Business Development Specialist

Eagle Life Insurance Company®, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company®, is an annuity provider that specializes in the design of safe, innovative retirement solutions and servicing financial institutions while applying a business approach that sets us apart. In an industry built on trust and relationships, we believe it is the people that make a company and our people are significant to our growth and the key to our success.

Eagle Life has job opportunities to take your career to the next level while offering excellent benefits, community and employee engagement, and educational advancement in the insurance industry. We are looking for high energy individuals aspiring and ready to extend their reach with a company that is innovative, inclusive and making a lasting impact. Join a team where you are appreciated and valued, work-life balance is top priority and company culture is not just talked about but is something that’s expressed in our daily work environment.

Apply today to be a part of our success and Soar Higher®!

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The Business Development Specialist is a Hybrid Wholesaler role responsible for growing Eagle Life Insurance Company sales within an assigned geographic territory through a combination of virtual engagement and in-person field activity. This position develops and executes territory-specific sales and marketing strategies, recruits and onboards new financial advisors, delivers product and practice-management education, and builds productive relationships that increase advisor activation, sales, and retention.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Territory ownership: Develop and execute a strategic business plan for the assigned geographic area, incorporating prospecting priorities, targeted marketing initiatives, events, and virtual and in-person meetings to drive market development.
• Identify and Onboard New producers: Primary focus of the role is to consistently identify, recruit, and onboard qualified new financial professionals within the assigned territory.
• Advisor prospecting: Identify and engage prospective financial advisors through targeted outreach, referrals, campaigns, industry events, and other business-development activities to expand Eagle Life’s advisor network and build a qualified pipeline of new relationships.
• Advisor onboarding: Guide advisors through appointment, training, platform access, product familiarization, and early case-development activities.
• Sales growth: Achieve annuity sales and activity goals by identifying opportunities, advancing prospects through the sales process and expanding Eagle Life’s presence within targeted broker-dealer relationships.
• Advisor education: Deliver clear and compliant product, sales-concept, and practice-management education through individual consultations, group presentations, webinars, training sessions, and industry events.
• Marketing execution: Partner with Marketing and assigned wholesaling teams to create and implement territory campaigns, advisor communications, events, lead follow-up strategies, and customized value propositions that support sales objectives.
• Relationship management: Build and maintain productive relationships with financial professionals, broker-dealer partners, and internal stakeholders through proactive, consultative engagement.
• Consultative selling: Assess advisor business goals, client needs, and market opportunities to appropriately position Eagle Life products, resources, and support in accordance with company policies and applicable requirements.
• Hybrid engagement: Maintain a disciplined mix of outbound calls, virtual meetings, in-person appointments, webinars, and field events to meet established sales and activity expectations.
• Field activity: Travel within the assigned territory approximately one week per month, or as business needs require, and conduct a targeted schedule of high-quality advisor prospect meetings.
• Pipeline and reporting: Maintain accurate and timely records of advisor contacts, opportunities, campaigns, onboarding progress, and follow-up activity in the designated customer relationship management system.
• Cross-functional coordination: Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, New Business, Licensing and Contracting, Operations, and other partners to resolve issues and deliver seamless advisor experiences.
• Compliance: Conduct all sales, marketing, and advisor-support activities in accordance with company policies, approved materials, and applicable insurance and securities requirements.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None required for this position.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and four or more years of related financial-services, insurance, sales, or business-development experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred
• Demonstrated success in internal wholesaling, external wholesaling, territory sales, advisor development, or a comparable consultative sales role.
• Experience with annuities, retirement-income solutions, broker-dealer distribution, and financial institutions preferred.
• Experience recruiting, onboarding, training, or activating financial professionals preferred.
• Proficiency with customer relationship management systems, virtual meeting platforms, and Microsoft Office applications.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS:

Active resident Life and Health insurance license preferred. Must obtain and maintain any licenses, appointments, registrations, or training required for assigned responsibilities and jurisdictions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong consultative selling, prospecting, negotiation, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to translate complex annuity concepts into clear, accurate, and audience-appropriate explanations.
• Ability to independently manage a geographic territory, prioritize opportunities, organize travel, and consistently execute against activity and sales goals.
• Excellent written, verbal, virtual, and in-person communication skills, with the ability to engage financial professionals and internal partners at all levels.
• Sound judgment, attention to detail, adaptability, and the ability to solve problems and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively across Sales, Marketing, Operations, Licensing and Contracting, and other business functions.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret financial, technical, regulatory, and legal information relevant to the role.
• Ability to travel approximately 25-35% of the time, including regular travel within the assigned territory; must maintain a valid driver’s license and satisfy applicable company travel requirements.

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