Strategic Account Manager (Shreveport)

We take great strides to ensure our employees have the resources to live well, be healthy, continue learning, develop skills, grow professionally and serve our local communities. We invite you to apply for a career with Blue Cross.Residency in or relocation to Louisiana is preferred for all positions.**POSITION PURPOSE**Manages, plans and implements a block of highly, complex, large group accounts to meet specified targets and service accounts to expand the business and meet corporate and divisional sales/renewal objectives by acting as a consultant to strategic accounts, retaining and selling all lines of business (health and ancillary) and retaining, servicing and upgrading existing group accounts, and working closely with the assigned account executive as the primary project manager to develop tactical plans and execute the account strategy developed. Establishes and enhances good relationships with existing groups and producers in order to maintain the highest level of retention with our group accounts. Accountable for complying with all laws and regulations.**NATURE AND SCOPE**+ This role does not manage people+ This role reports to this job: REGIONAL DIRECTOR, GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SALESNecessary Contacts: In order to effectively fulfill this position, the incumbent must be in contact with:Other staff members in the regional offices, Customer service, Underwriting, Provider Contracting and any other department as needed to efficiently serve the customer or renew the group.Brokers, Group Leaders & Employees, Group Management Executives and decision makers, Network providers.**QUALIFICATIONS****Education**+ Bachelor's in Business or a related field is required+ Four years of related experience can be used in lieu of a Bachelors degree.**Work Experience**+ 4 years as an Account Manager with knowledge and experience of self-funded products and stop loss is required**Skills and Abilities**+ Experience developing and sustaining credibility and relationships with consultants, customers, the sales team and all levels of the internal organization.+ Able to create and conduct effective presentations. This includes but is not limited to delivering and explaining a self-funded and/or large group renewal.+ Experience developing and monitoring objectives, strategies and implementing action plans to achieve goals.+ Incumbent must have a working knowledge of Blue Cross operations.+ Experience with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.+ Clear and concise verbal, written, presentation and communication skills.+ Experience facilitating decision-making and presentations in a large group setting.+ Demonstrated skills in coordination, problem solving, decision-making and negotiation+ Must be able to travel 70% of time within the state and 10% of time out of state. This includes occasional overnight stays.**Licenses and Certifications**+ A valid Louisiana state health and life insurance license is required+ Certified Health Consultant, HIAA or other industry courses is preferred**ACCOUNTABILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**+ Coordinates and facilitates the group renewal process, which includes serving as the main contact person for organizing meetings that will include the appropriate internal personnel and major decision makers within the group in order to attain the retention goals of the company.+ Conducts employee enrollment meetings and answers related benefit questions in order to promote accurate and expedient group renewals.+ Analyzes client needs in order to develop, design and recommend or implement product improvements or additions and makes presentations to producers and existing customers by providing a comprehensive analysis of benefits and rates, introducing and selling ancillary products to increase product offering in group health accounts and recommending additional coverage to existing groups and brokers to increase to specified targets and divisional and/or corporate goals.+ Negotiates with the client and Underwriting regarding the price or rates for specific plans and options and develops alternative plans or modification to lower the rates.+ Assists in the organization and participation of office visits for prospective or renewing groups by determining home office staff participants, assisting in the development of presentations to the group, and determining what areas of the company, if any, should be toured, as well as any other related tasks in order to help the company in achieving its membership goals.+ Maintains updated and accurate records of all telephone conversations, notes, meetings, and/or documents sent to all internal and external contacts via the corporate automated tracking system for easy retrieval and reference purposes.**Additional Accountabilities and Essential Functions**_The Physical Demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Accountabilities and Essential Functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions_+ Perform other job-related duties as assigned, within your scope of responsibilities.+ Job duties are performed in a normal and clean office environment with normal noise levels.+ Work is predominately done while standing or sitting.+ The ability to comprehend, document, calculate, visualize, and analyze are required.#LI_JH1**An Equal Opportunity Employer****All BCBSLA EMPLOYEES please apply through Workday Careers.**PLEASE USE A WEB BROWSER OTHER THAN INTERNET EXPLORER IF YOU ENCOUNTER ISSUES (CHROME, FIREFOX, SAFARI)**Additional Information**Please be sure to monitor your email frequently for communications you may receive during the recruiting process. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only those most qualified will be contacted. To monitor the status of your application, please visit the "My Applications" section in the Candidate Home section of your Workday account.If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, please contact recruiting@bcbsla.com for assistance.In support of our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians, Blue Cross encourages the good health of its employees and visitors. We want to ensure that our employees have a work environment that will optimize personal health and well-being. Due to the acknowledged hazards from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and in order to promote good health, our company properties are smoke and tobacco free._Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana performs background and pre-employment drug screening after an offer has been extended and prior to hire for all positions. As part of this process records may be verified and information checked with agencies including but not limited to the Social Security Administration, criminal courts, federal, state, and county repositories of criminal records, Department of Motor Vehicles and credit bureaus. Pursuant with sec 1033 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, individuals who have been convicted of a felony crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust are prohibited from working in the insurance industry unless they obtain written consent from their state insurance commissioner.__Additionally, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a Drug Free Workplace. A pre-employment drug screen will be required and any offer is contingent upon satisfactory drug testing results._**JOB CATEGORY:** **Sales, Marketing & Product Management**