Small Group Account Manager

Job Summary

The Small Business Account Manager serves as the primary business contact for assigned clients and is responsible for client satisfaction and retention. The Small Business Account Manager is expected to consistently provide excellent customer service to accounts, as well as represent client needs and goals within the organization to ensure quality. In addition, the Small Business Account Manager should build relationships with clients and brokers to encourage new and repeat business opportunities.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Underwriting to implement an ongoing, proactive renewal strategy.
• Establish and maintain a mutually beneficial business relationship with clients by understanding the client’s business challenges. 
• Manage the renewal process and ensure the successful continuation of the client’s business.
• Develops relationships with assigned customers and/or producers to maximize retention of existing business and growth of new opportunities. 
• Refer to new business inquiries and request proposals to Small Business Sales Executives. Update Small Business Sales Executive and AVP Small Group Sales when existing businesses are at risk. Participate in the sale of a new business by supporting the Small Business Sales Executive. 
• Serve clients by responding to client, broker, General Agent, or consultant inquiries. Act as the liaison to appropriate Delta Dental staff to help resolve claim concerns, to address eligibility submission issues, to assist with delinquent dues collection, and to provide information on Delta Dental products. Attend open enrollment and benefit fairs as needed. 
• Monitor group accounts to identify potential problems and work with functional areas to avoid or resolve issues. Offer alternative solutions within Delta Dental’s established processes while meeting the group’s needs. Track and follow up on problems and concerns, to ensure they are resolved. Escalate issues to the appropriate level when necessary. 
• In partnership with the Small Business Sales Implementation Specialist, the Small Group Account Manager will learn the implementation process and be able to fully implement new groups to support implementation when needed.
• Identify and manage a plan to ensure new groups are installed according to requirements within the specified time frame. Ensure group requirements are documented, and Delta Dental staff involved in serving the account understand and accept the requirements. Coordinate the exchange of information and communicate the importance of accountability to internal and external business partners. 
• Assist operational areas responsible for eligibility, underwriting, pre-funding arrangements, and billing and collections of group premiums to avoid payment delinquencies when the billing department is unsuccessful in resolving issues. 
• Provide consistent updates to Salesforce on all important client or business information obtained. Utilize the Salesforce system to enter and document workflow requests. 
• Proactive promotion of wellness and the benefits of good oral health. 
• Support small group efforts as needed.
• Other duties may be assigned. 

Essential Qualifications

DDNJ Competencies 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Technical and Functional 

• Highly organized and able to handle multiple priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical ability
• Team player
• Excellent leadership and presentation skills
• Strategic thinker with strong decision-making ability and excellent judgment
• Excellent negotiation and influencing ability with strong relationship-building skills
• Ability to create, maintain, and enhance customer/broker relationships
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Broad knowledge of business functions 

Required Physical Abilities

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to sit and perform extensive close keyboard and PC work 
• Ability to walk, talk or hear
• Occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms
• Ability to operate a vehicle traveling throughout the assigned territory 
• Non-standard hours are expected during open enrollment/busy periods

Working Environment

• Ability to meet deadlines and attendance standards. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• This classification will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Experience, Education, and Certifications Required 

Experience Required

• 3-5 years of account management experience
• Experience in health care preferred

Required Educational Level 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or Marketing preferred

Certifications required/preferred

• Must have or acquire and maintain an active Health Insurance License
• Valid Driver’s License and clean driving history

About Delta Dental of New Jersey & Connecticut

Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey's leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 2.2 million people through contracts with groups and individuals in New Jersey and Connecticut. In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental and vision coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs. 

Offering dental benefits since 1969, Delta Dental of New Jersey's mission is to promote oral health to the greatest number of people by providing accessible dental benefit programs of the highest quality, service, and value. Through its philanthropic arm, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation awards more than $1M in grants annually to support access to dental care and education for underserved children, seniors, veterans, and those with special needs, as well as funds workforce development programs for dental assisting and dental hygiene across New Jersey and Connecticut.

Benefits

In addition to a great culture, we offer excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability, spending accounts, and matching 401k. We value our associates and support everyone with learning and development, recognition programs, active wellness and diversity initiatives, tuition reimbursement, and generous paid time off to recharge – even paid time off to volunteer at causes that you care about. 

The benefits set forth in this posting reflect DDNJ’s benefits policies in place at the time of posting, as are made available to other similarly situated employees of DDNJ, although participation is at all times in accordance with and subject to the eligibility and other provisions of such plans and programs. DDNJ reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to prospectively modify or terminate any of its benefits plans or programs at any time and for any reason, to the extent permitted by applicable law. DDNJ complies with all applicable state and federal wage and hour, pay equity and pay transparency laws.

Primary Location Full Time Salary Range
In addition to salary, Delta Denta of New Jersey’s offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive awards. Available offerings may vary by geographic location, job level, skills, experience, qualifications, education and date of hire.

Delta Dental of New Jersey Inc is an equal opportunity employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, age, veteran status, domestic partner status, medical condition or any other characteristic protected by law.