AVP, Data Exchange Operations

Job Posting End Date: October 21

Unum is a company of people serving people. As one of the world's leading employee benefits providers and a Fortune 500 company, Unum's financial protection benefits help protect more than 36 million working people and their families from the financial impact of illness or injury.

Unum's two distinct, but similarly focused US businesses - Unum US and Colonial Life - are each a market leader in making disability, life, accident, critical illness, dental, and vision insurance accessible in the workplace.

Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Unum also has significant US operations in Portland, Maine and Baton Rouge, Louisiana - and over 35 field offices nationwide. Colonial Life is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina with over 40 field offices nationwide.

General Summary:
This role will contribute actively to the development of Unum's enterprise Data Exchange strategy while owning the design, execution, and adoption of Unum's Data Exchange operational capabilities, crafting an approach to drive differentiation and win in the marketplace. Responsible for monitoring and advising internal business partners, including the field sales and service organization, on technology partner capabilities and managing technology partner operational engagement and performance on a day-to-day basis. Aggressively pursues administrative efficiency in the form of unit cost reduction and improved business performance in the form of sales growth and persistency while building toward differentiated solutions that enable a market-leading client experience.

This position will have direct responsibility for operational teams and their leaders who are accountable for providing exceptional service to our clients, brokers/agents, and partners with oversight on the quality of the experience. The responsibilities for this position will include but not limited to 1) leading through operational management system (Lean) focused on delivering an industry-leading client experience and reducing operational expenses, 2) identifying innovation opportunities and partnering closely with our transformation teams to define, test/learn and scale innovation, 3) deliver continuous improvement by understanding our customers and our processes and monitoring client feedback to remove waste and non-value added tasks.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Own the client experience and provide strategic and operational leadership within Client Success and its associated functions, including onboarding, ongoing administration, and premium/billing processes
• Collaborate closely with leaders across the enterprise to effectively strategize, build and execute on innovative solutions to complex client onboarding and administration challenges with a focus on those tied to technology configuration and ongoing exchange of employee-level data
• Coordinate closely with cross-functional partners to enable data exchange capabilities that deliver a market-leading end-to-end client experience
• Accountable for identifying, influencing, and delivering on defined business objectives of both Unum and Colonial Life including improving client satisfaction, delivering operational efficiencies, and ensuring client retention and identifying growth opportunities
• Design and lead a comprehensive operations function that manages all data exchange business operations in support of onboarding, enrollment, and ongoing administration, inclusive of legacy EDI file feed, LIMRA LDEx standards (both EDI and API) and customized API integrations to enable HRConnect solutions
• Lead an operational organization focused on delivering outcomes (ex. CSAT, Digital adoption, Opex, Persistency) for our clients and our companies. Understand our clients and their changing needs/expectations in the context of rapidly proliferating technology intermediaries, new digital integration models and emerging data exchange standards
• Stay abreast of innovative technology to enhance the client experience and create operational effectiveness. Contribute to the successful innovative design/transformation of Client Success organization, actively participating in technology governance to influence future direction of data exchange model(s) and required capabilities
• Design and deliver data exchange capabilities that enable "best in class" services (onboarding, policy admin, billing) to be a competitive advantage valued by distribution partners and customers. Regularly monitor customer feedback and take appropriate actions in people, process, and technology. Create opportunities for proactive customer outreach during moments that matter
• Partner with business leaders across the company to monitor external market trends and redefine client onboarding and administration approaches in response to evolving distribution models, technology intermediary and digital integration trends, client expectations and business strategy. Support the development and execution of business unit strategies as appropriate
• Leverage data exchange team's digital expertise and marketplace knowledge to develop effective self-service data exchange reference tools, design & deliver tech platform training to key internal partners and provide case-level consultation focused on steering clients toward the optimal offering that works with a given technology platform to enhance their ongoing experience with Unum
• In collaboration with colleagues in Partner Management, track, and report on the operational performance of technology partners (e.g., service levels, data quality, responsiveness, system limitations), identifying areas of concern, developing correction strategies, and negotiating shared actions to drive improvement
• Utilizing Operational Management System (OMS/Lean tools), develop knowledge of processes within organization, key metrics to lead organization and through regular problem solving, create a continuous improvement culture.
• Lead and support diverse teams, creating a high-performing and engaged culture that is client focused, leverages technology and seen as knowledgeable, accountable, accurate and responsive. Actively engage employees in Unum's enterprise vision and audacious goal(s), inspiring commitment to the organization's strategy and the role that Client Success teams play in contributing to Unum's success.
• Develop and execute on talent strategy at all levels including attracting, onboarding, developing, coaching, and rewarding employees to ensure we have a strong and diverse workforce capable of delivering differentiated value to our customers.
• Accountable for ensuring that the right controls and quality, monitoring and structure are in place to attain goals, meet service standards, privacy and regulatory commitments and monitor risk.
• Ensure optimum efficiency and operational effectiveness - including developing and managing to staffing models; enabling flexibility in capacity and resource optimization and sharing across the organization as needed; successfully employing flexible staffing solutions such as business process outsourcing (BPO); Effectively managing expenses to ensure alignment with budget.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Job Specifications

• BA/BS required with MBA preferred
• 5+ years leadership experience required and/or completion of formal corporate leadership development program; Operational leadership experience effectively managing goals and ensuring the right controls are in place to maintain customer/operational standards and manage risks; Track record of success in a dynamic, fast paced, and complex work environment
• Passion and aptitude for leveraging technology to deliver superior client experiences
• Experience with data exchange technologies, ideally with working knowledge of LIMRA Data Exchange Standards (LDEx)
• Operates with a unique combination analytical, problem-solving and strong project management skills, partnering across business and IT to execute
• Demonstrated strategic thinking skills with an ability to execute at a tactical level
• Strong understanding of service industry trends, competitive landscape, consumer, field, technology capabilities, and partner operations processes, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop leaders; Ability to motivate and hold multiple diverse operational teams accountable for delivering results with an external, client perspective
• Demonstrated success with sourcing, selection, on-boarding, assessment, development, and coaching of leaders. Strong intrinsic gratification in developing others
• Proven broad thought leadership and innovative mindset with evidence of driving and achieving meaningful tactics and results
• Strong critical thinking skills; able to draw meaningful conclusions on the basis of a wide array of data and make effective strategic and tactical decisions and then act on them
• Exceptional executive presence to include interpersonal, verbal and written communication and proven ability to communicate and collaborate with key constituents
• Proven ability to identify solutions and influence all levels of the organization with data and analysis that includes benefits, investments, resources, and risks, including strong presentation skills
• Exceptional change management orientation; demonstrated ability to lead organizations through change
• Ethical, able to maintain confidentiality and respectful of others
• Occasional travel required

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Our company is built on helping individuals and families, and this starts with our employees. We want employees to maintain a positive balance, which is why we provide access to the benefits and resources they need to invest in themselves. From our onsite fitness facilities and generous paid time off to employee professional development programs, we are committed to helping employees live and work their best - both inside and outside the office.

Unum is an equal opportunity employer, considering all qualified applicants and employees for hiring, placement, and advancement, without regard to a person's race, color, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or protected veteran status.

Company:
Unum