Inside Sales Manager, Life & Retirement

Summary

Join Horace Mann's mission-driven team as Manager of Life and Retirement Inside Sales. Lead a team, optimize internal processes, and champion a customer-first approach. This high-impact role involves shaping sales strategy, fostering engagement, and ensuring operational excellence. You will manage a team handling inbound and outbound communications, address escalated concerns, and provide coaching and professional development. The ideal candidate is a results-oriented leader with proven experience in life and retirement products, strong analytical skills, and excellent communication abilities. This position requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and specific industry licenses.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field or equivalent professional experience required
• Minimum 5 years of prior management experience
• At least 5 years of experience in a customer service or inside sales environment
• Proven leadership and talent development skills
• Deep knowledge of life and retirement products, including quoting and binding processes
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive strategic decisions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Required to maintain necessary industry licenses L&H and Series 6/63

Responsibilities

• Ensure the timely and accurate delivery of life and retirement product quotes to current and prospective clients
• Oversee the strategic direction and daily operations of Inside Sales Operations
• Collaborate with departments such as Processing, IT, and Marketing to streamline processes and enhance the customer experience
• Use data and analytics to identify performance gaps and drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Manage a team handling both inbound and outbound customer and prospect communications
• Handle escalated customer concerns and coach staff to prevent recurring issues
• Plan and lead activities related to lead generation, quoting, and policy binding
• Provide coaching, direction, and professional development for team members
• Ensure all activities comply with regulatory requirements and company policies
• Maintain active licensing and oversee licensing requirements for team members
• Deliver and maintain production, quality, and customer service performance metrics
• Support flexible staffing needs, including occasional shift work during extended inside sales hours