Program Manager, ACA/Exchange (Dental) - Join Guardian Life's Growing Retail Segment

As the Program Manager, ACA/Exchange (Dental) at Guardian Life, you'll play a pivotal role in expanding our individual Dental Insurance products through the ACA/Exchange channel. Guardian's Retail Segment is experiencing rapid growth, fueled by healthcare reform, shifting consumer preferences, the rise of retirees, and the expanding gig/part-time workforce. This has led to a surge in individuals shopping, quoting, enrolling, and paying for non-medical health benefits online, via brokers, aggregators, and government exchanges like Healthcare.gov and state-based exchanges.

We're seeking a strategic leader to drive our ACA/Exchange strategy for dental products, ensuring compliance, competitive positioning, and seamless execution across federal and state marketplaces.

Why Join Guardian Life?

Be Part of a Legacy of Protection and Innovation

Guardian Life, a mutual company with over 160 years of history, protects millions of Americans with life, disability, dental, and other insurance products. Join a collaborative culture that values innovation, work-life balance, and employee growth. Our remote-friendly roles offer flexibility, with quarterly travel to NYC, Bethlehem PA, or Boston MA offices. Thrive in an environment where your strategic insights directly impact our growth in the dynamic health insurance marketplace.

Role Description

In this critical position, you'll lead strategic analysis, recommendations, and execution for ACA/Exchange entry/exit strategies. You'll collaborate with internal stakeholders like Regulatory, Actuarial, Operations, IT, Finance, Marketing, and Retail Distribution, while engaging with CMS and state exchanges. This role demands a strategic, innovative mindset and comfort with stakeholder-level communications in the fast-paced world of health insurance reform.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Lead the annual filing process: populate Plan and Benefit Templates, Transparency in Coverage templates, determine service area expansions/retractions, coordinate objection reviews, and prepare documents.
• Participate in weekly, monthly, and ad hoc calls with CMS and state-based exchanges.
• Conduct competitive analysis on pricing, features, and regulatory trends impacting dental products.
• Support weekly reporting on results and insights during open enrollment periods.
• Manage annual pre-filing processes across federal and state exchanges, including competitive reviews, state-by-state analysis, policy documents, benefit summaries, and Letters of Interest.
• Monitor and project impacts of upcoming federal/state regulations; perform new exchange entry/exit analysis and competitive assessments.
• Support Partner Management during off-season with reporting, sales analysis, and opportunity evaluation; maintain performance reporting cadence (weekly/monthly/quarterly/annually).
• Execute annual refilings: competitive intelligence, service area/rate/policy reviews, application submissions, and testing.
• Ensure readiness for annual open enrollment and provide pricing recommendations/evaluations.
• Foster collaboration with internal teams (Legal, Compliance, State Filing, Customer Care, Payments) and external vendors for policy administration.
• Review/implement regulatory modifications, validate Guardian’s Dental Exchange website, and manage third-party vendor relationships.

Required Skills

Success requires strong program management, analytical prowess, and clear communication. You'll excel at handling multiple priorities while driving results through cross-functional teams.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 3 years as a Program Manager or equivalent.
• Experience in ACA/Exchange marketplace (Healthcare.gov or State-Based Exchanges).
• Preferred: Open Enrollment support experience.
• General knowledge of insurance product designs (dental preferred).
• Excellent project management, organizational skills, and ability to achieve results through others.

Compensation Overview

Salary Range: $70,930 - $106,390 (base pay for primary location). Actual salary based on education, experience, knowledge, and abilities. Eligible for annual, sales, or other incentives, plus comprehensive benefits.

Benefits at Guardian Life

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance with low premiums.
• 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting.
• Generous PTO, paid holidays, and flexible remote work.
• Professional development programs, tuition reimbursement, and career growth opportunities.
• Wellness programs, employee assistance, and volunteer time off.
• Life and disability insurance, parental leave, and more.

Apply now to shape the future of dental insurance in ACA/Exchange markets at Guardian Life. #GuardianLifeCareers #ACAJobs #DentalInsurance #ProgramManagerJobs