Head: Specialist, Corporate & Niche Rest of Africa

Head: Specialist, Corporate & Niche Rest of Africa

Location: Head Office

Executive: Sales

Purpose:

To develop and manage a strategy and operating model for the Specialist, Corporate & Niche department that supports the growth and development of the OM P&C Corporate , Specialist and Niche business in the rest of Africa through driving (profitable) business acquisition, developing, implementing and managing fit-for-purpose broker relationship, sales and business development initiatives.

Relationships /Stakeholders

• Sales
• Brand, Customer & Transformation
• Underwriting
• Claims
• Operations
• Change & Strategy
• Finance
• HR
• Risk
• IT

Level of work

Level 4L/Q (Patterson), 2-3 year time frame.

• Accountable to develop strategic plans, set goals and develop an operational framework to execute strategy. Also accountable for the design or development of new organisational entities and systems.
• Proactive identification of interconnected operational problems of which the causes are often ambiguous and uncertain, and the solutions diversified.  Model alternative solutions and update operational frameworks.
• Undertake abstract, conceptual and comparative analysis of management and specialist information across the organisation, test propositions, identify and connect related and apparently unrelated variables and develop high level reports for strategic decision making.
• Judgement is required on interconnected operational areas and impacts the overall organisation functioning.
• Strategy realisation through decisions related to strategic objectives, organisational goals and the overall management of interconnected operations across the organisation.
• Integrate and assign resources across multiple operating units, identify gaps in resources available, and take appropriate action to ensure optimum utilisation of organisational resources through reallocation and setting operational specifications.
• Detailed budgeting for efficient and effective operations by translating strategic objectives into goals with specific output and targets, monitor and track expenditure, and maximise cost-benefit ratios.
• Determine organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, interpret changing social and organisational environments, and design or develop new organisational entities and systems.
• Planning for the implementation of changes in processes or systems, specifying the priorities of operations and resource inputs needed and establishing metrics to monitor effectiveness.

Grow specialist business lines profitably

Outputs 

• New business growth
• Pipeline management
• Tactical implementation of corporate and niche strategy

Activities

• Manage relationships with the key brokers
• Facilitate cross-sell into OM and Nedbank capital/investment.
• Drive new business growth and build critical mass within agreed timeframes in target regions.
• Manage relationships with the in country team and ensure effective service levels.
• Manage and drive portfolio profitability and growth.
• Identify and create coordinated business development opportunities.
• Attain business development targets, goals and performance levels. Comply with business rules and conditions.
• Underwrite utilising best practice underwriting framework, processes and practices within delegated authority mandate.
• Manage campaigns and interventions in line with opportunities, available resources, product scope and best practises in short-term insurance.
• Manage the allocated business development, incentive and expense budget for the team against set targets.
• Manage all costs, resource capacity planning and utilisation to support the achievement of business development targets, volumes, operational budgets and plans.
• Identify and drive opportunities to improve and expand product and service offerings.
• Actively manage and report on the achievement of business development targets as well as industry performance and trends.
• Lead the measurement, assessment and reporting on the performance of teams against targets and industry norms.
• Deliver the required customer experience to maximise their potential and the profitability.
• Translate strategy into relevant service standards and processes, setting, communicating and measuring  the corresponding operational measures and targets.
• Collate, monitor and resolve customer/broker queries and complaints when necessary.
• Control and monitor all required management activities in region.
• Management and implementation of ad hoc projects.
• Keep abreast of market conditions and trends.

Measures

• Broker relationships
• Cross-sell relationships
• Business development targets
• Quotation accuracy and efficiency
• Data accuracy and completeness
• Customer query resolution
• Service standards

Grow specialist business lines profitably

Best Practice Service Delivery

Outputs

Optimise best-practice Service Delivery

Activities

• Contribute to the development of a customer centric strategy in line with future customer needs and requirements to drive customer centricity
• Craft service practices and standards that meet clients and own organisation’s needs.
• Ensure effective relationships and SLA management with internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain excellent relationships between own team and key internal interest groups.
• Contribute to a service culture which builds rewarding relationships, proposes innovations and allows others to provide exceptional client service.
• Ensure professional services are provided; where expectations are managed in terms of outcomes.
• Participate in the design and application of a stakeholder feedback capability
• Contribute to the competitive edge of Mutual & Federal through external networking and benchmarking in industry, international and national forums.

