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Manager, Competitive Intelligence, RGA International, Toronto, Canada

Posted April 16, 2018

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Position Overview

(15 month Contract)

As part of Global Products and Market Intelligence (GPMI)’s Competitive Intelligence team, this role is charged with providing RGA research and comprehensive analysis of insurance and reinsurance market trends, tracking RGA’s position relative to competitors on all relevant dimensions and delivering forward-looking and strategic insights. This in turn helps senior management identify actions needed to improve RGA’s competitive position, also anticipating future industry and market trends, within its local, regional, corporate or global operations.

This role applies the standard for best practices in the competitive intelligence field at RGA. To accomplish this, it acquires and uses the in-depth knowledge of RGA’s history, business and environment to pre-select, digest and present market insights for reflection and decision making. He/she works with the Director, Competitive Intelligence on complex market and industry projects and is expected to lead medium- to large-size projects of various complexity levels, including the communication of results to senior management. The role is responsible for the overall engagement model, analytic framework, process, toolset, and prioritization of needs with the client. This position works independently to prepare reports and forecasts of market and competitor trends drawing relevant conclusions and making recommendations. Reporting includes thought leadership content such as intelligence briefings, executive summaries, research bulletins, competitive environment assessments, as well as topical presentations, articles, and webcasts.

The role includes deputy responsibility when the Director, Competitive Intelligence is unavailable.

Responsibilities

Research (85%)

Competitive Intelligence manager works independently with senior staff and partners on specific projects involving design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. The role leads teams, or medium to large projects as required. The role regularly monitors, gathers and analyzes market and competitive information to respond to the ongoing intelligence needs of the organization.

  • Competitive Intelligence
    • Manages development of new intelligence products/publications and processes for customized competitive insights that have an effect on RGA strategy, market position and clients. Uses in-depth knowledge of, both, the insurance/reinsurance industry, and competitive intelligence best practices, to produce the insights
    • Develops and presents insights and recommendations to facilitate decision making, including, but not limited to, market assessments, competitor profiling, company briefings, intelligence briefings, newsletters, research bulletins, white papers and executive summaries.
    • Ensures that senior management’s priority intelligence needs are met and updated, and that they are communicated appropriately and in a timely manner within the company. Serve as the competitive intelligence “point person” to gather, analyze and report competitive intelligence to key stakeholders across the organization.
    • Participates in the cross functional efforts to produce original Thought Leadership Content to further promote RGA’s expertise and capabilities to clients and across the industry and markets using various media channels.
  •  Ad-hoc research
    • Leads research and market intelligence projects by providing guidance and direction to junior staff
    • Assigns and delegates tasks to junior staff as appropriate and ensures timely response and formatting of the final deliverable
    • Solves and completes complex financial and competitive analysis and synthesis from a variety of sources on behalf of all areas of RGA
    • Coordinates business and industry research and provides external data analysis and insights from industry analysts and related research firms on topics that span RGA’s competitive environment

Infrastructure Support – Information Resources (15%)

    • Acts as a resource for team members with less experience. Provides periodic informal work guidance/direction to and training to team members with less experience
    • Directs work of other team members as needed
    • Steps in as Deputy when Director is unavailable
    • Actively participates as a team member in the department’s projects, including recommending opportunities for process improvement, innovation and expense efficiencies
    • Manages special collections (i.e. competitive intelligence content and thought leadership content on GPMI SharePoint site). Ensures current and relevant content is always available
    • Oversees indexing, filing and tracking of competitive intelligence related activity and the use of competitive intelligence within the company
    • Reviews written briefings and summaries prior to submission
    • Participates in industry events and organizations to gain insight into market developments and build relationships that can be leveraged

Requirements

Knowledge

  • Five to ten years of experience in competitive analysis/competitive intelligence, market research, or strategic planning
  • Postgraduate education – Master’s degree in economics, finance or business administration, preferably an MBA (competitive intelligence stream)
  • Demonstrated experience with ‘best practices’ in competitive intelligence
  • Knowledge of the insurance industry marketplace and competitive trends
  • Keen understanding of key markets and competitors
  • Comprehensive knowledge of online databases and information resources
  • Strong research skills and broad familiarity with analytical techniques and methodologies (SWOT analysis, Porter’s 5 forces, etc.)
  • Experience with leading projects to deliver results under pressure

Skills

  • Superior analytical skills both, qualitative and quantitative, the ability to translate data to strategic advice
  • Ability to manage complex projects and to drive and facilitate cross-company discussions on emerging strategic issues
  • Strong critical thinking skills combined with extensive knowledge of search techniques and information sources
  • Experience working with senior managers and delivering boardroom presentations and webcasts
  • Nimble problem solver, applies new perspective using existing solutions
  • Client service oriented
  • Proven skills using Windows and Microsoft Office including MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint
  • Knowledge of Intranet and web publishing applications

Attributes/Competencies

  • Excellent communication and briefing abilities (verbal and written) along with strong organizational skills
  • Ability to work under pressure, meet tight time deadlines and multi-task effectively in situations i.e. gets the job done
  • Intuitive, yet logical; creative, diplomatic, tenacious, thoughtful, insightful
  • Excellent teamwork, a proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders
  • Motivated, flexible and the ability to adapt to change
  • Receptive to feedback and willing to learn
  • Ability to work in a team environment and independently
  • Self-motivated and proactively takes initiative  

Company Overview

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a leader in the global life reinsurance industry with approximately $2.9 trillion of life reinsurance in force and assets of $44.7 billion. We are one of the largest life reinsurance companies in the world.

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