Director, DTC Product Delivery at Guardian in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Job Description:

Position Summary:
The Digital to Consumer marketplace is a growth channel for Guardian. We allow consumers to shop, quote, enroll and pay for non-medical health benefits directly from us online and through partnerships with aggregators. The growth of this channel has been accelerated by the implementation of Healthcare Reform and the influx of new individual consumers shopping and purchasing their medical health benefits through the government exchanges.
The ideal candidate will be able to operate as a type of shared resource within the DTC Business Portfolio group to support leadership in initiating, planning, executing and controlling program level opportunities. The candidate will deliver tangible, operational solutions that reduce cost, improve operating efficiency, increase consumer engagement, and customer satisfaction. This person will direct multiple projects and play a key role in influencing change within and across operating units by linking business strategic plans across the organization and building organizational capabilities through knowledge sharing and coaching. Utilizing SAFe Agile product deliveries capabilities, the position will play a crucial role in ensuring that all technology investments are aligned to the Guardian business strategy and meet short/long term business needs and value expectations.
Candidate Responsibilities:
Their primary focus will be the development and implementation of products and services on the Guardian Direct platform in support of all our distribution and partner channels.
As the business owner for Digital to Consumer Product, Relationship Development, and Digital Customer Experience, this individual will need to:

• Evaluate and scope strategic business plans to enable Guardian's Digital to Consumer (DTC) offerings to become the "goto" source for consumers to shop for health benefits beyond major medical.
• Keep abreast of consumer trends and competitive actions and ensure that both the DTC product set and the digital customer experience are best of breed.
• Develop relationship development strategies that will drive toward the objective of 3 products in every member's portfolio
• Create a compelling digital experience for consumers to shop for insurance products and to self-serve their needs as members and, at the same time, to reduce operating costs

You are:

• comfortable with ambiguity in strategic direction. Priorities will change as current uncertainties become new standards and shape the market. There must be constant balance between proactive and reactive strategy and execution.
• work well in a collaborative and diverse team environment, understanding and employing the approach and standard operating procedures of all functional areas across Guardian.

The success of the Digital to Consumer team will depend heavily upon building strong partnerships with all areas of the organization. Candidate must work with and influence peer groups and individuals with specific functional expertise. It will be necessary to build consensus on many issues through persuasive presentation of well-developed, rational business cases, complete with supporting information, impact analysis, and success metrics. A key challenge and opportunity lies in the ability to influence and manage people over whom there is no direct authority.
Further Responsibilities include:

• Focus on product set that will maximize customer appeal and also profitability
• Push the envelope on digital experience design that will transform the insurance industry to a new level of customer engagement and servicing efficiency
• Create a buzz-worthy customer experience that leaves our competitors behind
• Develop transformative cross-sell and up-sell experiences to maximize profitability per member
• Lead all technologies business requirements and manage all technologies vendors to deliver a complex technologies roadmap that must feel simple to a member

Functional Skills:
Candidate must demonstrate the following core competencies:

• Accountability - Follows through on commitments; takes accountability for achieving goals, while translating into a shared accountability for teams and peers when appropriate
• Communication - Open and honest; leads by example and through various modes of communication; promotes confliction resolution; seeks input
• Developing Self - Actively seeks and takes on additional challenges to grow and develop professionally; understands strengths, development needs, and aspirations of team
• Cross Functional Collaboration - Develops and leads dynamic and diverse teams across various functional areas; fosters a high level of teamwork through an understanding of how work is related across functional areas and contribute to organizational and partnership objectives; Ability to manage multiple diverse internal customers (legal, sales, admin, etc)
• Client Focus - Sets service metrics reflecting competition and external benchmarks; makes quick and thoughtful decisions to resolve issues while preventing recurrence; monitors satisfaction and champions resolution to systemic impediments to excellence
• Business Expertise - Intuitive problem solver; Applies a broad understanding of distribution, operations, risk management, and applicable regulations for all market segments, including both industry practice standards and Guardian process and systems, with particular focus on risk management and operational excellence; Institutional knowledge on Guardian risk evaluation process, tools, systems; Ensures evaluation and implementation teams have and maintain the technical and professional proficiencies to be successful; Utilizes internal and external sources to better understand trends, clients, competitors, and regulations; Promotes sharing of expertise to support development of others
• Results Oriented - Demonstrates sense of urgency and bias for action; supports internal and external teams by facilitating quick and decisive issue resolution; articulates clear and realistic goals, monitoring progress, and taking action to improve outcomes; effective communication of work plans, deadlines, and progress status; plans for potential impediments, soliciting support when appropriate

Position Qualifications:
Education/Certification:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or information technology or related discipline preferred. Master's degree preferred
• Additional Agile/Scrum Certifications a plus (SCM, CSP, PMI-ACP, etc.)

Experience:

• 10 years of experience in managing multiple information systems projects
• 5 years of experience in an agile environment with a demonstrated appreciation for large enterprise standards
• Minimum of 5 years insurance experience desired with demonstrated experience in at least two of the core business areas in focus (product management, analysis /pricing, distribution, underwriting).
• Minimum of 5 years' experience of demonstrated activities developing core competencies (e.g. product management, product implementation, systems/procedural maintenance, project management)
• Proficient knowledge of Agile/DevOps/Program Mgmt. Lifecycle Methodologies & Standards
• Strong knowledge and experience with agile engineering practices and techniques such as User Stories, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Deployment, Automated Testing, Agile Games
• Excellent written and verbal communication and analytical skills
• Experience working in a geographically distributed and culturally diverse work-group
• Advanced knowledge and experience using Jira, Confluence, MS Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Visio
• Able to communicate ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to prepare and deliver executive-level presentations

Location:
US remote

Travel:
Less than 20% of travel required for this role.

Our promise:

• Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards

We offer:

• Meaningful and challenging work opportunities to accelerate innovation in a secure and compliant way.
• Competitive compensation package.
• Excellent medical, dental, supplemental health, life and vision coverage for you and your dependents with no wait period.
• Life and disability insurance.
• A great 401(k) with company match.
• Tuition assistance, paid parental leave and backup family care.
• Dynamic, modern work environments that promote collaboration and creativity to develop and empower talent.
• Flexible time off, dress code, and work location policies to balance your work and life in the ways that suit you best.
• Employee Resource Groups that advocate for inclusion and diversity in all that we do.
• Social responsibility in all aspects of our work. We volunteer within our local communities, create educational alliances with colleges, drive a variety of initiatives in sustainability.

About Guardian:
Guardian has been helping people protect their futures and secure their lives for 160 years. Every day, we serve approximately 29 million people through a range of insurance and financial products. We help people and their families pursue financial security and well-being in life, health, and wealth. We help companies take care of their employees. And we help people recover and thrive after unexpected loss.

From our founding in 1860, when a community of immigrants joined together to insure and protect their businesses and families, doing the right thing for our policyholders and customers has guided everything we do. Our dedication to customers has helped us remain one of the most highly rated in client satisfaction and financial strength . And as one of the largest mutual insurance companies, we know what matters most: putting the needs of our customers first. Because everyone deserves a Guardian. Learn more about Guardian at www.GuardianLife.com .
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© Copyright 2021 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY

Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

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