Director of Client Experience - Group Benefits

About Associated Agencies

Associated is one of the top privately-held insurance and risk management firms in the country. We assist businesses and individuals with their insurance needs, including property, casualty, and employee benefits, and more. Founded in 1890, our longevity in the industry provides unparalleled expertise and longstanding relationships with leading insurance carriers.

Our proven track record empowers us to anticipate insurance or risk management needs and create innovative and productive solutions, ultimately driving down costs for our clients over time. We serve nearly 15,000 clients nationwide, small and large, for-profit and non-profit, with needs ranging from basic insurance to complex programs.

The Role- Director of Client Experience, Group Benefits

The Director of Client Experience, Group Benefits will drive the client, employee, and carrier experience across our Employee Benefits practice, ensuring the best service is provided to employer groups and their employees throughout the plan year. The Director will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to improve the client experience journey, from onboarding through renewal and open enrollment, and ensure high levels of client satisfaction and retention. This newly created role will be integral to our firm’s success and growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a client experience strategy for the Group Benefits practice that enhances the firm's competitiveness in the market while exceeding client, employee, and carrier expectations.
• Map and standardize the client journey across the plan year (new client onboarding, renewal strategy meetings, open enrollment, and mid-year service) so every employer group receives a consistent experience.
• Partner with servicing teams to set service standards group benefit clients, including response times, escalation paths, and stewardship reporting.
• Improve the client employee experience by strengthening how claims, eligibility, and billing issues are escalated and resolved with carriers, TPAs, and PBMs.
• Hold carrier and vendor partners accountable to service expectations for implementations, eligibility feeds, ID cards, issue resolution and ongoing service related needs.
• Collaborate with marketing and sales to create client engagement strategies, including employee communications, enrollment materials, and HR education. 
• Develop effective metrics for measuring client satisfaction and performance across all touchpoints, such as client retention, NPS, renewal outcomes, and service response times.
• Analyze feedback and data to continually enhance the processes and procedures for delivering an outstanding client experience. 
• Lead and develop the Client Services team, setting service expectations, managing performance, and supporting team growth.

 Qualifications and Experience:

• A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Marketing, or a related field.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in client service or client experience within employee benefits, at a brokerage or consulting firm.
• Working knowledge of group health and welfare plans (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary) and funding arrangements (fully insured, level-funded, and self-funded).
• Understanding of benefits compliance requirements (ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA) and how they affect client service.
• Life & Health license preferred; CEBS, GBA, or similar designation a plus.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize workload and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work closely with internal teams, HR leaders, and carrier partners.
• Excellent management and team building skills with a proven track record of leading high-performing teams.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of CRM software and client data management systems; experience with benefits administration platforms (e.g., Employee Navigator, PlanSource, bswift) and Applied Epic.