Uses vast experience and expert understanding of life insurance to independently lead and maintain an Enterprise Competitive Analysis Desk for all business units and distribution channels within the Western & Southern Financial Group home office. Provides competitive benchmarking and analyzes strategic life insurance opportunities to advise senior leaders within each business unit of potential sales opportunities and the likelihood of success providing the opportunities to target markets. Maintains a high level of field contact and provides a differentiating level of competitive information, encouraging new or increased levels of life insurance production. Monitors industry and regulatory issues and proactively seeks opportunities to expand life insurance production or prepare for shifting legislation.

What you will do:

• Scope of Responsibilities: Responsibilities encompass all industry life insurance and disability products, all W&S home office business units (Columbus Life, Lafayette Life, Agency, WSFGD), all distribution channels, and all target markets served.
• Benchmarking: Leads the creation and maintenance of benchmarking across multiple variables for products and product features, product processes (sales, issue and underwriting, administration, termination, etc.), non-guaranteed elements, and any other assigned comparisons.
• Competitive Analysis: Analyzes industry product profiles to optimize enterprise product offerings. Analysis includes but is not limited to evaluations of new and existing products and features, calibrations of competitive scoring metrics, correlation between sales variances and competitive environment changes, diversification analysis, penetration analysis, potential of new marketing opportunities, and regulatory impact analysis.
• Communication: Presents, publishes, and reports benchmarking, evaluations of new product offerings and processes, expert competitive analysis, and responses to internal and external inquiries. Provides expert support to competitive discussions.
• Product Lifecycle Management: Evaluates new product ideas and provides feedback to Ideation and Product Teams, reviews product marketing materials, develops training for new product releases, and attends product meetings as the lead competitive expert.
• Strategic Planning: Leads the budgeting of the enterprise competitive analysis desk, contributes to the creation of the product strategic plan, and presents recommendations for optimizing enterprise product portfolios.
• Industry Product Expertise: Maintains and shares expertise on industry products and features, processes, and regulations. Attends industry meetings and leads the completion of industry surveys.
• Competitive Intelligence: Leads the accumulation and maintenance of lists of key competitors, detailed descriptions of industry products and features, periodic updates of nonguaranteed elements, detailed descriptions of product processes, and updates to industry regulations. Manages vendor relationships regarding collecting and disseminating competitive intelligence.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

• Bachelor's Degree or commensurate selection criteria experience required. 
• Proven experience with navigating illustration systems of life insurance companies. 
• Proven experience coordinating multiple projects/assignments simultaneously, and completing assigned tasks accurately and on a timely basis. 
• Proven experience with project management, planning, executing, and maintaining a project from start to finish. 
• Proven extensive knowledge of life insurance, including but not limited to universal life, whole life, and term insurance.
• Proven extensive knowledge of life insurance distribution channels and selling systems.
• Proven extensive knowledge of available underwriting programs and platforms.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills with the ability to relate complex material to a less technical audience and the judgment necessary to focus on essentials.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey information in a clear, focused and concise manner.
• Proven ability to effectively present at meetings.
• Proven strong analytical skills, including demonstrated experience identifying and quantifying problems, and providing effective resolutions.
• Demonstrated strong attention to detail with excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated diplomacy, persuasiveness, creativity, judgment and decisiveness, problem solving, time management skills, and project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels of staff and management.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
• Proficient in use and requirements of illustration software.
• Proficient in database and web-based applications.

Work Setting/Position Demands:

• Works in an office setting and remains in a stationary position for long periods of time while working at a desk, on a computer or with other standard office equipment, or while in meetings.
• Requires the ability to verbally communicate and exchange accurate information to customers and associates on a regular basis.
• Requires visual acuity to read and interpret a variety of correspondence, procedures, reports and forms via paper and electronic documents, visual inspection involving small defects; small parts, and/or operation of machinery (including inspection); using measurement devices continuously. Visual acuity is required to determine accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned.
• Requires the ability to prepare written correspondence, reports and forms using prescribed formats and conforming to rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style on a regular basis.
• Requires the ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Performs substantial movement of wrists, hands, and fingers for continuous computer work.
• Extended hours required during peak workloads or special projects/events.
• Associate must be able to travel via airplane
• Associate must be able to travel via car
• Occasional after-hours work needed

Travel Requirements:

• 10% travel Occasional travel may be required - less than 10%