VP of Strategic Carrier Partnerships

The VP of Strategic Carrier Partnerships is a senior position responsible for ensuring the EB Practice is well-positioned in a rapidly evolving environment and is at the forefront of building and maintaining crucial relationships with carriers, vendors, and other key players in the industry. This position involves developing and executing partnership strategies that align with the Employee Benefits Practice overall business objectives. This includes maintaining key long-term relationships, negotiating contracts, identifying potential carrier partners, enhancing services, and creating value to the Practice by driving mutual growth and profitability.

This position requires a blend of business acumen, relationship-building skills, and a forward-thinking mindset. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership and negotiation skills, a deep understanding of the industry, the ability to navigate complex business environments and will work closely with Executive and Regional Leadership, to support broader Practice initiatives.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Responsible for overall management of RSC carrier partnerships (including stop loss carriers) at the National, Regional and Local levels, including the carrier markets and coordination of all significant high-level actions.
  • Coordinate key market relationships and assignments to ensure efficient knowledge and to enable strong mutually beneficial effectiveness
  • Develop and maintain communication channels to disseminate key updates from carrier partners as well as provide feedback and awareness to partners on issues affecting RSC teams and clients
  • Ensure RSC clients and prospects receive consistent industry-leading pricing service and contract terms by each carrier partner
  • Drive new market and new program training within RSC
  • Identify and, when appropriate, mentor key RSC personnel to engage carrier partners in programs and advisory boards with intentional value to RSC, the carrier partner, and the participant
  • Maintain membership on carrier advisory boards and coordinate/track assignments of other RSC members to carrier advisory boards
• Maintain board and committee membership with CIAB
• Develop, direct, and coordinate strategic projects and initiatives as deemed a priority by RSC Executive Leadership
• Drive consistent and meaningful carrier financial partnerships, including, but not limited to:
  • Override and contingent arrangements
  • Subsidies to support RSC client programs, traditionally handled by carriers - communications, ben admin, enrollment, data reporting, call centers, etc.
  • Other revenue opportunities as appropriate
  • Assist in resolving material claim issues that could cause exposure
• Evaluate, research and report back new entrants to the market and ensure appropriate vetting by RSC legal, vendor relations and leadership
• Negotiate consistent revenue sharing programs/partnership management fees with value-based partners
• Develop internal metrics and a market response carrier scorecard to determine profitability ranking of engaging in rollout, renewal, and ongoing service
• Work with carrier and vendor partners to deliver meaningful education and investment in the development of our people and practice
• Develop and present metrics and reporting to both internal leadership/stakeholder and external carrier partners, primarily demonstrating growth and growth opportunities
• Involvement (at a high-level) in M&A functions as needed
  • i.e.: working to assist in the understanding of carrier/vendor revenues to an acquisition target pre and post deal close
• Collaborate with internal partners to oversee key strategic GA relationships and evaluate profitability of expanding access and relationships across RSC

Qualifications & Requirements:

• BS or MBA preferred
• 10+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, or a related field.
• 5+ years in a leadership or executive role with proven success in managing and developing strategic partnerships, particularly with carriers or similar large-scale partners.
• Experience in contract negotiation and management, with a track record of securing favorable terms in high-value deals.
• Industry knowledge in employee benefits, with an understanding of market dynamics, regulatory environments, and technological advancements.
• Proven track record of achieving growth objectives through successful partnership development and management.
• Position requires a high degree of financial acumen with an understanding of the insurance brokerage industry, people development and management, change management, and business strategy
• Life and Health (L/H) License is necessary
• Ability to travel

Risk Strategies is the 9th largest privately held U.S. brokerage firm offering comprehensive risk management advice, insurance and reinsurance placement for property & casualty, employee benefits, private client services, as well as consulting services and financial & wealth solutions. With more than 30 specialty practices, Risk Strategies serves commercial companies, nonprofits, public entities, and individuals, and has access to all major insurance markets. Risk Strategies is an Accession Risk Management Group company, with over 200 offices and more than 5,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada.

Our industry recognition includes being named a Great Place to Work, Best Places to Work in Insurance, and on the Inc. 5000 list as one of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies. We are committed to being good stewards for our company, culture, and communities by having a strong focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance issues.

Risk Strategies is an equal opportunity workplace and is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about working at Risk Strategies by visiting our careers page: www.risk-strategies.com/careers.

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