Head of Key Accounts

Title: Head of Key Accounts, Life & DI, MassMutual Strategic Advisors (MMSD)

Reports To: Head of Distribution MMSD Life and Disability Insurance 

The Opportunity

Are you ready to lead in an environment where innovation, grit, and a client-centered mindset are not just valued—they’re expected? At MassMutual Strategic Distributors (MMSD), our true north is clear: we are driven by the enduring stability of a leading mutual, dedicated to delivering a boutique experience for every client and partner. As a key leader within our fast-growing, entrepreneurial division, you will have the chance to shape the future of our business, disrupt the status quo, and make a lasting impact on the industry.

This is more than a leadership role, it’s an opportunity to build something extraordinary. You’ll join a team that thrives on passion, accountability, and data-driven decision making. You’ll be empowered to challenge conventional thinking, drive meaningful change, and deliver results that matter for our clients, our partners, and our company.

Why We Need You

We’re growing rapidly, and our clients and partners deserve the very best. We need a leader who is ambitious, innovative, and relentless in pursuit of excellence. You will play a pivotal role in driving our strategy forward.

You are someone who:

• Brings passion, grit, and determination to every challenge.

• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and inspires others to do the same.

• Holds yourself and your teams accountable to ambitious targets and high standards.

• Uses data and analytics to inform decisions, optimize performance, and drive growth.

• Puts clients at the center of every decision, ensuring their needs and experiences guide our actions.

• Embraces the opportunity to innovate, disrupt, and make a difference within a new organization backed by the strength of a top mutual carrier.

If you’re ready to lead with purpose, drive transformation, and help us deliver on our promise of a boutique, client-centered experience, we want to hear from you

What Success Looks Like

• Client-Centered Commitment: Champions a client-first mindset, ensuring every strategy and interaction reflects the enduring stability of a leading mutual and delivers a boutique, personalized experience for every partner and client.

• Strategic Account Growth: Drives measurable growth in key account revenue, retention, and satisfaction through innovative strategies and deep relationship management.

• Data-Driven Leadership: Leverages analytics and market insights to inform strategy, set clear performance benchmarks, and drive continuous improvement across the key accounts team.

• High-Performance Culture: Establishes and sustains a results-oriented environment where expectations are clear, accountability is non-negotiable, and top performance is recognized and rewarded.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partners with sales, product, marketing, and operations to deliver seamless solutions and maximize value for clients and the business.

• Operational Excellence: Maintains rigorous discipline in account planning, forecasting, and execution, ensuring all activities are aligned with organizational goals.

• Market Influence: Expands MMSD’s presence and reputation by cultivating influential relationships with key partners, consistently representing the brand with professionalism and credibility.

• Inclusive Team Building: Champions inclusion, ensuring a collaborative environment where all voices are heard and valued.

• Executive Communication: Delivers compelling presentations and business cases to internal and external stakeholders, influencing decisions at the highest levels.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate, and mentor a team of key account managers, ensuring they have the necessary resources, guidance, and training to meet their targets.

• Define and communicate the team’s goals and objectives, aligned with MMSD’s overall goals and enterprise business strategy.

• Foster a high-performance culture, focusing on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Work closely with senior leadership to refine strategic direction and ensure alignment with corporate goals.

• Build and maintain strong long-term relationships with key decision makers in client organizations.

• Develop and execute strategies to drive growth and retention within the Life/DI segments based on tiered key account support models.

• Drive the achievement of sales and revenue targets for Life/DI products by leveraging data, market insights, and customer relationships.

• Identify new opportunities within existing accounts for cross-selling, product expansion, and ease of doing business. Develop cost-benefit analyses and business cases to evaluate investment decisions.

• Utilize financial metrics (VNB, Allowance, PTOI) to drive business cases and decision making.

• Oversee the development and execution of business plans to drive sales results and NPS metrics.

• Prepare regular reports on account performance, revenue forecasts, and other key metrics to senior leadership.

• Partner with peer sales leadership (e.g., national sales manager, sales desk managers) to drive the execution of overall business plans to maximize revenue, profitability, ROI, and customer satisfaction.

• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., product, marketing, operations) to deliver value to customers, increase revenue, streamline business processes, and increase overall net promoter scores.

• Ensure that all sales and service activities comply with regulatory and company standards.

• Proactively manage risks associated with key accounts, including contractual, operational, and financial risks.

Qualifications

Strong working knowledge of financial services industry and third-party distribution channels.

10+ years’ experience in financial services industry

Strong organizational, detail orientation and relationship management skills are a must for this position

Series 6 and 26 required

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Negotiation skills 

Presentation skills

Comfortable managing in a fluid, fast paced environment 

Creativity to innovate, constant desire to learn and improve

Effective leader and team builder

Ability to influence senior leaders and business partners

Ability to manage to budget and measure ROI

Travel required, estimated 40%

Strategic thinking, planning and ability to execute

Bachelor’s degree preferred in related field of study

Ideal Qualifications:

• 5+ years of life insurance and/or DI key account management or wholesaling industry experience.

• 3+ years of managing, coaching, and leading others

Base salary range $125K-$175K and Total target compensation range $300-$350K

#LI-LS1

Why Join Us.

We’ve been around since 1851. During our history, we’ve learned a few things about making sure our customers are our top priority. In order to meet and exceed their expectations, we must have the best people providing the best thinking, products and services. To accomplish this, we celebrate an inclusive, vibrant and diverse culture that encourages growth, openness and opportunities for everyone. A career with MassMutual means you will be part of a strong, stable and ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits. And your voice will always be heard.

We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. As a company owned by our policyowners, we are defined by mutuality and our vision to put customers first. It’s more than our company structure – it’s our way of life. We are a company of people protecting people. Our company exists because people are willing to share risk and resources, and rely on each other when it counts. At MassMutual, we Live Mutual.

MassMutual is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We welcome all persons to apply.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.

At MassMutual, we focus on ensuring fair, equitable pay by providing competitive salaries, along with incentive and bonus opportunities for all employees.  Your total compensation package includes either a bonus target or in a sales-focused role a Variable Incentive Compensation component.  For more information about our extensive benefits offerings please check out our Total Rewards at a Glance.