Lead Associate, Strategy - Employee Benefits

The work we do has an impact on millions of lives, and you can be a part of it.

We help protect our customers against life’s uncertainties. Regardless of where you work within the company, you’ll be helping provide protection and peace of mind when our customers need it most.

Protective is seeking well qualified candidates for a Lead Associate, Strategy position to support our Employee Benefits Division (EBD) leadership team. This position could be virtual or based in one of our offices in Birmingham, AL, Long Island, NY, Covington, KY, or St Louis, MO.

The primary focus of the Lead Associate, Strategy is to support the development of EBD strategy through long-term planning, prioritization of key initiatives and business case development. This role will operate across the Executive Leadership Team to identify key strategic priorities and translate them into tangible results. Additionally, the Lead Associate, Strategy will act as an Employee Benefits Division leadership representative and advocate, interfacing with key stakeholders across the organization to ensure the successful implementation of Divisional strategy.

• Establishes and facilitates the development and coordination of Divisional strategy and planning work and in partnership with the Executive Leadership Team.
• Will be a representative member of the Executive Leadership Team partnering to define scope, approach, accountabilities, operating rhythms, and execution plans for all key divisional initiatives.
• Understanding the Corporate and Divisional annual planning cycles, initiating deliverables as needed, developing various content, and helping to ensure deliverables remain on track.
• Facilitates key planning/alignment/progress sessions to establish Divisional goals, priorities, and initiatives linked to corporate goals.
• Drives annual process and prioritization delivering Divisional operating plans for the next year, linked to budget and Divisional performance.
• Manages cross-functional and cross-organizational interdependencies and takes a leadership role in the change management process. Builds and maintains an enterprise-wide view of the needs and demands required to satisfy the Divisional goals and objectives.
• Provides counsel to senior management on the opportunities and challenges in satisfying goals and objectives. Distills, synthesizes, and clearly communicates complex details to facilitate timely and effective decision-making.
• Plans and efficiently facilitates delivery of regular Divisional communication and events including newsletters, townhalls, planning sessions and more.
• Creates and maintains a Divisional calendar. Prioritizes urgent matters by providing reminders for upcoming deadlines, deliverables, and events. Facilitates operating rhythms and management routines across the Division.
• Create and update complex and detailed PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets in support of Quarterly Business Review, Board of Directors, Rating Agency, all-division communications, Corporate Officers Meeting, Senior Leader Meeting, National Sales Conference, and other key events.
• Acts as a liaison with the EBD Project Management office, Corporate Project Management office, IT, HR, and other key stakeholders across Protective Life to ensure teams are aware of divisional priorities.
• Act as a representative and ambassador, including contact with both internal and external associates, virtually and in person.
• Management oversight for the Executive Administrator and Office Coordinator for the Employee Benefits Division

• Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of experience
• Exceptional knowledge of MS Office, specifically strong proficiency in MS PowerPoint
• Strong presentation design skills with ability to clearly convey information including data visualization.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to build relationships and trust; ability to influence across the organization including Executive Leadership
• Demonstrated history of exercising sound judgement when making decisions by carefully analyzing and understanding complex business situations.
• Experience with strategic implementation and use of change management techniques
• Willingness to learn and embrace new technologies.
• Proactive self-starter and problem solver
• Detail oriented with exemplary planning and time management skills, sense of urgency, and comfort level with holding others accountable.
• Highly organized with the ability to lead cross-functional teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality on all sensitive subjects such as board presentations, company earnings, strategy, and personnel files.
• Ability to travel to New York or Alabama one to two times per quarter.

Employee Benefits:  

We aim to protect our employees' wellbeing through a broad benefits offering. For example, we protect physical wellbeing through health, dental and vision insurance. We protect mental wellbeing through mental health benefits and an employee assistance program. We protect time away from work with a variety of paid time away benefits (e.g., paid time off, paid parental leave, short-term disability, and a cultural observance day). We protect financial wellbeing through contributions to healthcare accounts, a pension plan, and a 401(k) plan with Company matching. All employees are encouraged to protect their overall wellbeing by engaging in ProHealth Rewards, Protective’s platform to improve wellbeing while earning cash rewards.  

Eligibility for certain benefits may vary by position in accordance with the terms of the Company’s benefit plans.

Diversity and Inclusion:

At Protective, we are committed to providing an inclusive culture where all employees are able to fully contribute and thrive. Our goal is to grow and develop our people, attract diverse talent and support strong, diverse communities.

We support diversity, equity, and inclusion by working to develop a culture of inclusion and belonging led by leaders who develop potential and embrace all skills and abilities. Our aim is to create an equitable environment for all leaders and employees that will drive performance and impact business strategy. In this way, we can increase overall diversity for leadership roles and pipelines of talent by maturing our hiring practices, robust development opportunities and focus on retention of key talent.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to being inclusive and attracting, retaining, and growing the talents of a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Accommodations for Applicants with a Disability:

If you require an accommodation to complete the application and recruitment process due to a disability, please email martina.winston@protective.com.This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application and recruitment process.

Please note that the above email is solely for individuals with disabilities requesting an accommodation.  General employment questions should not be sent through this process.

Employee Benefits:  

We aim to protect our employees' wellbeing through a broad benefits offering. For example, we protect physical wellbeing through health, dental and vision insurance. We protect mental wellbeing through mental health benefits and an employee assistance program. We protect time away from work with a variety of paid time away benefits (e.g., paid time off, paid parental leave, short-term disability, and a cultural observance day). We protect financial wellbeing through contributions to healthcare accounts, a pension plan, and a 401(k) plan with Company matching. All employees are encouraged to protect their overall wellbeing by engaging in ProHealth Rewards, Protective’s platform to improve wellbeing while earning cash rewards.  

Eligibility for certain benefits may vary by position in accordance with the terms of the Company’s benefit plans.

Diversity and Inclusion:

At Protective, we are committed to providing an inclusive culture where all employees are able to fully contribute and thrive. Our goal is to grow and develop our people, attract diverse talent and support strong, diverse communities.

We support diversity, equity, and inclusion by working to develop a culture of inclusion and belonging led by leaders who develop potential and embrace all skills and abilities. Our aim is to create an equitable environment for all leaders and employees that will drive performance and impact business strategy. In this way, we can increase overall diversity for leadership roles and pipelines of talent by maturing our hiring practices, robust development opportunities and focus on retention of key talent.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to being inclusive and attracting, retaining, and growing the talents of a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Accommodations for Applicants with a Disability:

If you require an accommodation to complete the application and recruitment process due to a disability, please email martina.winston@protective.com.This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application and recruitment process.

Please note that the above email is solely for individuals with disabilities requesting an accommodation.  General employment questions should not be sent through this process.