Employee Benefits Marketing and Proposal Leader at Houchens Insurance Group INC. – Bowling Green, Kentucky

Summary

The Employee Benefits Marketing and Proposal Leader is responsible for directing the full marketing and proposal strategy for the firm’s employee benefits clients. This role focuses exclusively on marketing employee benefit plans to insurance carriers—including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary benefits—to secure the most competitive rates, coverage options, and contractual terms for clients of all sizes. This leader also oversees the proposal development function, ensuring the firm delivers accurate and timely RFP responses and renewal proposals that reflect client needs, market conditions, and the firm’s service capabilities.

30% Employee Benefits Plan and Marketing

• Market employee benefit plans to carriers and vendor partners for new business and renewals.
• Develop marketing strategies based on client objectives, claims experience, demographics, and funding arrangements.
• Prepare and distribute complete, accurate marketing submissions to carriers; manage all follow-up and data requests.
• Evaluate carrier proposals, negotiate rates and terms, and prepare clear and accurate comparison analyses for internal teams and clients.
• Recommend optimal plan designs, funding strategies, and carrier selections based on market results and client goals.
• Maintain strong relationships with carrier underwriters and representatives to stay current on underwriting guidelines, product offerings, and competitive positioning.
• Ensure all marketing activities comply with regulatory requirements and agency standards.

30% Leadership

• Oversee the marketing team’s creation of RFP responses, renewal proposals, and finalist presentations for prospects and existing clients.
• Collaborate with account teams, underwriting, compliance, and subject-matter experts to gather and refine proposal content.
• Ensure proposals are client-specific, data-driven, and aligned with the agency's capabilities and value proposition.
• Establish and enforce best practices for proposal structure, accuracy, and quality.

20% Analytics & Market Insights

• Analyze data, renewal trends, and carrier underwriting results to inform marketing strategy and client recommendations.
• Utilize tools and reporting to evaluate marketing outcomes, carrier competitiveness, and proposal win/loss trends.
• Monitor industry developments, regulatory changes, and competitor activity to support strategic decision-making.
• Provide insights that help shape plan design recommendations, funding strategies, and negotiation approaches.

20% Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, train, and mentor a team of marketers.
• Establish clear workflows, timelines, and quality standards for all marketing and proposal deliverables.
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Account Management, Tech & Benefits, and executive leadership to support client retention and new business growth.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Assign new accounts and monitor books of business.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Insurance, Analytics, or related field. 7–10+ years of experience in employee benefits marketing, underwriting, or carrier relations.
• Deep expertise in employee benefits, carrier negotiation, and proposal operations.
• Strong understanding of medical and ancillary coverages, rating methodologies, and carrier negotiation.
• Experience managing RFP/proposal processes in a brokerage or consulting environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in a mid to large employee benefits brokerage or consulting firm.
• Strong understanding of self-funded plan structures, stop loss marketing, and alternative funding arrangements.
• Experience developing client-facing presentations and reports.

Certifications

Must hold applicable state insurance license.