Measures

Customer feedback (internal and external)

Best-practice/Continuous Improvement

Outputs

• Optimise continuous improvements within specific focus areas
• Establishing optimum integration and alignment of organisational resources

Activities

• Ensure process optimisation is prioritised in order to deliver targeted strategic advantage
• Establish and promote healthy vertical and horizontal business processes that ensure efficient and effective client delivery within set expectations and agreed performance standards in the area of accountability and the overall optimisation of the value chain for Mutual & Federal.

Measures

• Optimised business process and operating procedures.
• Efficiency measures.

Best-practice financial and corporate governance

• Manage effective financial management, control and budget management
• Ensure that the departmental operating framework and model is adequately budgeted for through the development and implementation of fit for purpose budgets.
• Manage vendor relationships, and budgets associated with projects
• Ensure effective financial management, control and corporate governance.

Drive Best-practice governance

• Take accountability for the management of business related risks within own area.
• Operate within agreed mandates.

Measures

• Budget timeframes adhered to
• Accuracy
• Targets
• Risks mitigated and managed within area.

Best-practice people practices

Outputs

Drive Best-practice people practices and build strategic capacity.

Activities

• Empower direct reports to achieve tactical excellence / best operating practice
• Optimise talent across departments (not just within)
• Embed formal performance development and informal coaching in the department
• Identify, attract, appoint, grow, engage, reward and retain top talent to drive strategic execution.
• Identify, define, communicate and obtain buy-in for performance expectations through the implementation of the Mutual & Federal performance management system.
• Coach direct reports on how to conduct meaningful performance development discussions with their direct reports and ensure that they conduct the process effectively
• Establish and maintain a succession plan for the key roles in the area and review and approve succession plans for one level below
• Develop, implement and manage a People Capability plan that ensures that the department has the human resources and skills required to deliver on the strategy for the short-, medium- and long-term.
• Embed and demonstrate aligned values that drive and support the required behaviour to achieve the articulated vision and strategy. 
• Demonstrate leadership behaviour of personal involvement, commitment and dedication to the business area in support of the organisation’s culture.
• Communicate a meaningful strategic context to apply people best practice, fostering an environment of continuous learning and improvement.
• Provide mechanisms and support to implement major changes to the function by acting as a change agent.
• Manage poor performance constructively and decisively.
• Create a collaborative environment which allows for employees within inter-related functional areas to work together thereby leveraging constructive team dynamics and innovation
• Actively participate in own professional development and career path.

Measures

• Quality of new recruits
• Staff turnover
• Quality and effectiveness of performance management
• Quality and effectiveness of talent management
• Growth and development of staff
• Growth and development of self

Competency

Adaptability

• The willingness and capacity to simultaneously accept and adapt to change, as well as, remain effective and task focused in a fast passed and constantly changing workplace environment
• Advances an organization’s mission and long-term organizational practices
• Assesses external to internal demands/ expectations and takes appropriate action, involving upper management and affected staff
• Seeks and obtains buy-in from a variety of external/internal sources, with regard to changing and/or shifting priorities, demands, and requirements
• The ability to adapt to and capitalizes on emerging industry trends, opportunities and risks

Decision making and problem solving

• The extent to which an individual is able to recognize and analyse a problem and/or a difficult situation and develop an appropriate and results-oriented course of action
• Anticipate obstacles and overcome challenges in highly complex situations
• Recognizes symptoms that indicate more significant problems
• Anticipates obstacles, considers the impact/ consequence of decisions
• Puts a problem in context, recognizes risks, understands situational variables
• Reconciles the conflicts between short term requirements and long term objectives.

