The Assistant Vice President, Policy Administration leads and manages a team of Policy Administration professionals that is charged with meeting the strategic, operational, and day-to-day objectives of EquiTrust. This position oversees and manages the contact centers for new business, claims, tax reporting, policy services, and agent appointment/commission units within EquiTrust Life Insurance Company and oversees projects involving the unit. 

The Assistant Vice President, Policy Administration is a hands-on and ‘performing leadership’ role and in addition to overseeing the work of others will often be called upon to perform various tasks directly related to contract administration, customer support and business unit support. This position will have regular and ongoing contact with senior management and business unit department managers to develop and implement agent and customer communications, new or enhanced products, administration system enhancements, and evaluate product effectiveness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Leads a team of Policy Administration professionals, including but not limited to the following activities: makes recommendations and decisions for hiring, termination, promotion, and transfers, evaluating performance, workload allocations and tasks completion, employee engagement, succession planning, and talent development, problem and, business risks identification. resolution and other day-to-day people management and leadership responsibilities. 
• Responds to and resolves customer and agent service requests according to EquiTrust Life Insurance policies in a prompt, efficient, and courteous manner for external customers, agents, intermediaries, and other internal and associated staff.
• Assures that all Life and Annuity policies and agent-related operations functions reporting to this position are performed according to departmental timeliness and quality standards by overseeing the daily work production within the Contact Center. Assure compliance with company standards and state requirements by coordinating with department heads and staff throughout the company in the development, maintenance, and use of life/annuity documents.
• Oversees all aspects of staff development including the selection, training/development, performance review, salary administration, and motivation of employees. Improve the accuracy and efficiency of the department by informing employees of company policy, rules, procedures and, applicable changes.
• Ensures all agent and policyholder questions are answered, premiums collected and applied, appointments completed, policies issued, commissions paid, and claims settled in a timely, equitable, and accurate manner.
• Monitors and implements new technologies and methods in order to improve policyholder and agent service delivery and the efficiency of EquiTrust Life Insurance call and recording handling. Oversee the development of document management standards and procedures and the training of the representatives.
• Provides reports on departmental activities and progress in order to provide unit performance updates to the team and assist EquiTrust Life Insurance management with making sound production and budget decisions.
• Develops the annual expense budget for the unit and manages its variances throughout the year.
• Ensures all units reporting, financial reporting duties and controls are performed in a timely accurate manner.
• Assists in the coordination of any product development activities involving information technology and product development functions.
• Collaborates with Administration, Marketing, Sales, and Actuary to establish consistent, accurate delivery of product, sales and service information.
• Oversees the third-party administered services of any administrative functions sourced outside of the EquiTrust Life Insurance Company
• Supports the Policy Administration team and other departments on an as needed basis.
• Willingly takes on additional responsibilities as requested in order to accomplish department and Company objectives.
• Actively participates and contributes to the goals and objectives of the Company by working collaboratively and fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

Skills and Abilities: 

• Extensive knowledge of state and federal insurance and governmental regulations necessary.
• Must have outstanding oral and written communications skills.
• Strong analytical, business reporting, problem-solving, accounting and organizational skills required, including solid understanding of accounting controls, reconciliation and reporting for the life/annuity industry.
• Proven ability to work independently as well as in concert with other managers and staff.
• Advanced computer skills and the ability to navigate multiple systems and programs, including Microsoft Office, proprietary systems and other technology solutions.

Training or Work Experience: 

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the life insurance/annuity industry with an emphasis in life and annuity processing and policy and agent services management.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a customer contact center environment required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a supervisory/managerial role managing professional and clerical staff required.
• Experience implementing new technologies and/or converting administration systems and applications preferred.

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent training and experience commensurate with degree

Working Conditions:

• On-Site Location: West Des Moines, Iowa.
• Business Travel: Infrequent travel (less than 5% of the time).

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EquiTrust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Applicants have rights under federal and state employment laws. To learn more, visit https://www.equitrust.com/careers/opportunities/applicant-notices/.