Sarah Thompson

Experience

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  Transamerica

  Oct 2000 - Oct 2022

  Systematically map, inventory, and transform company customer and client correspondence while ensuring new communications are aligned with Transamerica’s brand, vision and direction.Identify priorities and develop a program roadmap in partnership with stakeholders across Operations, Marketing, Legal, Risk and IT.Advocate for an industry leading customer experience that empowers the business to make customer focused decisions. Link programs, activities and communications in ways that support a cohesive customer and client experience.Drive customer-centric change by recommending and implementing service delivery enhancementsCoach and develop a high-performing team, with a clearly defined mission, and a culture that values accountability, transparency, and delivering value. Show less Leading a team that ensures strategic business priorities are identified, prioritized and executed. Define and establish strategic planning processes, plans, priorities, capabilities, measures of success, etc. Develop and/or maintain strategic roadmap and assigned strategic dashboards/tracking mechanisms. Manage the timing of inputs/outputs that drive strategic project prioritization.Identify integrations across the organization that impact the group. Coordinate with strategic planning contacts across the organization to develop and execute a holistic strategic planning process. Establish and maintain strong relationships with supported groups and project teams. Serve as the escalation point to resolve conflicts on priorities, goals, strategies, resources and key initiatives. Create and deliver strategic presentations, story boards, etc. tailored for specific audiences. Show less Lead the Top of the Pyramid Service program and the Operations Relationship team. Maintain standards to ensure that the team consistently provides premium level service to our top producing advisors. Ensure that business decisions made by the Operations Relationship team are consistent with company risk tolerance and minimize financial impact to the organization. Respond to and resolve highly escalated situations. Make tough decisions and ensure that company policies are maintained while also protecting key relationships within the industry. Lead the Relationship Managers and ensure that the needs of the company and partner firms are met consistently. Partner with Business Development to help bring on new sales relationships and to ensure that changes to existing business relationships are implemented on spec and on time in the various Operations areas. Represent Transamerica at an industry level by participating in industry working groups. Show less Responsibilities:StrategicOverall responsibility for the Top of the Pyramid team functions and processes with accountability to meet all company objectives. Establish, drive and meet department goals, objectives and priorities in alignment with company/divisional goals.In the Director/VP’s absence resolve escalated issues that would normally be handled by the Director/VP as they arise.Lead the annual budget process for department.Process ImprovementProactively research, analyze, propose and implement forward looking methods to increase effectiveness and process efficiency.Collaborate with other managers on integrated strategies, workflows and system development efforts that maximize organizational effectiveness. LeadershipActively guide the culture and climate of the department through effective communication, standards setting and leading by example. Accountable for maintaining positive, proactive relationships with both internal and external customers. Collaborate with Director/VP and/or subordinates to design and recommend organizational changes to continually improve service delivery effectiveness, efficiency, and career path growth for staff.Complete performance appraisals and evaluate overall performance of team.Provide comprehensive input to Director/VP on team needs. Show less Responsibilities:Manage the Operational Support System Analysts team. Act as a liaison between the business units and Technology Services. Identify business solutions and process improvements that will increase efficiency and overall productivity. Assist in providing technical and product training required due to project implementations. Ensure the use of consistent team operating procedures.Lead the effort in which the Operational Support System Analysts perform their tasks; mentor and review work of others; write performance appraisals and participate in hiring process; assign tasks.Ensure that the review and test new releases, modifications, recurring projects, new products, production problems, conversions and enhancements to the systems has been completed according to SDLC requirements. Oversee, support and attend walk-through meetings for projects advising business unit management of thoroughness and accuracy of project specifications for testing and project sign-off. Oversees the effort to analyze, recommend, develop, and implement system solutions to improve operating efficiency to meet the needs of the business units.Manages the effort to analyze business unit requests and understand business requirements; accountable for the thoroughness, accuracy and timeliness of project origination documents. Oversee, support and conduct research and analysis to quantify business requests (Cost Benefit Analysis) for projects. Provide those results to management and business units for approval.Stand as main point of contact for all operations business units; deciphering business unit needs to convey appropriate information to Technology Services and follow-through to ensure business needs are met.Manage the resource allocation process to ensure that project deadlines are met while ensuring all project requirements are met. Negotiate with all interested parties when needed to ensure all parties are aware of downstream impacts of decisions that are made. Show less Responsibilities:Plans, organizes and oversees the development of educational programs. Coaches, develops and manages performance of a team of trainers and quality specialists.Analyzes and determines training needs of the organization’s employees. Sets training objectives and priorities, and proposes programs to improve the competence and effectiveness of employees. Identifies training needs, allocates resources, and determines project cost and benefits. Utilize data gathered in the quality review process to establish areas of focus for training. Propose procedure changes and processes that will enhance the quality of work produced by the organization. Completes performance appraisals and evaluates overall performance of team. Makes decisions on interviewing and selection of new employees. Sets goals and objectives for individuals and work groups. Motivates, mentors and coaches individuals, fostering a team environment. Show less

  • Senior Manager Customer Experience Communications

    Mar 2022 - Oct 2022

  • Senior Strategic Business Planning Manager

    Feb 2021 - Mar 2022

  • Senior Manager of Operations

    Mar 2016 - Feb 2021

  • Assistant Director

    Jul 2014 - Mar 2016

  • Manager of Operations

    Aug 2012 - Jul 2014

  • Assistant Manager of Operations

    May 2007 - Aug 2012

  • Supervisor of Operations

    Oct 2000 - May 2007
• 

  Transamerica

  Apr 2023 - now

  Director of Operations