Regional Internal Consultant

This role can be filled at the Consultant (SJ3), Specialist (S3X) or Sr. Analyst (SJ2) level depending on experience. FINRA Series 6 is required.

Job Description Summary

Do you love connecting and building new business relationships? If you have a natural curiosity, are excited about helping people and want to accelerate both your personal and professional growth, we want to know more about you!

Our Internal Sales & Service (ISS) team works with Financial Professionals to provide the right Nationwide products to people who need and want them. We count on our team members to represent Nationwide well in this important market and have a real desire to connect and help our customers.

As a Consultant, you’ll build, grow and retain strategic relationships with financial professionals, administrators and/or plan sponsors and participants (clients) through advising and consulting to support the business unit sales goals. We’ll count on you to work effectively with multiple contact points across the sales process and assist leaders with strategy, training and coverage.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities: 

• Proactively initiates daily contacts to targeted business partners to build relationships, discover appropriate needs in which products and services apply and to consult and advise based on their clients' needs. 

• Builds and grows strategic business partnerships and relationships with business partners to meet territory(s) management performance requirements. Acts as a consultative link between business partners and Nationwide Financial (NF). Applies knowledge of industry trends, competitive intelligence, state legislation, market movements and investment changes/performance to advise and consult with business partners.

• Profiles and determines viability of business partners as it relates to customer needs, business needs and products.  Acts as a consultant to provide the most appropriate strategies/solutions to meet these needs.

• Responds to requests from business partners and external sales within assigned territory, regarding support materials such as illustrations, proposals and product/rider information. Discusses questions or concerns with the business partner and proposes solutions. Consults with the business partners to address concerns about not using a NF product and helps them be more comfortable with NF’s solutions in the future.

• Acts as a consultant by proactively providing financial expertise, recommendations and practice management advice to business partners within assigned territory(s) including case design, business consultations, product updates, training, product rollouts and point of sale consulting.

•  Executes proactive contacts to business partners in support of campaigns to highlight product features and benefits and to advise business partners on pertinent sales ideas and solutions.

• Partners with external sales force to consult with business partners in order to grow their business.  Advises on product and procedural modifications to meet the needs of the business partner or client.

• Engages business partners to retain their business with Nationwide. Probes to understand reasons for asset flight and advises alternative solutions for retention.

• Develops effective business plans to achieve scorecard requirements.

• Represents ISS in meetings and initiatives such as advisory boards, relationship strategy partnerships, etc. Performs in an informal leadership role and serves as a facilitator and point of reference to drive success for these efforts.

• Consults with other functions across Nationwide to build on competitive products and services that will meet customer needs.

• Travels and covers open external wholesaler territory, on a temporary basis and conducts 1:1 meetings at Broker Dealer events and present at conferences.

• Serves as a role model to other Regional Internal associates. Assists in the education and training of new Regional Internal associates. Leads team meetings. In the absence of the manager, works as the leader of the team to ensure individual and team goals are met.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned. ​

Reporting Relationships:  Reports to Manager and does not have direct reports.

Typical Skills and Experiences: 

Education: Undergraduate degree in Human Ecology, Business, Finance, Communications, Marketing or related field required.

License/Certification/Designation: FINRA Series 6 required. Series 7 or 62 may be required. Associate must obtain the required federal and/or state licenses/registrations within the time period designated by the business unit. Additional licenses/registrations may be required when new products and services are implemented. If an associate fails or is unable to obtain required licenses/registrations within the time period designated by the business unit, the associate will be ineligible to continue in the position. ChFC, CLU, ASPPA required.

Experience: Minimum of five years of experience in a sales driven position. Experience in a sales or service call center environment preferred, as well as financial services background. Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed sales goals.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Advanced knowledge of insurance, financial products and the associated consultative sales processes preferred. Advanced knowledge of the financial services industry and financial planning concepts. Knowledge should be demonstrated and executed at a level that serves as a role model for lesser experienced associates. Must demonstrate success in educating and mentoring team members on the knowledge required for success. Demonstrates an advanced knowledge and execution of the Teach / Tailor / Take Control elements of our consistent consultative sales process. Demonstrates the ability to execute these responsibilities at an advanced level that serves as a role model for lesser experienced associates. Demonstrates the ability to educate and mentor others on the team to successfully execute these responsibilities. Ability to develop Nationwide insights that can be utilized in the execution of the Teach / Tailor / Take Control tenets.

Results oriented,  demonstrates independent judgment and decision-making, ability to develop relationship (both internally and externally), consultative selling/advising skills, ability and willingness to follow processes, ability to effectively manage time,  receptive to coaching, strong customer focus orientation, ability to balance multiple priorities and have excellent communication skills including professional presence, listening, rapport building, writing skills and presentation abilities. Exhibits strong sales process 2.0 consultative skills. Skills and competencies should be demonstrated and executed at an advanced level that serves as a role model for lesser experienced associates. Must also demonstrate success as an informal leader of the team in the areas of mentoring, coaching, teaching, change and innovation, positive motivation and influencing, idea sharing and overall communication skills.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and HR Business Partner.

Values:  Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions: 

Overtime Eligibility:  Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions:  Normal office environment.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.