The National Account Manager, Affinity Partnerships serves as the executive relationship leader responsible for the overall success, growth, profitability and strategic management of the affinity partnership between the American Dental Association (ADA) and Protective, and also oversees the sales and marketing distribution relationship with Alliant Insurance Services.

This position owns the strategic and operational relationship between both organizations, ensuring alignment of business objectives, group benefits strategy, marketing initiatives, sales performance, and member engagement. Acting as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, the Account Manager drives profitable program growth through strategic planning, business analysis, and cross-functional collaboration while influencing stakeholders across multiple organizations.

The role requires a solid understanding of group employee benefits, insurance distribution to individual consumers, affinity marketing, and account management, along with the ability to develop business strategies that increase participation, revenue, profitability and long-term partnership value. While this position does not directly manage underwriting or sales teams, it is accountable for overall program performance through leadership, influence, and disciplined business management.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary relationship owner between the American Dental Association and Protective
• Serve as the primary relationship owner between Protective and Alliant Insurance Services.
• Serve as the primary relationship owner for the ADA and Alliant to internal teams
• Build and maintain trusted executive relationships with key stakeholders across both organizations.
• Align strategic priorities, business objectives, and growth initiatives.
• Identify emerging opportunities and proactively resolve business challenges.
• Represent the partnership during executive meetings, planning sessions, and strategic business reviews both internally and with the ADA.

Business Growth & Sales Strategy

• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and ADA member needs to inform business strategy.
• Communicate and collaborate with ADA on business strategy at regular meetings with ADA Staff in Chicago dedicated to the programs and bi-annual meetings with the ADA Council of Members Insurance and Retirement programs (CMIRP).
• Facilitate cross-functional teams to develop an integrated annual business plan, focused on profitable growth, expense management and increased member participation.
• Establish annual sales objectives for Alliant
• Serve as a strategic internal advisor on ADA offerings and insurance programs. Recommend and champion new products, services, and initiatives that strengthen the partnership and enhance member value.

Financial & Business Performance

• Maintain accountability for the overall financial health and performance of the ADA business, partnering with Product, Actuarial and Finance.
• Monitor and analyze:
• Sales performance
• Policyholder retention and experience trends
• Product competitiveness
• Distribution effectiveness (Alliant)
• Operational expense efficiency
• Profitability & surplus
• Develop executive dashboards and business performance reports
• Partner with finance and leadership on forecasting, budgeting, and long-range planning.
• Provide recommendations that improve profitability, operational effectiveness, and long-term business performance.

Executive Governance & Program Management

• Facilitate quarterly business reviews and annual strategic planning sessions externally and internally
• Prepare executive presentations, scorecards, and strategic updates.
• Track initiatives, action plans, and organizational commitments.
• Drive accountability across multiple departments and partner organizations.
• Ensure execution of strategic priorities through effective project management and influence.
• Communicate program results to the ADA at bi-annual CMIRP meetings, regular ADA Staff meetings and through a formal annual Report of Administrators.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree required.  Preferably in Business Administration or a related field (Insurance)

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in strategic account management, affinity program management, insurance consulting, broker relationship management, or executive client management.
• Experience managing large, complex client or association relationships.
• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth, member engagement, and business profitability.
• Experience collaborating with insurance carriers, brokers, consultants, and employer-sponsored benefit programs.
• Experience leading executive-level business reviews and strategic planning initiatives.
• Exceptional executive communication and presentation skills.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and profit-and-loss management.

• Working knowledge of group benefits underwriting, renewal strategies, employee benefits funding arrangements, and insurance marketplace dynamics preferred.