Job Summary:
This position reports to the Director of Distribution & Ancillary Strategy, and in partnership with Premera’s Sales and Marketing Leadership Team, is responsible for managing the program elements for all of Premera’s emerging channel distribution strategies.
Responsibilities:
Individual & Employer Market Strategies Channel Program Management
1. Conducts in-depth assessment to determine key business issues and evolving market dynamics to recommend strategic direction and effective solutions to support Premera’s channels.
2. Manages approved emerging channel strategies in alignment with both sales leadership’s expectations and Premera’s market strategies.
3. Tracks and reports on changes in market strategies in light of health care reform/legislative changes
4. Partners with several cross-functional stakeholders—including marketing, IT, product strategy, finance and sales management—to support the transition toward retail-based channel strategies, and puts forth program elements to mitigate the risk of transitioning to such an environment.
5. Participates in the negotiation of channel contracts between legal and internal and/or external stakeholders
6. Presents strategies to all levels of company leadership—with specific focus being on presenting to Sales & Marketing leadership.
7. Represents Premera at industry events relative to emerging channel management strategies.
Emerging Channel Strategies Market Assessments & Recommendations
1. Performs initial third-party emerging channel opportunity assessments for private exchanges (proactively or reactively based on the scenario)
2. Monitors marketplace for unique affiliate or co-branding distribution opportunities, prepares business cases in conjunction with marketing (as warranted) and seeks go-forward approvals
3. Suggests innovations to channel approaches with focus on new partnership opportunities spanning from new producer structures, state exchanges, lead navigator organizations, general agency models, retail stores, community centers, and other to-be-determined sources
4. Works with marketing and channel intelligence partners to perform market research that produces insights for future planning along with gaining situational understanding of current consumer buying preferences (how our target consumers/employers buy and why)
5. Provides input for online selling strategy and implementation.
6. Helps recommend certain public policy advocacy positions for review by appropriate internal stakeholders
Minimum Qualifications:
1. Bachelor degree in business, healthcare, or systems manager or related field, or equivalent experience.
2. 5-7 years of experience, with a desired background in retail channel strategies
3. Strong ability to lead large, cross-functional programs that span implementation lifecycles of 3 months to 1 year
4. Strong consulting skills
5. Demonstrated track record of leading large, multi-departmental teams directly through personal influence toward successful achievement of specific market/channel strategy goals on time and within budget
6. Demonstrated ability to vet emerging trends with little historical industry context and to provide sound recommendations to leadership
7. Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
8. Ability to use sound judgment and to act independently
9. Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail, including ability to manage multiple projects in various stages of completion
10. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
11. Ability to travel as necessary
Additional Qualifications Preferred:
1. Master’s Degree in a related field.
2. Solid understanding of employee benefits trends and technologies.
3. Producer’s license
4. Working knowledge of client management systems, preferably Siebel
Working Conditions:
Work is performed within a normal office environment with ambient temperatures and involving occasional reaching, stretching, bending and moving about.