Strategic Business Development Jobs in Iowa

INTRODUCTION

We are driven to do more. More for our customers and the financial professionals who offer our products. If you are driven to do more and love the challenge of pursuing more, Athene is your kind of company. You will find we offer more than the basics to create an inclusive and dynamic work environment at our various locations.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Athene is seeking an AVP, Strategic Partnerships to join the Strategy team with a dedicated focus on Vitera—an Athene- and Apollo-backed platform redefining guaranteed lifetime income in the defined contribution (DC) market. This role sits at a unique intersection of insurance, asset management, and workplace retirement, offering direct exposure to Athene’s retirement franchise and Apollo’s New Markets platform. You will help shape and scale a category-defining solution that addresses one of the industry’s most critical challenges: turning retirement savings into reliable income.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

- Shape and execute the DC partnership agenda for Vitera. Identify, evaluate, structure, and help close partnerships across asset managers, recordkeepers, trustees, insurers, custodians, consultants, and technology providers that expand Vitera's reach into defined contribution plans.
- Build the commercial logic. Develop partnership models, economics, and structures that create clear mutual value, translating market opportunities into actionable, executable plans.
- Operate at the Athene–Apollo–Vitera intersection. Coordinate across Athene (Product, Legal, Procurement), Apollo's New Markets division, and Vitera's business leaders (product, operations, technology, sales, marketing/comms, compliance) to ensure partnerships are strategically aligned and operationally scalable.
- Own the analytical backbone. Size opportunities, evaluate partner landscapes, pressure-test commercial assumptions, and build the materials — memos, models, board/executive decks — that move decisions forward.
- Steward relationships. Manage ongoing partner relationships post-launch, anticipate issues, and identify opportunities to deepen partnerships over time.
- Bring Gen AI into the workflow. Use Gen AI tools to sharpen research, analysis, synthesis, and execution, and help raise the bar for how the team operates.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

- 8+ years of relevant experience in strategy consulting, investment banking, corporate development, or partnership/business development
- Strong experience within the retirement ecosystem, with preference for defined contribution exposure (plan sponsors, recordkeepers, asset managers, or retirement income solutions)
- Proven ability to structure and execute strategic partnerships or complex business initiatives in financial services
- Strong commercial judgment, analytical capabilities, and ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with a bias for action
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred

COMPENSATION

- Salary: $ - $ USD Annual

Annual Salary for this role is market competitive. Actual salary for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer. Depending on the role, a discretionary bonus plan or variable sales incentive may be included.

Athene is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.