Strategic Thinking

• Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.
• Create, implement, monitor and review tactical strategic plans
• Develops short term (12 – 18 months) tactical plans that are aligned with business division strategy and objectives to promote organizational strategic goals
• Makes strategic decisions which demonstrate an awareness of divisional strengths and weaknesses
• Displays a clear understanding of the market and competitive forces
• Adjusts strategy according to changing conditions
• The ability to interpret organizational strategy and translate this into tactical action and contingency plans

Team leadership

• Effectively manages and guides group efforts; tracks team progress, adequately anticipates roadblocks, and changes course as needed to achieve team goals.
• Advanced team leadership knowledge and skills on departmental/ divisional level
• Involves team members in defining ways to achieve desired results and defining  expectations about how team members will work together
• Uses past experience to anticipate possible problems and coach team members on how to successfully navigate around them
• Encourages a sense of mutual accountability in team settings that motivates individuals to do his/her best for each other and exceed goals
• Helps team members develop their ability to anticipate problems by leveraging their past experiences so that they can work more independently

External Awareness

• Understands and keeps up-to-date on local, national, and international policies and trends that affect the organization and shape stakeholders’ views; is aware of the organization’s impact on the external environment.
• Predict the impact of external factors on the organization and its operations.
• Gathers and summarizes information to predict stakeholder views on a new policy
• Considers external policies and trends when reviewing correspondence, reports, and policy documents

Accountability

• Is responsible for results expected and all resources that have been placed under one’s care. Is open to sharing results and resources with others
• Manage and influence organizational practice in a responsible and dedicated manner
• Approaches own work with dedication and high sense of responsibility
• Provides support to others in accomplishing their work
• Takes responsibility for the welfare of the entire portfolio under one’s lead

Building Customer Loyalty

• Builds enduring rewarding customer relationships and ensures that a customer focus is the rationale behind all business activities.
• Guide and integrate good customer relation practice
• Uses appropriate techniques to move others to action or to gain agreement
• Fosters an environment that values customer satisfaction. Initiates programs that ensure customer satisfaction is delivered
• Develops and implements customer satisfaction measurements and performance quality reviews
• Formulates customer service policies and procedures aligned with the organization’s objectives

Product Development

• Stays attuned to the needs of the market and developments in the insurance sector. Translates market knowledge into product innovations and new designs that are responsive to the needs of the clients.
• Influence and guide product and service offering models
• Anticipates trends in the industry that will lead to the development of new products to better respond new market segments or new market needs
• Engage with key role players to promote product and service delivery alignment with client specific medium and long term strategic goals and requirements
• Monitors and influences service level agreement achievement through strategic partnerships with key role-players in the market

Communicating With Impact

• Communicates effectively in both the written and verbal format. Delivers clear, succinct messages and ensures understanding of others’ message
• Provide guidelines and standards for organization’s communication network
• Communication is subject to varied contexts and setting, requiring communicating with a level of accuracy and fluency that enables communication on a variety of topics from both concrete and abstract perspectives
• Most cognizant of ensuing impact due to appropriateness of message content, timing and forum of communication
• Uses varied communication vehicles and opportunities to promote dialogue, shared understanding and consensus
• Constructing and developing hypotheses to explore and persuade of alternative possibilities using extended discourse, without unnaturally lengthy hesitation to convey information with the most far reaching impact on organization-wide processes and outcomes
• The scope of communication may involve, but is not limited to, presenting organizational, legislation and regulations, long-term department/organization objectives, strategies and goals to senior management administrators, organization’s stakeholders, outside organizations and the public

Qualifications

• Relevant degree in sales, marketing and/or business development preferable
• FIISA or AIISA

Technical Skills & Knowledge

Essential: 

• Business planning and budgeting
• Product knowledge
• Business development
• Market knowledge

Desirable:

• Business Intelligence
• Influence

Experience

• 10 years’ experience in short-term insurance in corporate and specialist lines
• 8 years’ experience in field of sales and business development;
• 5 years’ experience in the management of people, at least at manager of manager level.

Career Path

• Potential Position 1
• Potential Position 2
• Potential Position 3