The Public Sector (G&E) Business Development Senior Advisor is responsible for influencing key decisions and taking actions that result in public sector membership growth & success.
This role will serve as an advisor and key partner to local market sales teams to develop and evolve the government and education sales and retention strategy.
As a subject matter in the public sector, this role requires significant external relationship building. This role will report to the G&E General Manager with a dotted line to the applicable Market Growth Leader(s) to which they are aligned.
Key Responsibilities :
- Informs our public sector sales distribution strategy within aligned markets.
- Builds and maintains the necessary partnerships and relationships to grow and retain our public sector business.
- Contributes to pipeline / prospect development in conjunction with the local market sales leadership with keen focus on targeting prospects that are viable candidates to win.
- Reports / advises on pipeline development and activities that are advancing the sales process with a focus on conveying key needs of the segment to support the sales process.
- Engagement with segment underwriting, legal, and product leadership where appropriate.
- Consistent engagement with RFP Proposal Response Team to ensure superior RFP product.
- Involvement with all key local market strategic planning / business development meetings.
- Serve as strong relationship liaison between local market leadership and Government Segment leadership and balances the priorities and focus of the local market and the segment.
- Maintains a deep understanding of the unique government dynamics and competitive landscape of each geographic market and applicable changes.
- Builds the long-term pipeline in pursuit of :
- New medical and dental public sector accounts >
3,000 employees.
First time medical adds to assigned large / existing dental only accounts >
3,000 ees.
Retention of assigned large existing accounts >
3,000 employees out to bid
- Articulate the value proposition of Cigna healthcare to current & prospective public sector clients.
- Point of contact for all matters related to procurement with new and existing customers.
- Engagement with broker / consultants as needed (pre / post RFP) in partnership with local market sales leadership. Development of diverse supplier relationships where applicable.
- All direct to client pre-RFP work that will influence Cigna's position and understanding of government and education prospects, including but not limited to :
- Meetings with HR, Finance, Senior Management officials.
- Engagement with union employee leadership.
- Meetings with influential elected officials; meetings with influential community partners if appropriate; development of minority vendor strategies if appropriate;
engagement and management of local lobbyists / advisors as appropriate.
- Development and management of local association relationships; engagement with targeted regional and / or national association relationship important to the public sector.
- Management of Freedom of Information requests. Important to maintain coordinated pre-RFP strategy with local market sales leadership.
- Targeted sales and retention engagement with any other government prospect as necessary.
Qualifications :
Minimum 10 years of sales experience, account management, and / or business development experience - health care or insurance industry preferred.
This experience should include many or all of the following : product knowledge, underwriting, risk and financial analysis skills, marketing processes, sales practices, account management and knowledge of administrative operations.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent related work experience.
- Health and life insurance license required.
- Experience selling to local governments and or school districts is preferred.
- Exposure to and / or understanding of local government procurement and / or elected official relationship dynamics is preferred.
- Strong influence and communications; with a proven ability to establish and build relationships.
- Demonstrated ability to develop strong matrix partner relationships.
- Strong customer focus.
- Strong ability to collaborate, with a track record of delivering results that lead to success.