VP, Business Development Financial Services

The VP, Business Development is a senior commercial hunter responsible for securing net-new Financial Services client partnerships that drive profitable revenue and EBITDA growth for Assurant. This role is focused on identifying, originating, shaping, negotiating, and closing complex, multiyear commercial agreements with targeted Financial Services prospects across card benefits, retail travel, legal services/insurance, identity theft protection, and adjacent customer value-added services.

This is not a transactional sales role.  This is a new-sales leadership role, not an account management or renewal ownership role. The VP will own the external pursuit strategy and full deal lifecycle for prospective clients — from target identification, executive outreach, discovery, solution development, commercial structuring, negotiation support, contracting, and close.   The role will partner closely with the appropriate Line of Business leader, Finance, Legal, Product, Operations, and other internal stakeholders to structure economically sound, executable client solutions.

The VP serves as a commercial architect and closer — building senior-level prospect relationships, creating urgency, aligning Assurant’s enterprise capabilities to client growth priorities, and positioning Assurant as a strategic partner for new Financial Services clients.

What will be my duties and responsibilities in this job?

Financial Services Growth & New Client Acquisition

• Originate and close new partnerships across targeted net-new Financial Services prospects across card benefits, retail travel, legal services, identity theft protection, and adjacent customer value-added services.

• Personally build and own a targeted prospecting strategy, including market mapping, target lists, outbound executive outreach, industry networking, referrals, and pursuit prioritization

• Own the full deal lifecycle: prospecting, discovery, solution design, executive engagement, negotiation, contracting, and close.

• Build and maintain a disciplined business development funnel, using Salesforce and dashboards to track opportunity health and outcomes.

• Create account pursuit plans for priority prospects, including stakeholder mapping, value hypothesis, buying triggers, competitive positioning, next-best actions, and path-to-close.

• Apply disciplined deal qualification to ensure resources are focused on opportunities with strong strategic, financial, operational, and timing fit.

Full Deal Lifecycle Ownership & Close Execution

• Lead discovery with prospective clients to uncover business priorities, customer experience gaps, revenue opportunities, operational requirements, and decision criteria.

• Shape differentiated value propositions that connect client needs to Assurant capabilities and clearly articulate client economics, customer value, and Assurant profitability.

• Drive executive engagement and maintain momentum through complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles.

• Lead internal deal reviews, opportunity strategy sessions, and close plans to accelerate decision-making and improve conversion.

• Maintain accountability for moving qualified prospects from first meeting to signed agreement.

Client Expansion & Relationship Deepening

• Secondary Growth Opportunities: While the primary focus of this role is net-new client acquisition, the VP may identify expansion opportunities within recently acquired or strategically targeted relationships when those opportunities support new revenue, new product adoption, or broader enterprise growth. Ongoing account management, renewal ownership, and day-to-day client relationship management will remain with the appropriate account leadership teams.

Commercial Structuring & Contract Negotiation Partnership

• Partner with the relevant Line of Business leader on commercial strategy, pricing structure, deal economics, and negotiation approach for prospective client agreements.

• Lead the business development workstream in client negotiations, while collaborating with the LOB leader, Finance, Legal, Product, Risk, Compliance, and Operations to ensure proposed terms are commercially attractive, legally sound, operationally executable, and aligned to Assurant’s financial objectives.

• Translate prospect requirements into deal structures that balance client outcomes, Assurant profitability, risk management, implementation feasibility, and long-term partnership value.

• Support negotiation of complex multiyear agreements, including scope, pricing, service levels, performance commitments, implementation timelines, governance, and renewal/expansion pathways.

• Maintain accountability for progressing opportunities to signed agreement while ensuring appropriate internal approvals and stakeholder alignment.

Solution Leadership & Cross Functional Orchestration

• Orchestrate internal teams to co-create prospect-specific solutions that are differentiated, executable, scalable, and aligned to Assurant’s growth strategy.

• Partner with Product, Operations, Technology, Legal, Finance, Compliance, and the relevant LOB leader to validate solution feasibility, economics, implementation requirements, and risk considerations

• Ensure solutions are executable, scalable, and aligned to Assurant’s five-year strategy and growth roadmap.

• Ensure new-client proposals translate clearly into operating models, launch plans, financial assumptions, and contractual commitments.

• Remove internal barriers, drive decisions, and maintain momentum across matrixed teams during active pursuits.

Enterprise Growth & “Connect the Dots”

• Champion enterprise-wide growth by connecting Assurant capabilities across divisions to unlock new revenue streams for the business.

• Lead/participate in cross functional Business Development forums to share best practices, improve funnel efficiency, and accelerate innovation.

• Bring a P&L mindset to every opportunity, balancing growth, profitability, and long-term partnership value.

Financial Responsibility

• Accountable for driving Financial Services revenue and EBITDA growth through net-new client acquisition, qualified pipeline creation, conversion of targeted prospects, and launch of newly secured client partnerships.

• Partners with the relevant Line of Business leader and Finance, Legal, Product, Risk, Compliance, and Operations on commercial structuring, pricing strategy, deal economics, approvals, and negotiation strategy for prospective client agreements.

• Manages and influences business development–related budgets.

Market Intelligence, Competitive Positioning & Executive Influence

• Maintain a strong understanding of Financial Services market dynamics, competitive offerings, buyer priorities, and emerging client needs.

• Develop executive-level narratives and pursuit messaging that differentiate Assurant in competitive new-business opportunities.

• Represent Assurant externally at client meetings, conferences, industry events, and strategic networking forums to identify and advance new sales opportunities.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and inspire BD talent and matrixed teams, setting a high bar for performance, accountability, and execution.

• Model Assurant’s values and represent the brand with credibility and consistency across Assurant and the Financial Services ecosystem.

What are the requirements needed for this position?

• 15+ years of progressive business development, enterprise sales, strategic partnerships, or commercial growth experience.

• Direct experience selling or structuring complex solutions in Financial Services, card benefits, protection products, retail travel, legal services, identity protection, customer experience, or adjacent regulated-market solutions.

• Proven hunter profile with experience building target lists, creating outbound pursuit strategies, developing executive relationships, and converting qualified pipeline into signed multiy