Head of Transformation

Cigna Group; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 440,000 - 588,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global health service company in Dubai is seeking a Head of Transformation. This role involves leading transformation delivery across the MEA region, focusing on strategy, Agile leadership, and program execution. The ideal candidate will have over 12 years of experience in transformation, particularly in healthcare insurance, and will report directly to the MEA CEO. This position encourages innovation and collaboration, offering a hybrid working model and the opportunity to impact significant business outcomes.

Benefits

Hybrid working model

Growth and development opportunities

Contributions recognized

Qualifications

• 12–15 years of experience in transformation leadership or corporate strategy.
• Experience in healthcare insurance or regulated industries is preferred.
• Ability to challenge delivery plans and make high-stakes decisions.

Responsibilities

• Define and prioritize the MEA transformation roadmap.
• Lead multi-year enterprise transformation portfolio delivery.
• Champion agile mindsets and coach teams on lean/agile delivery.
• Advance data and analytics foundations for improved outcomes.
• Own benefits realization processes and track financial impacts.

Skills

Agile SAFe leadership

Transformation leadership

Change management

Data-driven decision making

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or master's preferred

Tools

Lean Six Sigma

SAFe

PMP

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Head of Transformation is accountable for end‑to‑end transformation delivery across Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa spanning operating model redesign, technology and data modernization, regulatory readiness and execution discipline. This role operates in a highly regulated fast‑scaling environment, market buildouts and complex government integrations. This role requires a senior transformation leader with the confidence and credibility to operate at executive level, challenge peers and make difficult prioritization decisions in high‑stakes environments.

The role blends transformation strategy, Agile SAFe leadership, change management and disciplined program delivery to embed modern ways of working and unlock measurable value. You will stand up and lead the Transformation Office, orchestrate cross‑functional initiatives across all value streams and ensure outcomes are tracked and realized. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on transformation leader and trusted advisor to senior executives, comfortable with ambiguity, skilled at mobilizing teams and relentless about execution, learning cycles and business results.

The role reports to the MEA CEO and serves as a core member of the MEA leadership team with a mandate to challenge delivery assumptions, re‑prioritize initiatives and escalate risks where outcomes are compromised.

ABOUT US:

Cigna Healthcare is a global health service company with roots in the US serving more than 180 million customers and patients throughout the world. We deliver quality health care through choice, predictability, affordability and through integrated capabilities and connected personalized solutions that advance whole‑person health.

Cigna’s mission is to help our customers improve their health, well‑being and sense of security by providing access to care. With our whole health approach we are focused on addressing health concerns, improving resilience, reducing stress levels and emotional health issues. Our employer promise is to remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering growth and improving lives by offering meaningful work within a positive inclusive culture that prioritizes our colleagues. We champion teamwork and collaboration and empower our people with cutting‑edge technology to drive efficiency and amplify their impact in everything we do. Together we strive to create an environment where every individual thrives and contributes to meaningful change.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1) Transformation Leadership & Operating Model

• Define own and continuously re‑prioritize the MEA transformation roadmap with explicit accountability for sequencing initiatives based on regulatory urgency, value at risk and delivery capacity.

• Hold authority to recommend stopping, pausing or re‑scoping initiatives that do not deliver measurable outcomes or jeopardize regulatory or operational stability.

• Evolve and lead the Transformation Office (TO) including Lean Portfolio Management ensuring value streams are defined, funded and sequenced. Oversee execution of enterprise initiatives impacting MEA value streams.

• Institutionalize agile and product‑led operating models across MEA ensuring adoption translates into faster time‑to‑market, improved delivery predictability and measurable flow improvements.

• Partner with the business and support functions to align operating model changes, budget cycles, workforce plans, vendor strategies and benefit realization.

2) Program & Initiative Delivery (Execution Excellence)

• Own the delivery of a multi‑year enterprise transformation portfolio including but not limited to digital distribution, customer self‑service, claims and medical cost transformation, provider network enablement and core platform modernization.

• Accountable for delivery outcomes across a matrixed environment including dependencies on Operations, Technology, Finance, Markets and third‑party vendors.

