Business Initiatives Specialist

The Business Initiatives Specialist ideates, researches, and implements innovative solutions to ensure Retail Leadership team’s alignment with overall company strategies and in due course provides increased business leadership, expert consultation and solution generation towards the delivery of key business projects and initiatives within Retail Leadership and Finance. The incumbent is guided by defined goals and objectives and works under the general supervision of the Vice President, Retail Finance with dotted line reporting to the SVP, Retail.

The Empire Life Insurance Company (Empire Life) offers individual and group life and health insurance, investment and retirement products. Our mission is to make it simple, fast and easy for Canadians to get the investment, insurance and group benefits coverage they need to build wealth, generate income, and achieve financial security.

We want you to join our fast-paced and passionate York Mills retail team. You will ideate, research, and implement innovative solutions that help us align with our company strategies.

Be part of accelerating the daily evolution of this storied company. Expand your skills on an evolving team with the excitement and freedom of a well-funded start-up but supported with industry expert guidance. Our size and history position us well to innovate in our chosen markets while being nimble and minimizing bureaucracy.

As you will be a key player within our Retail Leadership Team, you must immediately demonstrate the drive to play an increasingly vital role in the development and execution of initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Assemble and analyze highly confidential information from multiple leadership resources, and prepare reports, agendas and propositions
• Present possible ­­­ answers to  critical business questions by collecting real market data
• Investigate the potential of new and emerging technologies (e.g. big data, platform features, AI)

• Pitch concepts and demos to senior executives
• Gain experience making real business process improvement through digitization
• Research and try out innovative solutions and approaches, challenge existing scenarios and brainstorm new techniques
• Develop and present regular reporting for our Sales team and our distribution partners
• Liaise and provide support to  projects and initiative work teams
• Collaborate with subject matter experts through the feasibility, discovery, planning and execution phases

Knowledge / Experience / Certification:

• 3 years  of business analytics, coordination experience  OR solid mix of education and experience (internship experience may be considered.
• University degree minimum; MBA an asset
• Strong working knowledge of  sales and marketing strategies
• Superior to expert knowledge of  relevant software, including but not limited to spreadsheet, database, flowcharting, project management and presentation software
• Knowledge of Business intelligence tools (e.g. Cognos, Infomaker, Access, SQL, Spotfire)
• Knowledge of statistical analysis tools such as Stata, XLSTAT, MatLab,SAS
• Knowledge of Six-Sigma or comparable principles would be an asset

Key Skills:

• Ability to plan tactically
• Well-developed analytical, decision-making and problem solving skills
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple tasks or projects
• Well-developed communication, negotiation, facilitation and presentation skills
• Ability to work independently and/or as a team member
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple tasks or projects
• Attention to detail and accuracy

Empire Life welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the screening and selection process.  Co-op developers have a unique opportunity to explore emerging technologies through generating ideas. You will work in an open and collaborative workspace in the Toronto’s  newest insurtech space.