Product Enablement Specialist, Group Benefits

POSITION SUMMARY:

Our Product Enablement Specialist, who is part of the Product Strategy and Delivery department, is responsible for leading and coordinating large scale and strategically critical cross functional programs. These initiatives are in pursuit of Guardian Group Benefits delivering best in class product solutions for our customers and trade partners. This role will focus on initiatives that drive improvements to product economics, ensure compliance, or optimize satisfaction for Guardian’s customers.

The Product Enablement Specialist must elicit, analyze, document, refine and communicate business needs with stakeholders so that the business and/or technical teams can deliver best in class solutions.  This role is multi-faceted and will require strong collaboration with our Group Product teams and functional business partners to deliver business solutions throughout the product value stream. This role will also serve as co-lead and point of escalation for identifying and mitigating compliance risks to ensure appropriate solutions are developed and recommended in partnership with Group Compliance team.

The Product Enablement Specialist will model a growth mindset, influence others to create a high trust, positive environment, and drive accountability at all levels of the organization. This individual will be expected to regularly present to Product and Market Management leadership, requiring executive presence and polish, as well as strong presentation building skills.

You Will:

• Partner with Business Owners/Sponsors and key stakeholders to gain an understanding of the needs, measures, and improvement areas within product enablement.
• Oversee, and in some instances, act as project lead for Group Product initiatives with a specific focus on accurate and multi-functional workstreams and stakeholders to ensure successful and on time delivery.
• Partner closely with Compliance team to ensure ongoing compliance for the Group product portfolio with federal and state legislation; lead all business process and/or technology changes that are required to comply with regulatory requirements.
• Support maintenance of the product organizations’ holistic portfolio of priorities and subsequent business impact; additionally, serving as a process and delivery subject matter expert for the Product organization.  
• Complete business impact analysis related to product delivery; then plan, gather, and structure information from a variety of stakeholders, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and other sources to understand and analyze each business and stakeholder need.
• Structure, analyze and manipulate detailed data reports to determine impact of product changes, reissues, upgrades across all products and business areas (For example: Upgrade 5,000 in force plans to newest series of policy forms, categorized by plan design, premium, features and impacted stakeholders).
• Manage Group Product offering changes from both a business and customer perspective; identify, communicate, and break down project for Product Leadership to understand.
• May work with Product Strategy & Enablement leadership to develop and validate business strategy as well as research industry trends or competitive analysis.

You Have:

Functional Skills

• Process-focused individual with cross-functional product and group insurance life cycle knowledge and proven experience driving results.
• Identify and collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to assess and deliver product changes; understand key aspects of a products end to end value stream to support cross functional collaboration.
• Demonstrates a sense of urgency and bias for action; supports internal and external teams by facilitating quick and decisive issue resolution; articulates clear and realistic goals, monitoring progress, and taking action to improve outcomes; effective communication of work plans, deadlines, and progress status; plans for potential impediments, soliciting support when appropriate.
• Comfortable with ambiguity in strategic direction.  Priorities will change as current uncertainties become new standards and shape the market.  There must be constant balance between proactive and reactive strategy and execution.
• Works well in a collaborative and diverse team environment, understanding and employing the approach and standard operating procedures of all functional areas across Guardian. 
• Success will depend heavily upon building strong partnerships with all areas of the organization. It will be necessary to build consensus on many issues through persuasive presentation of well-developed, rational business cases, complete with supporting information, impact analysis, and success metrics. 
• Candidate must work with, and influence, peer groups and individuals with specific functional expertise. Key challenges and opportunities lie in the ability to influence and manage people, over whom there is no direct authority.

Education and Experience:

• B.S./B.A. or equivalent work experience
• 4 or more years of experience in business and/or project delivery
• 2+ years of large complex program experience
• Experience in creating engaging and effective PowerPoint Presentations (to demonstrated ability tell the story)
• Demonstrated capability to navigate in a fast-paced environment and prioritize tasks with competing deadlines
• Demonstrated knowledge of Change Management practices
• Expert knowledge and demonstrated use of process improvement methodologies
• Certification in Project Management and/or Lean Six Sigma designation preferred
• Minimum of 4 years insurance experience desired with demonstrated experience in at least three of the core business areas in focus (distribution, account management, operations, financial analysis /pricing, product / marketing)
• Demonstrated success leadership, relationship development, influence, and consultation

Location and Work Arrangement:

• The preferred locations for this position are Bethlehem, PA and Boston, MA.
• The work arrangement will be hybrid (three days per week in a local Guardian Office; two days working from home).
• Minimal travel (less than 10%) associated with this position

Salary Range:

$68,970.00 - $113,310.00

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.