Head of Operations

Role Overview

This leadership position sits at the heart of the pensions and life insurance operations team, where you will oversee the end-to-end delivery of policy administration, claims management, and customer service for a portfolio of pension products. Your daily focus will be on driving operational efficiency, ensuring regulatory compliance, and leading process improvement initiatives that directly impact member outcomes and business profitability. The role matters because your decisions shape the reliability and scalability of pension services for thousands of policyholders, while also managing team performance and cross-functional coordination across IT, finance, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the day-to-day operations of pension administration, including new business onboarding, premium collection, benefit calculations, and surrender or maturity payouts.
• Develop and implement operational policies and procedures to ensure compliance with local insurance regulations, industry codes, and internal risk controls.
• Lead continuous improvement projects aimed at reducing turnaround times, eliminating manual processes, and improving accuracy in policy servicing and claims handling.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as service level agreements, error rates, and customer satisfaction scores, and take corrective action when targets are not met.
• Collaborate with product development and actuarial teams to ensure operational feasibility of new pension product features and system changes.
• Manage a team of operations managers and specialists, providing coaching, performance feedback, and career development support.
• Oversee vendor relationships for third-party administrators, technology platforms, and reinsurers to ensure contractual obligations are fulfilled and service quality is maintained.
• Prepare operational reports and dashboards for senior management, highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities for cost savings or revenue enhancement.

Requirements & Qualifications

• University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Social Sciences, Computer Science, or a related field.
• A professional insurance qualification such as CII, AIIK, or LOMA, ideally Fellowship status from a recognized professional insurance institute or equivalent.
• Minimum of 8 years of insurance experience in technical or operational roles, with at least the last 5 years in operations and pensions leadership positions.
• Hands-on proficiency with major Life Insurance software applications (e.g., policy administration systems, claims platforms) and advanced skills in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into operational workflows and controls.
• Strong people management experience, including leading cross-functional teams and managing performance in a high-volume operations environment.

What We Offer / Why Join

Joining this team means taking on a strategic role with visibility across the entire insurance value chain. You will have the opportunity to shape modern, customer-focused pension operations while working alongside seasoned industry experts. The organisation values professional growth and supports continued learning, including sponsorship for advanced certifications. You will also gain exposure to emerging technologies and digital transformation initiatives within the life insurance sector.