resources, stakeholders, and next steps required to advance the work.Establish clear ownership, milestones, dependencies, and measures of success for key initiatives.Develop recommendations and proposed solutions within established strategic direction, escalating significant strategic decisions, investments, or business tradeoffs when appropriate.Provide leadership with clear visibility into progress, risks, decisions, and business outcomes.Cross-Functional Initiative Leadership Independently lead multiple complex initiatives spanning product, distribution, go-to-market, digital, operations, and integration.Partner across Product, Distribution, Marketing, Operations, Technology, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and other functions to drive alignment and remove barriers.Represent Worksite Development and Supplemental & Group business priorities in cross-functional discussions and initiatives.Influence stakeholders and drive progress without relying on direct reporting relationships.Create structure and accountability while remaining adaptable as business priorities, regulatory requirements, organizational needs, and market conditions evolve.People Leadership & Development Directly lead an initial team of two employees, with accountability for team performance, development, workload allocation, prioritization, and quality.Coach and develop team members while establishing clear expectations and accountability.Delegate effectively and align team resources to the highest-value business priorities.Foster an environment of collaboration, ownership, sound judgment, and continuous development.Business Solutions & Recommendations Develop recommendations using market, customer, distribution, competitive, operational, and performance insights.Maintain strong knowledge of Supplemental & Group products, distribution channels, operations, and business processes.Structure complex or undefined business challenges, synthesize information from multiple sources, and develop clear paths forward.Apply sound business judgment to determine which decisions can move forward independently and which require leadership escalation.Business Readiness & Enablement Support product commercialization, distribution enablement, go-to-market execution, and organizational readiness.Ensure business teams and partners have the plans, resources, processes, and information needed to successfully execute new initiatives.Identify dependencies, resource constraints, implementation risks, and operational impacts early enough to support effective decision-making.Develop scalable and repeatable ways of working that improve execution across future initiatives.Continuous Improvement Evaluate the effectiveness of implemented solutions and identify opportunities for refinement.Establish practical measures of success and use business results to inform future recommendations.Improve cross-functional processes and ways of working to strengthen efficiency, transparency, accountability, and execution.Qualifications & Experience Required Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience. Insurance industry experience, including experience with individual Supplemental Insurance, Group Employee Benefits, or both. Experience working across multiple components of the insurance value chain, such as Product, Distribution, Operations, Marketing, Administration, Technology, or Customer Experience. Prior people leadership experience with responsibility for employee development, workload management, prioritization, and performance. Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously with limited day-to-day supervision. Proven ability to lead multiple complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority. Demonstrated success operating in ambiguity, structuring complex business problems, determining next steps, and adapting as priorities change. Strong business judgment with the ability to distinguish between decisions that can be advanced independently and those requiring leadership escalation. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear recommendations. Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills. Preferred Experience with product commercialization, distribution enablement, go-to-market execution, or business readiness. Experience working with agents, brokers, third-party administrators (TPAs), enrollment organizations, or other employee-benefits distribution channels. Experience supporting strategic initiatives within Supplemental, Worksite, Voluntary Benefits, or Group Insurance. Skills & Competencies Strategic thinking and business acumen People leadership and talent development Cross-functional influence and relationship management Complex initiative management Business problem solving and decision-making Supplemental & Group insurance knowledge Product commercialization and business readiness Distribution and go-to-market enablement Executive-level communication and presentation Prioritization and resource management Adaptability and comfort with ambiguity Continuous improvement and operational execution Additional Information Remote work environment. Periodic travel may be required. Role operates in a dynamic environment with multiple concurrent priorities and significant cross-functional interaction. Must be able to effectively lead employees and collaborate with stakeholders across geographically dispersed teams. Pay Range :$89,800.00 - $125,500.00 annually + bonus Salary is commensurate to experience, location, etc. Horace Mann was founded in 1945 by two Springfield, Illinois, teachers who saw a need for quality, affordable auto insurance for teachers. Since then, we’ve broadened our mission to helping all educators protect what they have today and prepare for a successful tomorrow. And with our broadened mission has come corporate growth: We serve more than 4,100 school districts nationwide, we’re publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: HMN) and we have more than $12 billion in assets. We’re motivated by the fact that educators take care of our children’s future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We help educators identify their financial goals and develop plans to achieve them. This includes insurance to protect what they have today and financial products to help them prepare for their future. Our tailored offerings include special rates and benefits for educators. EOE/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status For applicants that are California residents, please review our California Consumer Privacy Notice All applicants should review our Horace Mann Privacy Policy