Managing Director - Insurance, Life & Annuities

West Monroe has an opportunity for an Insurance Managing Director focused on the Life & Annuities market. This leader will grow the firm’s relationships and business with life insurers, annuity providers, reinsurers, and distribution organizations. The role combines executive-level business development with hands-on leadership of strategy, operating model, and technology transformation engagements. The ideal candidate brings a strong network in the Life & Annuities market, a track record of building consulting relationships, and the ability to connect industry challenges with practical business and technology solutions. Preferred locations are Chicago and New York.

Responsibilities:

• Cultivate new and existing client opportunities across life insurers, annuity providers, reinsurers, retirement businesses, and life and annuity distribution organizations, including broker-dealers, independent marketing organizations, field marketing organizations, and agencies.

• Build executive relationships and recurring business around priorities such as new business and underwriting, policy administration modernization, in-force policy management, claims and beneficiary experience, distribution effectiveness, product and operating model transformation, and retirement solutions.

• Identify opportunities to apply West Monroe’s capabilities in business and technology strategy, data and AI, digital experience, core platform modernization, and operational transformation to Life & Annuities clients.

• Develop account and go-to-market strategies that reflect the distinct needs of carriers, reinsurers, and distribution organizations.

• Lead proposals and engagements that bring together business, actuarial, technology, operations, and distribution stakeholders.

• Actively participate in relevant local business and Insurance industry organizations

• Exhibit an in-depth understanding of client issues and how to apply the appropriate West Monroe capabilities and offerings to convert identified issues into consulting opportunities and proposals

• Lead the development of proposals, work plans, pricing estimates, and risk assessments for potential projects

• Partner with Technology, Operational Excellence, Customer Solutions, and/or product practices to build a multi-disciplinary approach for proposals

• Effectively partner with other Insurance and/or WM leaders, Business Development and Marketing teams to lead and drive marketing campaigns

• Collaborate with office and Insurance leadership to grow the Insurance practice in alignment with national Insurance practice goals (headcount, financials, clients).

• Create effective go-to-market strategies while driving the development/enhancement of West Monroe’s Insurance practice methodologies, best practices, and approaches to client delivery

• Lead, mentor, and grow consultants and actively participate in the performance management process

• Actively participate in the recruiting process for additional practice managers and consultants

• Display an entrepreneurial desire and selflessness to give your time, energy, and passion to growing the firms culture and our people both inside and outside of office hours

• Manage practice financials in accordance with the national Insurance Practice budgets

• Serve as engagement leadership and quality assurance across a client portfolio

• Provide value via consulting engagements and sharing of meaningful thought leadership

• Mentor and manage teams of younger consultants to ensure quality of delivery and to keep projects on time and budget

• Respond to client requests for immediate issues while also being able to take on the accountability of driving projects to completion; serve as the point of escalation

• Analyze each client’s specific request and determine the underlying issue and recommend appropriate solutions

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 12 years of experience leading business and technology strategy, operating model, or transformation initiatives within Life & Annuities organizations. Experience may include life insurance carriers, annuity providers, reinsurers, retirement businesses, or life and annuity distribution organizations.

• Strong preference for someone who has led a relevant consulting group or practice in the local market in the past 3 years

• Preference with experience in areas such as policy administration, new business and underwriting, distribution transformation, in-force management, actuarial or finance transformation, or retirement solutions.

• Preference for this individual to have technical experience in the following: insurance core platforms, data and AI, digital distribution, and business transformation

• An active professional network of relevant executive-level contacts in the local market/region

• Strong program and project management methodology background, including strategic planning and analysis, schedule, scope, issue and risk management experience, change management highly preferred for this individual to be visible in relevant professional organizations, have published thought leadership, and have an active voice in their local market

• Strong communication skills and a commitment to inclusion and diversity, and openness to new ideas and perspectives

• The ability to lead entrepreneurial environments effectively, balancing decision-making with collaboration

• A strong balance of subject matter expertise and business skills, with a high level of intellectual agility and capacity for original thought 

• A collaborative, disciplined focus with the ability to lead and motivate a team and attract, develop and retain talent

• A commitment to inclusion and diversity, and openness to new ideas and perspectives

• Ability to travel frequently to be on-site with clients and in-person with project teams 3 days per week. 

National 280000 - 308000 USD