Head of Distribution

Reporting to the Head of Client Solutions and Wealth Management, the Head of Distribution will build, lead and execute a sales and distribution vision and strategy to accelerate the growth of Guardian’s individual financial protection business. The successful candidate will assess current capabilities, distribution model, and strategy, and will drive transformation to elevate performance results. This executive will lead a highly experienced team of leaders accountable for accelerating and expanding sales growth in key-growth markets.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

▪ Lead the sales and distribution vision and strategy for Guardian Life’s individual businesses in new and existing channels, including general agency, third-party and multi-life channels.

▪ Build and expand third-party distribution capabilities across life, annuity, disability, multi-life (life and disability) and investment products and solutions.

▪ Assess distribution organizational structure and teams to determine priorities for change and investment.

▪ Design and build key distribution support capabilities, including relationship management, sales enablement, sales effectiveness, compensation and sales analytics.

▪ Reimagine multi-channel relationship development strategies to strengthen Guardian Life’s presence in key growth markets.

▪ Partner closely with product and P&L leaders and serve as the lead distribution executive for the financial protection and retirement solutions business unit.

▪ Partner closely with the group benefits business to grow multi-life and worksite solution sales.

▪ Cultivate leaders and talent; assess teams, capabilities and performance and lead development and succession planning.

▪ Modernize and optimize technology, data and metrics to empower sales teams and increase productivity and profitability.

▪ Align sales and distribution leaders and teams around a shared vision, empowering effective collaboration, driving and accelerating change and elevating team performance.

▪ Lead strategy for investing in and/or acquiring new distribution assets.

▪ Build a culture of aspiration and innovation that embraces differences and promotes inclusion.

▪ Serve as an active participant in community and industry associations, representing Guardian Life.

▪ Build relationships with all levels of leadership to achieve client and organizational growth objectives.

▪ Lead process improvement to drive rigor and consistency in sales and distribution performance.

▪ Partner with enterprise leadership and teams to drive next-generation data and digital innovation to optimize growth.

Position Summary

▪ Proven leadership impact and track record at the executive level.

▪ Expertise in multiple distribution channels and life, annuity, and disability products.

▪ Demonstrated business acumen; understanding of the balance sheet and economics of the life, annuity, and disability business and a P&L-driven approach to growth.

▪ Talent builder and developer; ability to evaluate performance and potential and prepare teams for succession.

▪ Strong collaborator and relationship builder.

▪ Excellent communicator with the ability to influence, build followership and facilitate.

▪ Record of planning, sponsoring and leading large-scale, complex transformation.

▪ Skilled at successfully leading and navigating teams through transformation.

▪ Bachelor’s degree in finance or business, additional advanced coursework preferred; investments licenses and certifications strongly preferred (e.g., Series 7, 24, 27, 63, 65).

▪ Experience with U.S. securities and other applicable laws and regulations, including FINRA rules.

▪ Preferable experience with both life and annuity products and distribution.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Driving Results

▪ Drives overall growth of individual distribution and channels, increasing sales and profitability.

▪ Sets effective strategic growth objectives with a record of successfully balancing strategic partnerships, client segments and multiple sales channels.

▪ Proactively seeks to improve processes and implement best-in-class solutions, raising the quality and productivity of teams.

▪ Demonstrates an ability to think out of the box to generate revenue growth. Holds self and team accountable. Strategic Thinking

▪ Develops and communicates a compelling long-term strategy, clear near-term business plans and a distinctive brand and value proposition.

▪ Understands trends in the evolving insurance landscape, anticipates changes in client behaviors/needs and sees around corners, positioning the bank to effectively capitalize on new opportunities to expand market presence, competitive distinctiveness and profit potential. Leading People

▪ Brings broad and significant leadership experience, preferably with a highly recognized client-centric brand.

▪ Manages large teams and leaders with relevant distribution within a regulated environment.

▪ A visionary, innovative and proven people leader who engages and inspires the workforce. Sources talent from a wide variety of backgrounds to augment the current team. Brings a track record of recruiting, mentoring and developing top talent.

Candidate Profile

▪ Collaborative – values and nurtures relationships and demonstrates empathy. ▪ Communicates with a forthrightness and transparency in a way that builds respect and trust.

▪ Has a confident, informed point of view and is open to others’ perspectives.

▪ Continuous learner with natural curiosity. A thoughtful, prudent risk taker.

▪ Active listener.

▪ Creates and sustains an inclusive, engaging, team-oriented culture.

▪ Strong critical thinking skills; ability to assess complex strategic issues and drive conclusions and recommendations.

▪ Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.

▪ Proven ability to work effectively and engage people at all levels across complex organizations

Salary Range

$300,000 - $400,000

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  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.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

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.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.

Notice Regarding Guardian’s Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

As part of Guardian’s job application process, Guardian may use artificial intelligence tools (“AI Tools") to automate the sorting and filtering of information provided by applicants as part of its preliminary screening. This preliminary screening may be used to help identify applicant materials and resumes relative to their indication that the applicant meets the requirements for the specific job for which they are applying, as specified in the listing posted on Guardian’s jobs website (Careers at Guardian at https://www.guardianlife.com/careers). At Guardian, we do not use AI Tools to substantially assist or replace human judgment or discretionary decision making in our hiring process. All hiring decisions will be made by Guardian colleagues.

Please be aware that if you apply for a specific position with Guardian, you will have the choice of opting out of Guardian’s use of AI Tools during the job application process. If you would like to request an alternative process that does not utilize AI Tools or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, within ten business days of your position application, you must email your request to MyHR@glic.com, making sure to provide your name and job requisition identification number. Guardian will retain your applicant materials and resume and all information therefrom in accordance with Guardian’s document retention policy, a copy of which you may request via MyHR@glic.com.

Additionally, at applicable times, Guardian will make public the most recent bias audit results for such AI tools, which may be found here. 

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.