The Company:

PROLINK—Canada's Insurance Connection is an independent insurance brokerage. We have been in business since 1982, operating on the principles of integrity, honesty and caring. We provide tailor-made risk management and insurance solutions to Professional Associations and Affinity Groups, Canadian enterprises, small businesses, and individuals. We are laser-focused on simplifying traditional insurance transactions by building intuitive and engaging digital experiences.

Our goal is to help our clients feel confident in their decisions, secure that we will be there for any urgent need, and connected to PROLINK as their trusted insurance resource. By nurturing one-on-one relationships with our clients, we have built a reputation as valued advisors and advocates nationwide.

The Role:

As a Practice Leader, you will be responsible for overseeing and driving the growth, retention, and satisfaction of our most valued association and individual clients within the Accounting Industry segment in the Associations and Affinity Groups (AAG) Department.

You will lead the activities of a diverse team of colleagues, develop strategic initiatives, and foster strong association and group relationships to ensure PROLINK's success in this industry vertical.

Responsibilities

A. Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy that will include:
  • Opportunities for growth based on an understanding of our clients' goals, objectives, strategies and needs as well as the challenges and business risks they face.
  • An assessment of competitors with the potential to become emerging threats.
  • The key trends and emerging risks faced by our clients.
  • Your assessment of our strengths and weaknesses.
  • Leveraging the marketing team to create targeted, personalized communications and campaigns that showcase our industry expertise and promote value-added services.
  • Your recommendations on how to increase retention by ensuring your clients:
    • Are confident in you, your colleagues with whom they interact, in AAG, in PROLINK and with their insurer and the coverage provided to them through our program.
    • Feel secure that they fully understand how they are covered (through education) and that they know how to reach the right person to deal with any urgent situation that they have.
    • Ultimately develop a sense of belonging to PROLINK—believing that we are the best and only choice for their risk management needs.
  • Your assessment of how to simplify every stage of the process to make it easier for our clients to do business with us.
  • Driving simplicity in all interactions.

B. Client Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for your strategic clients, building and maintaining strong relationships with client executives and stakeholders.
• Be the commercial insurance expert, or to provide access to such expertise, such that PROLINK keeps each prospect or client fully updated on industry trends, solutions and perspectives in your area of industry expertise.
• Lead, participate in and/or contribute to the development and delivery of new risk management tools, white papers, webinars, and articles related to your industry segment specialty.
• Collaborate with your AAG and Marketing colleagues to develop automated touch points that your clients will value.
• Understand clients' needs, challenges, and goals to influence our product and service enhancement efforts.
• Assess client satisfaction and work closely with your teams to address any issues promptly.

C. Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of account managers, providing guidance and support in their client interactions.
• Foster a collaborative and results-oriented team environment, encouraging innovation and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, set objectives, and provide professional development opportunities.

D. Company-wide Business Development

• Collaborate with sales departments across the company to identify and pursue cross-selling and upselling opportunities within your strategic client base.
• Attend industry conferences to identify approaches to maximize attendee awareness of our services and to enhance your network and knowledge.

E. Strategic Planning

• Develop and implement strategic account plans that align with clients' business objectives and drive mutual growth.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and regulatory changes to anticipate challenges and proactively adjust strategies.

F. Financial Management

• Collaborate with finance and your manager(s) to establish budgets, track departmental performance metrics, and ensure revenue targets are met.
• Make data-driven decisions to optimize resource allocation and drive profitability.

G. Insurer Management

• Drive Insurer negotiations with respect to rate, terms and conditions and fee/commission
• Maintain a regular cadence of discussion around:
  • Program profitability.
  • Claims activity.
  • Insurer appetite.
  • Remedial action when necessary.
• Seek opportunities for growth by engaging our insurer partners on jointly offering:
  • Client education (i.e., On claims process, product knowledge, etc.)
  • Growth through expanding product offerings.

H. Communication and Reporting

• Regularly communicate departmental goals, achievements, and challenges to management.
• Prepare and present reports outlining account performance, growth opportunities, and overall departmental impact.

I. Personal Development

• Work with your manager(s) on a development and education plan to derive your proficiency in fulfilling your responsibilities described above.

Education & Experience

To be seriously considered for this role, you must meet the following requirements:

• Education: Must be RIBO Licensed. CIP/CAIB designation or other insurance education is an asset.
• Experience: A minimum 10 years of experience (mandatory) in Account Management, Sales, Underwriting, or related roles in an insurance brokerage or insurance company. Exposure to Underwriting and Commercial Insurance (Programs Insurance) is preferred. Previous leadership experience is preferred.
• Skills: A team player with a client-centric approach, ready to deliver great service. Comfort with managing multiple demands, with proven organizational, time-management and prioritization skills.
• Softer Skills: A person who is positive, energized, articulate, engaging, empathetic and approachable. A person who can lead a team and effectively manage change.

Other Information

• Enjoy a competitive and flexible compensation package;
• Access comprehensive medical and dental benefits that will come in force on your first day as an employee;
• Experience the heart of Toronto's financial district when in the office. PROLINK is steps away from Union Station and is connected to St. Andrew subway station;
• Work for a company that has the best of both worlds: the professionalism and success of a corporate environment, with the family-oriented and collaborative feel of a small business;
• Grow your career in an organization that loves to recognize and reward its top talent;
• Relish in the comfort of working from home and from our office (as circumstances permit and require).

At PROLINK, diversity begins and ends with our employees. It is important to us that we create a diverse, equal, inclusive, and accessible work environment where our employees feel valued, respected, and supported. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the community in which we live and work.

We are dedicated to providing accommodations where necessary during all parts of the hiring process to applicants. If you require accommodations, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs.