Job Description
Full job description
Head of Individual Life Business Development & Specialty Markets
Role purpose:
This role is an Executive leadership position accountable for setting and significantly influencing the strategic direction of Guardian’s Individual Life Insurance business growth.
Reporting to the Head of the Life Insurance Business, the Head of Life Business Development & Specialty Markets is responsible for Strategic Growth of the Life Insurance business including expanding into new markets, and ensuring the Life business remains the earnings and revenue powerhouse of Guardian. The role operates with high autonomy, leads through senior leaders, and makes decisions in ambiguous, complex, and highly regulated environments with material impact on Guardian’s long‑term performance and value.
You will:
Set and Drive Growth Strategy
Set and execute Guardian’s Life Insurance business development and specialty markets strategy, shaping where and how the Life business grows
Drive growth into new strategic markets that strengthen Guardian’s reach, impact and long‑term economic power
Make strategic tradeoffs balancing growth, profitability, risk, capital deployment, and brand impact across the Life business
Own Go‑to‑Market Strategy & Enterprise Alignment
Lead the new marketplace go‑to‑market strategy with strong alignment across all functions within the Life Insurance business
Resolve cross‑functional conflicts and competing priorities to ensure execution at scale
Serve as a senior integrator across functions, ensuring strategies translate into measurable commercial outcomes
Maintain Product Positioning, Brand, and Franchise Value
Ensure Life products maintain strong competitive positioning and client‑centricity, supported by Guardian’s brand and reputation
Influence the evolution of the Life portfolio, leading with Whole Life Insurance and a competitive dividend, while supporting innovation and disciplined portfolio evolution
Partner with Product Management, Underwriting, and Actuarial leaders to ensure long‑term sustainability and value creation
Expand Strategic Markets & Accelerate Growth Beyond the Core
Lead expansion into strategic and specialty markets to supplement core growth and drive Life sales
Grow Bank‑Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) and the flexible premium (UL/VUL) product lines
Expand into new strategic markets, including hybrid/LTC and variable solutions, where Guardian can win through differentiation
Enable Transformation & Future‑Ready Growth
Leverage transformational enablement (technology, data, distribution capabilities, and operating model evolution) to build forward‑looking Life solutions
Champion paradigm‑shifting Life solutions for emerging generations, including Gen Z, ensuring Guardian’s relevance over the long term
Anticipate external market, demographic, and regulatory shifts and proactively reposition Guardian’s Life growth strategy accordingly
Lead Teams & Drive a High-Performance Culture
Operate with enterprise mindset, shaping decisions beyond immediate functional boundaries
Own growth outcomes, investment prioritization, and resource allocation tied to Life Business Development and Specialty Markets
Leading through subordinate leaders, developing executive‑level talent and strengthening organizational capability
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives on Life growth strategy and market expansion decisions
You are:
An experienced commercial executive with deep Life Insurance expertise, recognized for generating new and innovative solutions to complex problems, leading in ambiguity, and delivering sustained growth at scale. You are known for:
Setting strategic direction rather than executing predefined plans
Making high‑impact decisions with incomplete information
Influencing outcomes through leadership, not authority alone
Building durable capabilities that outlast individual initiatives. Having an external mindset, with a deep awareness of market dynamics and evolving trends in distribution, product, solutions, and the end client
You have:
10+ years of experience in Life Insurance, business development, distribution strategy, or specialty markets, including 5+ years in executive or senior enterprise leadership roles
Deep expertise in Life Insurance products, underwriting and pricing dynamics, dividends, and regulatory frameworks. Demonstrated success driving growth, market expansion, and distribution productivity
Experience leading through senior leaders in highly matrixed organizations
Strong strategic and financial judgment grounded in long‑term enterprise performance
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
Salary Range:
$155,370.00 - $255,255.00
The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at
www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits
. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or ****** orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.
