Sr Manager - Strategic Accounts

Zinnia is a leading technology platform for accelerating life and annuities growth, simplifying insurance product experiences. We are seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Business Development Manager (Sr Manager - Strategic Accounts) to identify new business opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and scale Zinnia’s presence across key markets. This role involves market research, partnership development, sales enablement, cross-functional collaboration, and performance monitoring to drive company objectives.

Must Have

• Conduct deep market research and competitive analysis
• Build and manage a pipeline of prospective partners
• Lead initial outreach, pitch presentations, and value proposition discussions with C-level executives
• Own the full business development lifecycle: prospecting, qualifying, negotiating, and closing
• Collaborate with legal and finance teams to structure contracts, pricing models, and deal terms
• Develop customized proposals, RFIs/RFPs, and solution-based sales pitches
• Work closely with Product, Marketing, Customer Success, and Data teams
• Represent Zinnia at industry events, conferences, and panels
• Define, track, and report on KPIs for business development initiatives
• Continuously improve outreach, qualification, and onboarding processes
• 5-7+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or strategic sales
• Proven track record of identifying and closing high-impact deals and partnerships
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Experience working in cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with digital health, fintech, or SaaS business models
• Experience working with data products, APIs, or platform-based solutions

Good to Have

• MBA or relevant advanced degree

WHO WE ARE:

Zinnia is the leading technology platform for accelerating life and annuities growth. With innovative enterprise solutions and data insights, Zinnia simplifies the experience of buying, selling, and administering insurance products. All of which enables more people to protect their financial futures. Our success is driven by a commitment to three core values: be bold, team up, deliver value – and that we do. Zinnia has over $180 billion in assets under administration, serves 100+ carrier clients, 2500 distributors and partners, and over 2 million policyholders.

WHO YOU ARE:

We are seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Business Development Manager to identify new business opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and help scale Zinnia’s presence across key markets. This role will work cross-functionally with product, marketing, and operations teams to align go-to-market efforts with company objectives.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Market & Opportunity Identification
• Conduct deep market research and competitive analysis to identify new revenue streams, partnership opportunities, and market trends.
• Leverage industry data and customer insights to assess feasibility, ROI, and risk for new business opportunities.
• Strategic Partnership Development
• Build and manage a pipeline of prospective partners, including enterprise clients, distribution partners, and ecosystem collaborators.
• Lead initial outreach, pitch presentations, and value proposition discussions with C-level executives and key decision-makers.
• Support the strategic account time with strategy and execution of growth opportunities
• Sales Enablement & Deal Closure
• Own the full business development lifecycle: prospecting, qualifying, negotiating, and closing.
• Collaborate with legal and finance teams to structure contracts, pricing models, and deal terms.
• Develop customized proposals, RFIs/RFPs, and solution-based sales pitches to effectively address client needs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with Product, Marketing, Customer Success, and Data teams to ensure alignment between business goals and product offerings.
• Serve as the voice of the customer internally — communicate market feedback and feature requests to product and strategy teams.
• Thought Leadership & Market Positioning
• Represent Zinnia at industry events, conferences, and panels to enhance visibility and credibility within target markets.
• Develop and publish thought leadership content (e.g., blogs, whitepapers, webinars) in collaboration with the marketing team.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and competitor movements to proactively shape Zinnia’s BD strategy.
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting
• Define, track, and report on KPIs for business development initiatives (e.g., pipeline velocity, deal conversion rate, partnership impact).
• Regularly update leadership on progress against goals, risks, and key learnings from business development efforts.
• Use CRM tools and analytics platforms to maintain accurate pipeline and performance data.
• Process Optimization & Scalability
• Continuously improve outreach, qualification, and onboarding processes to drive scalability and repeatability.
• Implement best practices and playbooks for outreach, discovery calls, and deal structuring.
• Collaborate with Revenue Operations or Sales Ops (if applicable) to streamline tooling, workflows, and data hygiene.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 5-7+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or strategic sales (preferably in technology, digital health, or financial services).
• Proven track record of identifying and closing high-impact deals and partnerships.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate insights into actionable plans.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with comfort presenting to executive-level stakeholders.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams and dynamic startup or scale-up environments.
• Familiarity with digital health, fintech, or SaaS business models.
• Experience working with data products, APIs, or platform-based solutions.
• MBA or relevant advanced degree is a plus.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

We’re looking for the best and brightest innovators in the industry to join our team. At Zinnia, you collaborate with smart, creative professionals who are dedicated to delivering cutting-edge technologies, deeper data insights, and enhanced services to transform how insurance is done. Visit our website at www.zinnia.com for more information. Apply by completing the online application on the careers section of our website. We are an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

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