Business Relationship Manager in Birmingham

Partnerships and Affinity Groups

Role detail Description Company Destiny Finance Ltd trading as Diaspora Insurance Department Channels Reports to Channels Director Portfolio Partnerships and affinity groups across assigned markets

Role purpose

Develop and manage productive partnerships and affinity group relationships that grow Diaspora Insurance’s customer base and premium income. The role converts relationships with organised communities and institutions into active distribution opportunities for the Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan and other approved products, while supporting customer retention, service quality and responsible growth.

Scope and key relationships

The portfolio includes churches and faith organisations, burial societies, diaspora associations, employers, professional bodies, community organisations and other approved partners. The Channels Director assigns markets, accounts and commercial targets.

Work closely with Business Development Managers, Call Centres and BPO teams, Marketing, PR and Events, Compliance, Finance, Policy Services and Claims. Maintain relationships with partner leaders, decision makers and authorised representatives.

Key responsibilities

Partnership development

• Identify and prioritise prospective partners using member reach, customer fit, commercial potential and reputation. Maintain a qualified pipeline and account acquisition plan.
• Build relationships with decision makers, assess member needs and develop business cases, partnership proposals and activation plans.
• Coordinate due diligence and negotiate proposed commercial terms within delegated authority. Obtain approval before agreements, sponsorships or financial commitments are made.

Partner onboarding and activation

• Coordinate approved agreements and onboarding with relevant departments; document responsibilities, referral arrangements, service expectations and reporting requirements.
• Develop joint activation calendars covering member education, presentations, events, referral campaigns and approved digital channels.
• Arrange product and referral training for partner representatives and approved Super Introducers or lead generators. Ensure each person works within their authorised role.

Account management and growth

• Act as the principal relationship contact for assigned accounts. Maintain account plans and conduct regular performance reviews with partners.
• Grow active partnerships, qualified referrals, policies and premium income against agreed targets. Identify opportunities to expand participation within existing groups.
• Coordinate lead capture, consent records, CRM source tagging, allocation and follow-up with Sales teams. Track each partner’s funnel from referral to policy activation.
• Monitor retention and partner satisfaction; address inactive accounts through recovery plans and recommend renewal, expansion or exit based on results.

Member service and internal coordination

• Coordinate group onboarding and service arrangements with Policy Services and customer service teams, ensuring clear communication on documentation and policy requirements.
• Track partner and member queries, complaints and service issues through to resolution. Escalate unresolved matters promptly to the accountable department and Channels Director.
• Support sensitive claims communications through the Claims team and approved processes; communicate confirmed outcomes without making payment promises.

Governance and commercial control

• Use approved product information, branding and communications. Explain cover, exclusions and waiting periods accurately and refer specialist questions to the appropriate team.
• Coordinate Compliance review of partner activities, data handling, KYC requirements and market permissions before activation.
• Maintain complete CRM records, agreements, meeting notes and action logs. Safeguard customer information and ensure leads are shared through approved channels.
• Monitor campaign costs, referral fees and partnership returns with Finance. Validate payment eligibility against approved terms and keep expenditure within approved budgets.
• Submit weekly pipeline updates and monthly portfolio reports covering results, forecasts, risks and corrective actions.

Essential Requirements

Minimum qualifications and experience

• A first degree in Business Studies or a related field, such as Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Economics or Management.
• A minimum of two years’ experience as a Business Relationship Manager or Key Account Manager in the financial services sector.
• Demonstrated ability to acquire and manage business relationships, retain accounts and deliver measurable commercial results.
• Experience preparing proposals, negotiating terms, maintaining CRM records and presenting account performance reports.

Desirable: Experience in insurance, partnerships or affinity group distribution; knowledge of diaspora communities; and experience managing relationships across markets.

Skills and competencies

Strong relationship management, consultative selling and negotiation skills; clear written and verbal communication; confident presentations; sound commercial analysis and pipeline forecasting; effective planning and cross-departmental coordination; proficiency in CRM systems, Excel and PowerPoint; cultural awareness, integrity and customer focus.

Performance measures

The Channels Director will agree numerical targets, definitions and reporting periods through the performance scorecard. Results should be assessed alongside service quality and compliance.

Measure Assessment basis

Partner acquisition and activation Approved new partners and partners generating business against target. Qualified leads and conversion Consent-supported referrals, lead quality and conversion to active policies. Policies and premium income Partner-attributed active policies and premium income against budget. Retention and account health Policy retention, partner renewals and progress on recovery plans. Commercial efficiency Acquisition costs and returns against approved partnership budgets. Service and governance Partner satisfaction, issue resolution, complete records and compliance with approvals.

Initial priorities and decision authority

During the first 90 days, review the assigned portfolio, segment prospects, agree account plans and targets, build a qualified pipeline and activate priority approved partnerships. Establish a reporting dashboard and a consistent partner review schedule.

The role may recommend partners, campaigns and commercial terms within its mandate. Agreements, expenditure, commissions and changes to product or service commitments require approval under company authority limits. The role does not approve underwriting, policy exceptions or claims payments.

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