TEAM OVERVIEWGlobal Atlantic is a Top 3 preneed life insurance provider, distributing primarily through approximately 2,400 funeral homes, third-party organizations, and national accounts across the U.S. The Preneed Business Development & Strategic Accounts team is responsible for growing profitable production through our largest and most strategically important distribution partners - including national firms, third-party marketing organizations, and select independent accounts - while continuing to prospect and onboard new relationships in line with the division's growth plan.
POSITION SUMMARY The Principal, Business Development is a senior individual-contributor role responsible for driving profitable growth across an assigned book of strategic preneed distribution partners and for opening new national and multi-location accounts. Reporting to preneed sales leadership, the Principal owns the end-to-end account strategy - from prospecting and pitching, through contracting and onboarding, to ongoing production management, joint business planning, and executive relationship stewardship. The role partners closely with Regional Sales team, marketing, product, operations, legal, and compliance to translate distributor needs into commercial outcomes and to ensure Global Atlantic remains the carrier of choice in the preneed market.
RESPONSIBILITIES - Own an assigned portfolio of strategic accounts (national firms, third-party organizations, and select independent partners); develop and execute account-level business plans that meet or exceed annual preneed sales, retention, and profitability targets.
- Prospect, qualify, and close new strategic account relationships, leading contracting, onboarding, and go-live in coordination with sales leadership, legal, compliance, and operations.
- Serve as the senior day-to-day relationship owner for principals, corporate leaders, and top-producing agents at assigned firms; conduct regular business reviews, joint planning sessions, and on-site visits.
- Partner with the Regional Sales, Account Management and Strategic Accounts team to translate pipeline activity into closed production, ensuring accounts receive best-in-class sales support and product positioning.
- Represent the voice of the distributor internally - surfacing product, illustration, technology, and service enhancements to product, marketing, and operations, and shaping the roadmap for strategic accounts.
- Lead executive-level presentations, RFP responses, and industry-conference engagement (e.g., ICCFA, NFDA, state association meetings) to build Global Atlantic's brand and pipeline in the preneed community.
- Maintain rigorous CRM discipline in Salesforce - logging activity, forecasting production, and providing accurate weekly and monthly pipeline reporting to preneed leadership.
- Coach and informally mentor Senior Analysts, Sales Consultants, and other members of the strategic accounts team; model KKR / Global Atlantic values in every internal and external interaction.
QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; 8+ years of progressive sales, business development, or key/strategic account management experience, with meaningful time in life insurance, annuities, or preneed distribution.
- Demonstrated track record of carrying and exceeding a multi-million-dollar production or premium quota through third-party distribution (funeral homes, IMOs, TPMs, or national accounts strongly preferred).
- Proven ability to open, contract, and scale complex, multi-stakeholder distribution relationships from prospect to top-producing account.
- Strong command of preneed and/or life insurance product mechanics, illustrations, and regulatory considerations across multiple states; ability to explain features, benefits, and competitive positioning to sophisticated audiences.
- Excellent executive presence with credibility to advise principals and C-suite counterparts at large funeral service operators and marketing organizations.
- Skilled in Salesforce and modern sales technologies; disciplined about pipeline hygiene, activity metrics, and data-driven account planning.
- Life insurance licensing (or willingness to obtain within a defined onboarding period) as required by role and jurisdictions.
- Willingness and ability to travel 8-12 nights per month across the U.S.; this is a remote role working from a home office.
CRITICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS - Strategic Account Ownership - thinks like a general manager of the account, balancing near-term production with multi-year relationship equity.
- Consultative Selling & Executive Presence - earns trust with sophisticated distributors and closes complex, multi-stakeholder deals.
- Preneed / Life Insurance Acumen - deep working knowledge of preneed products, distribution economics, and the funeral services ecosystem.
- Pipeline & Forecasting Discipline - rigorous CRM, activity, and forecasting habits; predictable delivery against plan.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration - partners effectively with Sales Desk, product, marketing, operations, legal, and compliance to remove friction for distributors.
- Results Orientation & Ownership - takes personal accountability for account outcomes; resilient in a quota-carrying environment.
- Communication & Influence - clear, polished written and verbal communication across agents, principals, and internal executives.
- Integrity & Regulatory Awareness - operates with a high compliance bar in a regulated, multi-state insurance environment.
