Service Relationship Specialist

We are a leading financial services provider committed to making decisions easier and lives better for our customers and colleagues around the world. From our environmental initiatives to our community investments, we lead with values throughout our business. To help us stand out, we help you step up, because when colleagues are healthy, respected and meaningfully challenged, we all thrive. Discover how you can grow your career, make impact and drive real change with our Winning Team today.

Remote

Job Description

Support

• Support Distribution partners in the acquisition of new business; participate and present in finalist presentations and implementation meetings on the Mid-Market Segments. Assist internal partners in acquiring new business by serving as a liaison; take part as a subject-matter expert in the short-list presentations and ongoing meetings for implementing new business.
• Respond to benefit plan inquiries and resolve escalated and complex inquiries from Plan Sponsors, Plan Advisors/Consultants, and internal department contacts. Owning and respecting the unique demands of each customer while being considerate of the time frame ensuring a thorough response.
• Champion for a successful outcome for all involved, the Service Relationship Specialist role is responsible for the successful resolution and negotiation of all service escalations. Advocate for a favorable conclusion for all parties. All service escalations must be successfully resolved and negotiate by the Service Relationship Specialist.
• Initiate Amendment requests ensuring that information is complete and outstanding requirements are obtained in a timely manner to meet deadlines and meet effective dates of plan changes.
• Collaborate with our Customer Experience/Operations teams to facilitate information-sharing and identify key issues with our online customer.
• Assist with general internal initiatives related to Group Benefits services, products, and procedures.
• Facilitate multiple meetings with our Plan Advisors/Consultants and Plan Sponsors as well as internal teams.
• Take on special projects and/or research assignments for client needs.

Advise

• As the face of Manulife, you build and maintain successful and lasting relationships with existing and potential partners.
• Understand the intricacies and complexities of each Plan Sponsor's Group Benefits designs and the sophistication of the Advisors/Consulting houses.
• Prepare and analyze and interpret client reports for review.
• Generate client reports using web analytics platforms via various reporting tools, requiring analysis and comparison of many reports to ensure we are fulfilling our customer’s needs.
• Provide expertise on Manulife’s digital experience for group benefits clients (Web, mobile, voice), and highlight key features and functionality.
• Support group benefits clients in driving adoption of our digital tools and experiences among their plan members
• Provide reporting on digital uptake/usage to help group benefits clients understand overall plan health and identify areas of opportunity for education/engagement.
• You drive results by reviewing special requests and helping promote and sell products and services based on client needs and your unit’s business objectives and strategies.

• Establish and maintain client relationships by identifying current or potential needs and promoting client retention.
• Providing recommendations on plan design, service options, technology solutions and any ongoing administration needs to the client.
• Applies understanding of legislative and privacy guidelines to assist in client meetings.

Educate

• Deliver presentations to employee groups to facilitate enrolment and/or introduce their Group Benefits (in person or remote).
• Meet with plan administrators to train and educate them on effective methods of plan administration.
• Lead customer workshops and training around product updates & new features
• Maintain direct contact with clients/advisors, proactively planning your client meetings to ensure regular connections are made.
• When new products are launched in Group Benefits, take the Lead together with the Account Executive to learn, present and speak to these new services. Become the expert in delivering and educating clients on these services and how it affects their population and what amendments are required to their plans if any.
• Using our Seismic Tools to put presentations together to present and deliver our services to clients.
• Clients rely heavily on the Service Relationship Specialist on how to manage new services and products that are launched, or on any new legislative initiatives.
• Coaching mindset and abilities enabling to define solutions and delivering outcomes.

Shared Responsibilities:

Works with a Team of Account Executives and collaborates with other Service Relationship Specialists.

Assist new Service Relationship Specialists with Job Shadowing and Buddy system to ensure all members of the team can successfully represent Manulife Group Benefits Services.

This job description does not represent a comprehensive listing of job duties that are required of the employee performing this role. We reserve the right to change duties or assign additional duties at any time with or without notice.

Job Requirements:

• Minimum three to five years of work experience in Group Benefits.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the Group Benefits products and services.
• Building and strengthening existing client and consultant/advisor relationships.
• Proven ability to take initiative, be a strong self-manager and display integrity.
• GBA designation or working towards the designation an asset.
• Good knowledge of underwriting concepts.
• Strong technical and demonstrated analytical skills using Microsoft Office products, Excel and/or PowerPoint, Web Analytics platforms, to arrange and display relevant information during customer business reviews.
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to influence decision makers in various areas of organization.
• Supports, participates, and presents in Mid-Market Finalist Presentations to attain new and keep existing Business out to Market.
• Strong customer-facing skills including expectation management, communication skills, information management.
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting, self-starter, innovative thinking with a keen eye for results and driven by quality.
• Outstanding analytical, strategic, and problem-solving thinking ability – enabling the candidate to recognize issues, outline possible implications and suggest solutions.
• Relationship-oriented; must be comfortable working with a wide range of individuals at different levels, managing across, up, and down and self-manage to meet timelines of multiple priorities.
• Capability to determine sensitive client needs or issues.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a personal automobile.

Competencies:

• Proven ability to determine business priorities, meet goals, manage high volumes of work.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, interpersonal, organizational and time management skills.
• Negotiation and influencing skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Champion of superior service delivery and customer service, oral and written communication skills.
• Good understanding and knowledge of Manulife’s administrative systems.
• Independent, self-motivated individual with ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strategic and creative thinker focused on finding solutions to unique Plan Sponsor needs.
• Persuasive communicator with an ability to clearly articulate ideas and present information.
• Collaborating internally across multiple departments.
• Ability to be flexible and empathetic and ability to manage conflicts.
• Proficient in the use of modern technology.
• Know and understand the growth and persistency strategies.
• Presenting together with the Account Executives at Client Service Meetings. Taking initiative to prepare and structure these meetings.
• Service Relationship Specialist attends all meetings for client’s re-enrolment of flex benefits with our Admin Advantage Teams and helps facilitate and ensure all tasks are brought to completion.
• Attend ongoing service meetings, maintaining and facilitating action logs with head office areas.
• Excellent planning and project management skills with a confirmed ability to complete projects within tight timeframes.
• Must be fully bilingual both oral and written (in Quebec only).

Decision Authorities:

• This role directly impacts the Sales, Profitability and Persistency of the overall Distribution offices.
• Keeping existing clients by ensuring any potential service issues are resolved promptly and putting checks in place to prevent issues from reoccurring.
• Educating Clients on Manulife’s Group Benefits services that they would benefit from.

Key Challenges:

• Managing high volumes of work within tight time frames and balancing competing priorities.

• Working with many Advisors/Consultants and Account Executives and balancing their demands, needs and expectations.
• When a service issue is identified, these could have a financial implication, it is critical that the issue be managed to resolution while ensuring that service and quality are maintained.

Working Conditions:

• Occasional travel will be required within your region to Client Meetings, Wellness Fairs, Employee Sessions.
• This role will occasionally require working outside traditional business hours to meet client needs. Example - employee sessions for night shift workers.
• Work Smart options are available.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Asia, Canada, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2022, we had more than 40,000 employees, over 116,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 34 million customers. At the end of 2022, we had $1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) in assets under management and administration, including total invested assets of $0.4 trillion (US $0.3 trillion), and segregated funds net assets of $0.3 trillion (US$0.3 trillion). We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife /John Hancock , we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour , ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process . All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies . To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact recruitment@manulife.com .

The annual base salary for this role is listed below.

Toronto, Ontario

Salary range is expected to be between

$56,400.00 CAD - $94,000.00 CAD

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.