Guardian Life

Business Program Manager, Practice Development

Pittsfield Full time

Are you the colleague others turn to for input and leadership on a variety of projects? Someone who naturally excels at relationship building, execution and leveraging insights & feedback to inform business strategy?  Do you love variety in your work and the opportunity to problem solve and propose fresh strategies to the team? If so, the Practice Development Team is seeking a Business Program Manager. The right colleague will join our team to help us shape and execute Financial Professional (FP) productivity initiatives that are critical to the growth of our business.

You are

  • A self-starter who loves to solve problems independently and with others

  • Someone who takes initiative and isn’t shy about jumping in, asking thoughtful questions and proposing solutions

  • A relationship builder adept at working independently and with diverse teams and stakeholders across a variety of functions

  • An enthusiastic, big-picture thinker who values data and experience when making business decisions

  • A skilled communicator in both conveying project needs and priorities as well as sharing the story of the impact of the team’s work   

  • Someone who effectively leads large, complex initiatives while still executing on day-to-day work

  • A team player who can collaborate effectively in a dispersed team setting to engage others to accomplish meaningful work

You will

As a key member of the Practice Development team, this role will lead cross-functional efforts to identify, prioritize, and execute strategies that enhance FP productivity. Because The Living Balance Sheet® (LBS), Guardian’s proprietary planning platform, is a proven driver of FP productivity, this position will sit with the LBS team.

  • Be a key contributor as we enhance our New Org Productivity strategy by:

    • Leveraging your relationship building and research skills to work with internal, Field and external partners to understand current state and greatest areas of opportunity to influence productivity of FPs in their first 5 years in the business

    • Leading a cross-functional working group to establish strategy, measures of success and priorities to drive new org productivity

    • Collaborating with Practice Development leadership and key partners drive execution on commitments and continuously measure results

    • Learning LBS philosophy in order to provide connection and coordination on efforts to integrate LBS with aligned initiatives

  • Support evolution of our Teaming Strategy by:

    • Better understanding Team structures at Guardian and forming a point of view on how to track and measure Team productivity

    • Partnering with other business areas to align resources, establish a connected strategy and define a roadmap to evolve the way we support Team-based practices

    • Partnering with Learning & Development to consider new ways to support Team development - expanding on existing Teaming program and adding resources to develop the skills Agency Leaders need to add value to Teams  

  • Serve as a key partner for additional FP-focused initiatives with specific responsibility for:

    • Forbes / Shook Recognition program for top Producers

    • Six Sigma / Practice Management Consultations as incorporated into our learning & development strategy   

    • Field philanthropic programs    

You have

  • A minimum of 10+ years experience and 5+ years of experience in financial services, including deep familiarity with Career Agency Distribution systems, Financial Professionals and the important role Agency Leaders play in coaching and developing advisors

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required

  • A portfolio of experiences leading complex, cross-functional initiatives to set strategic vision, drive alignment and execution across diverse teams

  • Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills demonstrated by experience leading Lean initiatives, Kaizen events, or cross-functional process improvement projects

  • A proactive and innovative mindset, consistently identifying opportunities and delivering impactful outcomes through collaboration 

  • Strong analytical skills with a demonstrated ability to synthesize research and stakeholder insights into strategic, data-informed solutions

  • Experience applying process improvement methodologies to drive measurable business outcomes; certification preferred but not required

  • Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to engage diverse audiences

Travel

  • Up to 15% travel within US

Salary Range:

$84,320.00 - $138,522.50

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 applicant_accommodation@glic.com.

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