Executive Sales Specialist – West Coast (UT / Southern CA) Full Time

Aligned with a team of CIGNA Healthcare Sales Professionals, the DSE is positioned as the market leader for the dental product. Overall responsibilities are broadly defined in the categories of market strategy, new business development, client retention, training/coaching, and product expertise. The incumbent is expected to ensure the successful attainment of all assigned membership and profitability goals in the assigned territory. Key factors for success include a strong sales orientation, a powerful inclination to influence the actions and results of others, superior personal credibility, and demonstrated expertise in the delivery of CIGNA’s dental products.

In driving market success, the DSE must possess and capitalize on an enduring capacity to understand, assimilate, and effectively promulgate complicated product features and advantages to peers. This is critical because of a constantly changing market environment, along with continually evolving competitive responses from CIGNA Dental. In most instances, the DSE operates quite independently, with only broad management direction from local sales management and with limited coaching and counseling from the Dental organization.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Use insight into customer needs, local competitive landscape, and independent judgment to work with the Dental Organization to drive industry-leading Dental Products, Networks, and Pricing.
2. Work in conjunction with the aligned CIGNA Healthcare Regional sales team; develop and implement short and long-term sales strategies for the local market; focus on brokers/consultants as well as the industry (i.e. Government Sector).
3. Annually develop an individual business plan, providing a clear path to the attainment of profitable membership growth.
4. Assume singular responsibility for overall market results, balancing membership needs and profit levers.
5. Operate as the liaison (in cooperation with the aligned DSO) between the market’s sales team and the Dental Organization, reporting progress against plan, identifying gaps, and directing action to avoid future shortfalls.
6. Fulfill all perceived information needs expressed by GMs and SMs; this includes ETF competitiveness review, network competitiveness, etc.
7. Make determinations as to the proper use of limited resources, particularly in the area of network recruitment and management.
8. Meet or exceed new business goals for assigned territory.
9. Maintain visibility among brokers/consultants throughout the year; demonstrate a strong understanding of their perspective and their needs; actively promote the Dental Value Proposition.
10. Work in conjunction with the aligned CIGNA Healthcare Regional sales team to maximize the volume of Dental new business opportunities generated by the producer community; suggest alternative strategies as deemed necessary.
11. In consultation with aligned CIGNA Healthcare Client Managers, develop and execute on a comprehensive Dental upsell strategy.
12. Build collaborative partnerships by actively participating in local market management discussions (e.g., growth calls, local strategy development meetings, etc.).
13. Understand competitive and market-level dynamics and implications; independently recognize those that must be brought back to the Dental Senior Management Team.

Client Management Key Responsibilities:

1. Meet or exceed persistency goals for assigned territory.
2. By assimilating output from multiple operating systems, provide consultative support to our customers utilizing Dental Benefit Insight Reporting Tools.
3. Drive successful retention and growth of existing Book of Business; as needed provide proactive and consultative dental subject matter expertise on large and/or “at risk” cases within aligned market geography.
4. Offer support to CIGNA Healthcare Client Managers in the face of client-facing service challenges; intervene with Underwriting to ensure competitiveness; delineate network strategies (as required) and ensure attainment of goals.

Training/Coaching Key Responsibilities:

1. Maintain all-encompassing knowledge and proficiency in CIGNA Dental’s products and capabilities; accomplish this through attendance and active participation in ongoing monthly dental information sessions, monthly dental operating results reviews, training programs, etc.
2. Maintain a tight connection between the CIGNA Dental Organization and the aligned CIGNA Healthcare Regional sales team; promulgate the Value Proposition, emerging competitive information, and any other new information which helps to drive sales and reinforces partnership.
3. Ensure 100% satisfaction of local Market management in terms of the ability of the sales team to understand effectively deliver Dental Value Proposition.
4. Provide dental updates and training to CIGNA Healthcare sales partners, Producers, and Clients.
5. Through superior coaching skills, aggressively and proactively promote new dental products and features (i.e. DICE/Brighter, Member Outreach, etc.); provide ongoing coaching to the CIGNA Healthcare sales partners on Dental product positioning and techniques on how to sell against top market competitors.

Qualifications:

1. College Degree or years equivalent related experience.
2. 5+ years’ experience in Dental benefits. Proven healthcare sales experience is required, managed dental sales experience is strongly preferred.
3. Ability to work very independently in a complex environment requiring “real-time” judgment and discretion, strong analytical skills, common sense, decisiveness, and assertiveness.
4. Strong influence skills and ability to work cooperatively with others in a highly matrixed environment.
5. Excellent communication, customer service skills, and sales negotiation skills.
6. Financial Savvy; membership growth orientation.
7. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills, including well-honed public speaking, presentation, and writing skills.

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Tagged as: healthcare, Sales