General Manager, Distribution - Retail Business at Stratostaff

Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategy and Marketing:

• Actively participate in the development, implementation and execution of strategic marketing plans including forecasting, market research, and development of market literature, sales tools, and promotional programs in support of the Company’s retail business strategy.
• Leading the development of customer segment strategies, defining value proposition for each segment, service levels and production offerings.
• Develop pricing strategies in consultation with senior management, balancing marketing objectives and customer satisfaction.
• Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations and return on investment and profit-loss projections.
• Develop, monitor and control the marketing budget to ensure attainment of objectives within allocated spend in collaboration with Marketing & Communications Manager.
• Develop and implement market segmentation plans in conjunction with the Manager, Agencies and Branches.

Business Planning and Budgeting:

• Direct the development, implementation and execution of all strategic marketing plans including forecasting, market research, and development of product literature, sales tools and promotional programs.
• Prepare proposals, budgets and implement marketing and promotional activity plans in line with the approved strategy; support the development of regional/branch marketing budgets.

Brand Promotion:

• Collaborate with the Communications department to develop and establish a sustained corporate publicity programme that includes, but not limited to: Advertising campaigns, Development of appropriate market collateral, Product launches, Event sponsorships, Client open days, Worksite marketing, Trade exhibitions, Road shows and CSR activities.

Client Relations:

• Organize and implement initiatives geared towards improving client relations through, but not limited to: Client satisfaction surveys; Client development activities, Client product awareness sessions, Hosting of special events and Target based incentive programmes.
•  Analyze statistics or other data to determine the level of customer satisfaction for the services offered by the group.
• Organize structured visits to agency forces.
• Liaise with the Communications department to ensure that electronic statements, policy contracts and marketing material are availed to customers through the company website and e-mail.
• Collaborate with field staff in educating agents and intermediaries on products, services, automation, and underwriting standards as well as sales and marketing techniques.
• Maximize customer retention through deployment of account management strategies and ensure delivery of consistent customer experience.

Business Promotion:

• Develop worksite marketing plans and recommends appropriate budgets for promotional tools and equipment.
• Coordinate activities relating to participation of the Company in exhibitions, fairs and shows.
• Receive and evaluate requests for participation in promotional events by internal marketing teams such as exhibitions, fairs and shows; recommends company sponsorship as appropriate.
• Coordinate the process of drawing and optimizing synergies between individual life and group business units, including joint-marketing efforts, brainstorming sessions, etc.
• Liaise with business development and operations to develop and grow bancassurance business.
• Work with regional offices to design and implement prospective and existing client contact systems.
• Develop and implement appropriate market penetration and agency management strategies
• Maximize profitability through proper deployment of sales and service staff to various customer segments, and work with Operations to implement effective processes.
• Identify appropriate non-traditional sales channels e.g. banks, schools, religious organizations, real estate agencies and develop them into complementary income streams.

Distribution Channels:

• Expands distribution by engaging established and emerging intermediaries currently not in our books.
• Drives development of creative reach programs to expand the group customer base and increase market share.
• Enhance relationships with large corporate clients through social and business networking.

Market Research:

• Analyze competitor activity to understand opportunities and address inefficiencies.
• Analyze business trends from market research activities in order to monitor the effectiveness of the business strategies implemented.
•  Analyze information on the performance of products and services and prepare reports on product opportunities/weaknesses impacting growth potential.
• Gather pertinent competitive information to assist in developing product development initiatives.
• Coordinate market research to determine factors that affect our agency’s ability to effectively compete in the individual life market.

Product Review and Development:

• Measure product performance and liaise with business development and operations departments to implement appropriate improvements in line with consumer needs.
• Participate in the development and implementation of a structured process of product review and development.
• Liaise regularly with the business development team to develop products that leverages the company’s competitive edge
• Provide leadership for the product development team by maintaining consummate market intelligence and periodically reviewing existing products to enhance their quality; to examine on an ongoing basis possible new business potential in traditional and non-traditional sectors, and subsequently formulating plans for developing and launching relevant insurance products and services.

Customer Service:

• Coordinate customer service in the department including implementation of customer service standards and monitoring service level agreements.
•  Provide excellent customer experience throughout the department by ensuring that policy transactions are issued and changes processed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with agents and clients through correspondence, client visits phone calls and email.

Operations:

• Work with the operations teams to transition the responsibility for processing business after quotations over to the operations teams.
• Translate strategic marketing plans into actionable marketing communications activities by collaborating and consulting with assigned business units.

Learning and growth:

• Attract, train, mentor and lead a highly motivated, energetic and high achieving business development team in Nairobi and the branches.
• Guide teams and individuals toward achieving results by providing them with clear direction, objectives, honest feedback and recognition for results.
•  Mentor, coach and motivate team to achieve planned financial results.
• Oversee training of new staff in the department on work procedures and Company policies to ensure effective client service.
• Appraise staff in the department on job performance and handle any performance issues identified.
• Prepare staff leave schedule and ensure staff in the department clear all their leave balances before their anniversary dates.
• Continue to build personal skill set by participating in in-house programmes (including e-learning), industry related courses and seminars as deemed necessary to expand product and system knowledge.
• Set the standards for individual performance, metrics and goals to contribute to the overall success of the department.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Strategic Orientation;
• Commercial Acumen/Sales Savvy;
• Customer Orientation;
• Drive for Results;
• Leadership Skills;
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management;
• Innovative;
• Agility & a Good Team player;
• Excellent communication skills.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited Institution;
• Professional Qualification ACII or its equivalent;
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in a similar position;
• Technical competence in insurance;
• In depth knowledge of regulations by AKI and IRA.