Now Hiring - Senior Account Manager - Employee Benefits in Walnut Creek, CA

Relation is among the fastest-growing insurance brokers in the U.S. We work together to bring new products, capabilities and ideas to our clients, while preserving the local relationships and expertise that our clients have come to expect. Our employees and our clients are our top priorities…our success is built upon both and we take that seriously. We offer a competitive compensation package (including benefits), a collaborative team environment and growth opportunities.

We are looking for brilliant minds to come join us in a fast-paced, exciting work environment where having fun while working hard is part of our core values. Our culture encourages personal growth, and success. Are you a team player who enjoys challenging work? Do you believe the client always comes first? Come claim your future with a growing company that can help you be your best. Build a lasting connection with Relation!

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Account Manager serves as the primary business contact for the client and is responsible for client satisfaction. The person in this position is expected to consistently provide excellent customer service to assigned accounts, as well as represent client needs and goals within the organization to ensure quality. In addition, this position will build relationships with clients to encourage new and repeat business opportunities. The Senior Account Manager is expected to project a professional company image through all interactions with clients, insurance carriers, coworkers and others.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE POSITION

• Serves as client advocate and a primary point of contact for assigned accounts.
• Develops professional business relationships with client and understands the client’s core business.
• Manages client expectations, service commitments, and anticipates needs of the client.
• Answers email, telephone calls, and/or written correspondence related to client’s employee benefit plans in a timely manner. Documents all client interaction and updates client service logs.
• Identifies, conducts research, and resolves participant benefit issues. Follows through on participant claims resolution matters with carriers and inquiries not immediately resolved. On behalf of the client, conducts research on insurance carrier billing issues.
• Coordinates with the clients on the accumulation of census data, history of plans, and all other data for insurance carrier quotes.
• Manages open enrollment and prepares presentation materials, employee handouts, and other informational tools for client meetings. Presents educational data on employee benefit plans for clients during open enrollment. Provides training sessions during in-person or remote group meetings.
• Quickly identifies and resolves complex client service issues.
• Handles benefit enrollments and terminations for assigned clients.
• Recommends process improvements as needed.
• Request for Proposals (RFPs): Gathers the health benefits information from a variety of sources (such as hard files, electronic files, the client and carriers), coordinates responses from the carriers, inputs data, and maintains all appropriate documentation.
• Creates client presentations using Excel and PowerPoint to summarize client data obtained from vendors or Relation consultants; may involve developing charts in Excel to summarize data for use in PowerPoint.
• Develops benchmarking reports by gathering health benefits data to compare a client's plan information (such as the benefits they offer, rates and contributions) to other companies by industry or geography and provides the template to the client.
• Gathers necessary data from the vendor or client; reviews to ensure it is complete, accurate, and reasonable. Prepares data for use in basic or advanced financial analyses or valuations.
• Performs basic cost projections by entering the client's cost and enrollment data into an Excel spreadsheet and projecting costs for the next plan year.
• Analyzes vendor renewals by checking carrier or vendor's plan rates for reasonableness and by analyzing claims and enrollment data, trend rates, administrative expenses and other charges.
• Values medical, dental and prescription drug plan designs by entering plan design information to develop the relative cost differences between plan designs, in order to compare the client's current plan to alternative designs.
• Develops employee contributions scenarios by entering current employee medical contribution data into an Excel spreadsheet and projecting contributions to the next plan year, taking into account the cost-sharing goals of the client.
• Reviews external vendor contracts, summary plan documents and employee communications to ensure alignment with client expectations and legal requirements.
• Researches client issues by contacting carriers and vendors on behalf of the client and determines when issues need to be escalated to the consultant level.
• Summary Plan Description (SPD) Reviews: Reviews the SPD from the carrier and compares it to the client's benefits for accuracy; follows up with the carriers to make any necessary changes are made.
• Understands and demonstrates project management and consulting skills such as: managing the quality and timeliness of client deliverables, helping to develop budgets and billing reports, participating in client calls and meetings as appropriate, delegating to and reviewing project work of more junior colleagues and assisting with the preparation and delivery of clear and concise client-friendly communications.
• Develops employee communication materials such as benefit brochures, open enrollment presentations, employee memos, etc.
• May coordinate the work of others.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

SKILLS

• Strong analytical and mathematical skills.
• Excellent PowerPoint and presentation skills for both in-person and teleconference/webinar sessions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; strong oral and written communication skills.
• In-depth understanding of the lines of coverage for employee benefit plans: medical, dental, life, long-term disability (LTD), short-term disability (STD), accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), vision, etc.
• (California-Only) In-depth understanding of AB1672 and Small group regulations.
• (California-Only) Required to participate in the process of identifying and selecting General Agents. Must have knowledge of the services that California General Agents provide and be able to utilize General Agents to the maximum capacity.
• Must understand R.A.F. (Risk Adjustment Factor) and the components to how rates are created, maintained and delivered on new business and renewals.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills are required to maintain effective relationships with clients, co-workers, carriers, vendors and others.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (primarily Excel, PowerPoint and Word). Must be computer literate with the ability to learn new software applications, such as online benefit enrollment programs and carrier enrollment sites.
• Strong knowledge of the rules and regulations associated with HIPAA, COBRA, Health Care Reform and all other legislation and compliance related areas to Group Health programs.
• Strong knowledge of insurance markets, products, services, insurance ratings and underwriting procedures.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to travel to client sites and a reliable source of transportation.

COMPETENCIES

• Enthusiastic, dependable, highly motivated and detail oriented.
• Hands-on, open minded, proactive team player.
• Self-managed and responsible for project and time management.
• Customer focused, high integrity, excellent work ethic.
• Excellent customer service skills are a must.
• Willingness to adhere to all principles of confidentiality.
• Must value operating in a collaborative work environment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

• College degree preferred.
• 5+ years’ account management experience in the insurance industry with a focus on Accident and Health lines of coverage is required.

CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES

• A Life Accident & Health License from state of domicile is required and must be maintained.

Relation Insurance Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Relation, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is presented within this posting.

You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.