Head of Individual Life Business Development & Specialty Markets

Head Of Individual Life Business Development & Specialty Markets

Role purpose:

This role is an Executive leadership position accountable for setting and significantly influencing the strategic direction of Guardian's Individual Life Insurance business growth.

Reporting to the Head of the Life Insurance Business, the Head of Life Business Development & Specialty Markets is responsible for Strategic Growth of the Life Insurance business including expanding into new markets, and ensuring the Life business remains the earnings and revenue powerhouse of Guardian. The role operates with high autonomy, leads through senior leaders, and makes decisions in ambiguous, complex, and highly regulated environments with material impact on Guardian's long‑term performance and value.

You will:

Set and Drive Growth Strategy

• Set and execute Guardian's Life Insurance business development and specialty markets strategy, shaping where and how the Life business grows
• Drive growth into new strategic markets that strengthen Guardian's reach, impact and long‑term economic power
• Make strategic tradeoffs balancing growth, profitability, risk, capital deployment, and brand impact across the Life business

Own Go‑to‑Market Strategy & Enterprise Alignment

• Lead the new marketplace go‑to‑market strategy with strong alignment across all functions within the Life Insurance business
• Resolve cross‑functional conflicts and competing priorities to ensure execution at scale
• Serve as a senior integrator across functions, ensuring strategies translate into measurable commercial outcomes

Maintain Product Positioning, Brand, and Franchise Value

• Ensure Life products maintain strong competitive positioning and client‑centricity, supported by Guardian's brand and reputation
• Influence the evolution of the Life portfolio, leading with Whole Life Insurance and a competitive dividend, while supporting innovation and disciplined portfolio evolution
• Partner with Product Management, Underwriting, and Actuarial leaders to ensure long‑term sustainability and value creation

Expand Strategic Markets & Accelerate Growth Beyond the Core

• Lead expansion into strategic and specialty markets to supplement core growth and drive Life sales
• Grow Bank‑Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) and the flexible premium (UL/VUL) product lines
• Expand into new strategic markets where Guardian can win through differentiation

Enable Transformation & Future‑Ready Growth

• Leverage transformational enablement (technology, data, distribution capabilities, and operating model evolution) to build forward‑looking Life solutions
• Champion paradigm‑shifting Life solutions for emerging generations, including Gen Z, ensuring Guardian's relevance over the long term
• Anticipate external market, demographic, and regulatory shifts and proactively reposition Guardian's Life growth strategy accordingly

Lead Teams & Drive a High-Performance Culture

• Operate with enterprise mindset, shaping decisions beyond immediate functional boundaries
• Own growth outcomes, investment prioritization, and resource allocation tied to Life Business Development and Specialty Markets
• Leading through subordinate leaders, developing executive‑level talent and strengthening organizational capability
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives on Life growth strategy and market expansion decisions

You are:

An experienced commercial executive with deep Life Insurance expertise, recognized for generating new and innovative solutions to complex problems, leading in ambiguity, and delivering sustained growth at scale. You are known for:

• Setting strategic direction rather than executing predefined plans
• Making high‑impact decisions with incomplete information
• Influencing outcomes through leadership, not authority alone
• Building durable capabilities that outlast individual initiatives. Having an external mindset, with a deep awareness of market dynamics and evolving trends in distribution, product, solutions, and the end client

You have:

• 10+ years of experience in Life Insurance, business development, distribution strategy, or specialty markets, including 5+ years in executive or senior enterprise leadership roles
• Deep expertise in Life Insurance products, underwriting and pricing dynamics, dividends, and regulatory frameworks. Demonstrated success driving growth, market expansion, and distribution productivity
• Experience leading through senior leaders in highly matrixed organizations
• Strong strategic and financial judgment grounded in long‑term enterprise performance
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

Salary Range:

$155,370.00 - $255,255.00

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you'll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.