Business Impact Partner

At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, we think of ourselves as The Financial Dignity Company. Our policyholders work with independent agents, banks and broker-dealers through our wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, to choose one of our leading annuity products best suited for their personal needs to create financial dignity in retirement. We remain steadfast in our commitment to quality products, excellent customer service, integrity, safety and delivering on our promises to our policyholders. Our success comes from hiring people who embody the beliefs that drive our unique, energetic, fast-paced and caring culture of collaboration, ownership and innovation.

We currently fund over half a million retirements nationwide, and have been headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, for over twenty-five years, with satellite offices slated to open in early 2023 in Charlotte, NC, and New York, NY. We are a NYSE-listed company and maintain an "excellent" rating from AM Best. Our company has over $57 billion in assets, 26,000 active agents and over 800 employees.

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The Business Impact Partner works to ensure the various initiatives across a business unit are resourced, prioritized, and executed effectively, making certain adequate focus is maintained across disparate work efforts that drive the business unit forward and escalating to leadership when alignment is not present. The incumbent builds a consistent cadence of connection between initiative owners, leadership, stakeholders and employees at various levels; drives alignment of initiative implementation and mobilization for execution across the business unit; and supports the business lead in developing narratives and effective communication with various stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Implements communication practices to ensure leaders have relevant initiative related data and results to support and impact decision making and reporting:

• Brings together people and information to ensure initiative leader has appropriate line of sight to functional priorities, projects and programs, and associated goals, timelines and performance metrics.-Maximizes leader focus by ensuring meetings are prioritized, agenda items have clear purpose, pre-read materials are comprehensive, and decisions are documented and communicated to stakeholders.
• Works with various teams on project work as applicable, including prioritization, design, execution and implementation.

Orchestrates a strong cadence of connection throughout business unit across initiatives:

• Identifies, understands and facilitates interconnection/interdependence and alignment across work efforts.-Quickly surfaces barriers to functional success.-Acts as conduit between initiative lead and key stakeholders to drive clarity and consistency of message.

Supports strategy implementation and mobilization:

• Ensures alignment between department strategies, pacing, and delivery, escalating resource conflicts, prioritization concerns or other matters potentially impacting alignment and implementation to leadership.-Supports resourcing, documentation, reporting, communication, measurement, and analysis related to strategic execution, recommending changes as appropriate.

Provides leadership and guidance to specific projects and programs as assigned and/or as need emerges.

Performs other related work as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Reports: None

General Description of Indirect Reports (2 and 3-downs): None

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Management or related field, plus two (2) years of related experience; or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.-Demonstrated ability to lead change management, successfully shape and navigate business unit culture, and partner with leaders.-Proven creative thinker with strong business acuity.

Preferred:

• Expertise facilitating meetings and working sessions with stakeholders ranging from front line team members through department leadership.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to take a strong, respectful position and drive direction.
• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated ability to work through others to obtain superior results.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to draft and deliver executive summaries and respond to questions.
• Ability to work cooperatively and successfully with employees, customers, and leaders. Collaborative approach to execution.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Mathematical skills and strong attention to detail.
• Proficient in the use of MicroSoft Office Suite.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions demonstrating both both strong analytical and synthesis skills.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to successfully handle pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to perform as a self-starter; take conceptual or broad guidance and develop into concrete goals or multiple scenarios for further refinement and testing of alternate approaches before finalization of eventual default path for execution.