Annuity and Life Insurance Career Opportunity: Product Analyst, West Des Moines IA
May 16, 2016 by EquiTrust Life Insurance Company
The Product Analyst works on the Product Management team to provide research and competitive intelligence for index annuities, fixed annuities, and life insurance. The Product Analyst will be responsible for evaluating and tracking competitor products and providing reports on industry trends. This position will conduct research and analysis on current product offerings and make recommendations to improve competitive positioning in the market. The Product Analyst will present competitive research and analysis results to leadership in a clear and concise manner.
The position will be located in West Des Moines, IA.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
• Perform research on competitor product offerings, product features, new products, and interest rates. Utilize industry platforms such as Competiscan, LIMRA, and AnnuitySpecs to complete research. Compile, analyze, and summarize results for Product Management and Sales teams. Stay current on competitor actions, such as rate changes, specials, and incentives.
• Provide regular ongoing reports summarizing key competitor products and their current rates, along with a comparison to each of EquiTrust’s products.
• Complete ad hoc research requests on a variety of competitor elements, such as financial strength metrics, business processes, and industry best practices.
• Review and summarize industry surveys, highlighting key elements such as recent trends or production totals by company or product.
• Build and organize a comprehensive inventory of competitor marketing materials.
• Complete ad hoc surveys from industry groups, such as Wink, LIMRA, Advantage Compendium, Ruark, and Pfeifer Advisory Group.
• Contribute to marketing efforts by assisting in the review of agent materials, consumer brochures and disclosures, and sales and education materials.
• Assist with Product Management business analyst tasks, such as testing illustration software, reviewing policyholder annual statements and policy forms, and assisting with print testing and review.
• Additional Responsibilities:
o Provide back-up and support to Product Support team and Sales and Marketing team, as needed.
o Willingly perform additional responsibilities as department needs arise.
POSITION SCOPE:
• Supervisory Responsibility
o There are no direct reports to this position.
• Confidentiality
o This position has access to confidential and proprietary information of all sorts, which will require exceptional confidentiality to protect the privacy of our customers, clients and the intellectual property of the company.
• Independent Action
o Must be able to make decisions concerning numerous ongoing projects with regard to priority, and be disciplined and organized in the efficient use of time. Must be able to multi-task, set priorities and schedule own work in order to meet established timelines and short- and long-term deadlines.
• Judgment
o This position is responsible for using sound judgment, thoroughness and competence. Failure to perform effectively and efficiently could have serious impact on the effectiveness of the product offerings, and ultimately, the integrity, reputation and profitability of the company.
• Financial Authority
o This position does not have any financial expenditure authority.
• Contacts: Internal and External Customers
o Internal contacts include employees in all departments and at multiple levels within the company, including but not limited to members of the following departments: Sales and Marketing, Compliance, Operations, Accounting, and IT. External contacts may include EquiTrust agents and IMO’s, as well as employees in other legal entities.
• Behaviors
o Organization, prioritization and time management.
o Ownership and accountability.
o Results and detail oriented.
o Ability to summarize and present research verbally or electronically.
o Able to multi-task and continue to execute under pressure.
o Internally driven and self-motivated.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Education
o High school diploma or GED equivalent required.
o Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in business or other related discipline preferred.
• Experience
o 2 years of experience in an insurance-related field.
o Experience with annuities and/or life insurance preferred.
• Skills
o Excellent oral, written, and listening skills; ability to summarize, articulate and present information and findings to others.
o Strong organizational skills required.
o Ability to work effectively with all departments and affiliates to ensure integration of strategic goals and principles.
o Working knowledge of basic office and PC applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, and Outlook.
EQUITRUST LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company markets life insurance and fixed annuities through various distribution channels including agents and marketing organizations. To succeed in the EquiTrust culture, candidates must be self-starters and strive for results. We are looking for people who operate as business owners, adhere to the highest standards and think creatively to realize opportunities, wherever they may be.
To succeed in the EquiTrust culture, candidates must be self-starters and strive for results. We are looking for people, who operate as business owners, adhere to the highest standards and think creatively to realize opportunities, wherever they may be.