Visa Sponsorship
Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
Head of Individual Life Business Development & Specialty Markets
Role purpose:
This role is an Executive leadership position accountable for setting and significantly influencing the strategic direction of Guardian’s Individual Life Insurance business growth.
Reporting to the Head of the Life Insurance Business, the Head of Life Business Development & Specialty Markets is responsible for Strategic Growth of the Life Insurance business including expanding into new markets, and ensuring the Life business remains the earnings and revenue powerhouse of Guardian. The role operates with high autonomy, leads through senior leaders, and makes decisions in ambiguous, complex, and highly regulated environments with material impact on Guardian’s long‑term performance and value.
You will:
Set and Drive Growth Strategy
Set and execute Guardian’s Life Insurance business development and specialty markets strategy, shaping where and how the Life business grows
Drive growth into new strategic markets that strengthen Guardian’s reach, impact and long‑term economic power
Make strategic tradeoffs balancing growth, profitability, risk, capital deployment, and brand impact across the Life business
Own Go‑to‑Market Strategy & Enterprise Alignment
Lead the new marketplace go‑to‑market strategy with strong alignment across all functions within the Life Insurance business
Resolve cross‑functional conflicts and competing priorities to ensure execution at scale
Serve as a senior integrator across functions, ensuring strategies translate into measurable commercial outcomes
Maintain Product Positioning, Brand, and Franchise Value
Ensure Life products maintain strong competitive positioning and client‑centricity, supported by Guardian’s brand and reputation
Influence the evolution of the Life portfolio, leading with Whole Life Insurance and a competitive dividend, while supporting innovation and disciplined portfolio evolution
Partner with Product Management, Underwriting, and Actuarial leaders to ensure long‑term sustainability and value creation
Expand Strategic Markets & Accelerate Growth Beyond the Core
Lead expansion into strategic and specialty markets to supplement core growth and drive Life sales
Grow Bank‑Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) and the flexible premium (UL/VUL) product lines
Expand into new strategic markets, including hybrid/LTC and variable solutions, where Guardian can win through differentiation
Enable Transformation & Future‑Ready Growth
Leverage transformational enablement (technology, data, distribution capabilities, and operating model evolution) to build forward‑looking Life solutions
Champion paradigm‑shifting Life solutions for emerging generations, including Gen Z, ensuring Guardian’s relevance over the long term
Anticipate external market, demographic, and regulatory shifts and proactively reposition Guardian’s Life growth strategy accordingly
Lead Teams & Drive a High-Performance Culture
Operate with enterprise mindset, shaping decisions beyond immediate functional boundaries
Own growth outcomes, investment prioritization, and resource allocation tied to Life Business Development and Specialty Markets
Leading through subordinate leaders, developing executive‑level talent and strengthening organizational capability
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives on Life growth strategy and market expansion decisions
You are:
An experienced commercial executive with deep Life Insurance expertise, recognized for generating new and innovative solutions to complex problems, leading in ambiguity, and delivering sustained growth at scale. You are known for:
Setting strategic direction rather than executing predefined plans
Making high‑impact decisions with incomplete information
Influencing outcomes through leadership, not authority alone
Building durable capabilities that outlast individual initiatives. Having an external mindset, with a deep awareness of market dynamics and evolving trends in distribution, product, solutions, and the end client
You have:
10+ years of experience in Life Insurance, business development, distribution strategy, or specialty markets, including 5+ years in executive or senior enterprise leadership roles
Deep expertise in Life Insurance products, underwriting and pricing dynamics, dividends, and regulatory frameworks. Demonstrated success driving growth, market expansion, and distribution productivity
Experience leading through senior leaders in highly matrixed organizations
Strong strategic and financial judgment grounded in long‑term enterprise performance
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
Salary Range:
$155,370.00 - $255,255.00
The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at
www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits
. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or ****** orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.
Visa Sponsorship
Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The Head of Individual Life Business Development & Specialty Markets position is now open for candidates interested in the Insurance sector. This role in New York City offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in Insurance is a plus.