Principal, Business Development – Preneed Distribution

Job Description

Principal, Business Development | KKR

The Tone:
This is a full-time, remote role at KKR’s Global Atlantic, located remotely in the U.S. KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages alternative assets, capital markets, and insurance solutions. Global Atlantic, a KKR insurance subsidiary, is a top provider of preneed life insurance. This role is crucial for driving profitable growth within Global Atlantic’s preneed business by securing, developing, and expanding relationships with its largest and most strategically important distribution partners across the nation.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Remote, USA Remote

• Team: Preneed Business Development & Strategic Accounts Team; reports to preneed sales leadership
• Mission: Drive profitable growth and expand market reach for Global Atlantic’s preneed business through strategic distribution partnerships.
• Tech Stack: Salesforce

What You’ll Actually Do
• Account Strategy: Own and execute comprehensive account-level business plans for an assigned portfolio of strategic partners, ensuring annual preneed sales, retention, and profitability targets are met or exceeded.
• Business Development: Prospect, qualify, and close new strategic account relationships, taking the lead on contracting, onboarding, and go-live processes in coordination with various internal teams.
• Relationship Management: Serve as the senior day-to-day relationship owner for principals, corporate leaders, and top-producing agents at assigned firms, conducting regular business reviews, joint planning sessions, and on-site visits.
• Internal Advocacy: Partner cross-functionally with Regional Sales, marketing, product, operations, legal, and compliance to translate distributor needs into commercial outcomes and advocate for product, illustration, technology, and service enhancements.
• Market Engagement: Lead executive-level presentations, manage RFP responses, and actively participate in industry conferences to build Global Atlantic’s brand and generate pipeline within the preneed community.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Senior-level professional with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, demonstrating a deep understanding of life insurance, annuities, or preneed distribution.
• Experience: 8+ years of progressive sales, business development, or key/strategic account management experience, with a proven track record of carrying and exceeding multi-million-dollar production or premium quotas through third-party distribution channels. Demonstrated ability to open, contract, and scale complex, multi-stakeholder distribution relationships from prospect to top-producing account.
• Skills: Deep knowledge of preneed/life insurance products, illustrations, and multi-state regulations. Executive presence for advising C-suite leaders and principals. Proficiency in Salesforce and modern sales technologies, with strong pipeline and forecasting discipline. Strong adherence to regulatory compliance in a multi-state insurance environment.
• Bonus: Life insurance licensing, or willingness to obtain it within the onboarding period.