• Drive cross‑functional collaboration and dependencies management (Scrum of Scrums, ART Sync) ensuring blockers are escalated and resolved quickly.

• Institutionalize benefits realization tracking both leading indicators (adoption) and lagging outcomes.

3) Change Management & Culture

• Champion agile and customer‑centric mindsets; coach executives and teams on lean/agile product ownership and hypothesis‑driven delivery.

• Design and execute change plans (communications, stakeholder mapping, training, role clarity, incentives) using proven frameworks.

• Build on transformation capability by developing delivery talent (RTEs, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, PMs, BAs) and shaping Communities of Practice.

4) Data Technology & Process Modernization

• Advance data and analytics foundations (data quality governance, BI / self‑service, AI/ML use cases) to improve business outcomes.

• Lead process re‑engineering and automation (Lean Six Sigma, workflow digitization, RPA).

• Partner with Technology while retaining outcome accountability for platform modernization, data foundations, integration simplification and automation that materially reduce operational risk, cost‑to‑serve and regulatory exposure.

• Act as a senior counterpart to Technology leadership to challenge delivery plans, vendor dependencies and sequencing decisions.

5) Benefits Realization & Value Tracking

• Own benefits realization end‑to‑end with explicit linkage between initiatives and financial, operational and regulatory outcomes; ensure benefits are auditable, tracked and reflected in business performance.

6) Risk Compliance & Regulatory Alignment

• Ensure all transformation initiatives are fully aligned with MEA regulatory requirements with clear ownership of remediation plans, delivery milestones and executive escalation where risks emerge.

• Proactively manage risk (operational, technology, data, third‑party) via robust controls, testing and audit readiness.

7) Executive Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Provide clear decision‑oriented executive reporting to the CEO and leadership team including delivery risks, trade‑offs and recommendations.

• Serve as a thought partner to the CEO and leadership team shaping priorities, investment decisions and enterprise cadence.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA/masters preferred.

• 12–15 years of experience in transformation leadership, program delivery or corporate strategy; insurance or financial services experience strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading transformation at scale in regulated multi‑market environments; experience in healthcare insurance or adjacent regulated industries strongly preferred.

• Proven enterprise transformation track record including Agile SAFe adoption across business and technology.

• Relevant certifications: SAFe (SPC or RTE preferred), Prosci/ADKAR, Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt), PMP/PgMP (or equivalent).

• Demonstrated business impact delivering quantifiable results (e.g., medical cost containment, loss ratio improvement, cost‑to‑serve reduction, cycle time reduction, digital adoption).

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability; fluent in data‑driven decision making and benefits realization.

• Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement with the ability to influence at C‑suite level and across geographies.

• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to pivot based on evidence and market dynamics.

• Regional experience in MEA regulatory/market environments is an advantage.

Personal Competencies

• Global mindset with cultural sensitivity and inclusion.

• Customer‑centric & outcomes‑focused grounded in empathy and evidence.

• Innovative, pragmatic and forward‑looking balancing speed and risk.

• Leadership presence that inspires trust, accountability and high performance.

• Excellent synthesis skills able to translate complexity into clarity.

• Open, concise communicator with strong written and verbal skills.

• Prioritization mastery adept at managing multiple complex initiatives.

What Success Looks Like (12–36 Months)

• Agile operating model institutionalized: ARTs are running PI cadence, established measurable flow improvements.

• Core modernization milestones achieved: platform upgrades, data foundations in place, key integrations simplified.

• Culture shift evident: higher engagement scores, stronger cross‑functional collaboration, faster time‑to‑market.

• Benefits realized and audited: clear linkage between initiatives and financial/strategic outcomes.

Travel & Working Model

Regional travel to markets and partners as needed; hybrid working model aligned to business requirements.

Join us and be part of a company where your growth, ideas and contributions are valued. Lets create something extraordinary together. Its time to look to your future and apply to work for Cigna today!

About Cigna Healthcare

Cigna Healthcare, a division of The Cigna Group, is an advocate for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the health care system, empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and vitality. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the online application process please email: for support. Do not email for an update on your application or to provide your resume as you will not receive a response.

Required Experience:

Director