Senior Vice President, Insurance Operations

CB Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading insurance company is seeking a Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations to drive strategic initiatives and optimize processes. This role involves leadership in disability management, fostering partnerships, and ensuring operational excellence. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in health management and insurance operations, along with strong communication and leadership skills.

Benefits

Work-life balance initiatives

Diverse and inclusive environment

Employee recognition programs

Qualifications

• 15+ years of operational and strategic experience in health management services.
• Experience with US and Canadian disability management systems is an asset.
• Bilingualism in French/English is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead the insurance operations strategy and optimize existing processes.
• Manage relationships with internal and external partners.
• Oversee development of new operations procedures for efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Communication

Relationship Building

Operational Excellence

Job description

At Canadian Premier, everything we do is driven by our genuine desire to build connections with our customers – listening, reflecting, responding – and being there for them during the most trying times of their lives. To be the best at what we do, we look for compassionate, creative people who work efficiently, aren't afraid to make decisions, and are driven to understand how their role fits into our vision; to be the innovative insurer trusted by families to provide financial protection through partners who care.

For more than 60 years, Canadian Premier has been committed to providing financial security to Canadians and their families in the face of uncertainties, insuring over two million customers coast-to-coast. Every day at Canadian Premier means a day spent helping Canadians and their families build secure tomorrows.

Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with an office in Burnaby, British Columbia, we are a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Securian Financial, a Fortune 500 company.

Who we need

As we continue to disrupt the industry with innovative solutions and optimal outcomes, we are looking for a Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations to join our Senior Leadership Team (SLT). You will be accountable for the planning, leadership, and execution of all Canadian Premier’s Insurance Operations Business Unit activities, ensuring operational and financial models align with the enterprise strategic plan. You will draw upon your expertise in disability management and create a vision for an innovative approach to reimagine the disability experience. You will foster collaborative relationships externally and internally with Business Market Leaders to optimize organizational and business performance. You will inspire and guide the work of a multidisciplinary team responsible for claims, underwriting, operations support, call center and vendor management, and disability management.

What's in it for you

Influence and impact. You will join the organization as it truly transforms, strengthening our foothold in new markets / geographies (including Quebec), significantly broadening our product mix and scaling the business to new heights. This is an opportunity to play a key role in aligning our newly acquired operations to a successful post-merger operational framework. You will build strong internal partnerships at the C-level and across the organization, acting as a highly valued strategic advisor.

What you will focus on

1. Lead the insurance operations strategy to drive new and optimize existing processes in alignment with overall enterprise priorities. You will:

Create effective partnerships and foster collaboration with other shared solutions and businesses.

1. Direct and provide leadership for pertinent shared operating functions, including business technology, policy administration, claims processing, premium collection and reconciliation, and select financial and project management services.

Manage relationships with key internal and external partners to identify success metrics and potential obstacles and resolve key issues to keep initiatives moving forward, managing risk and influence, where appropriate.

1. Oversee development of new operations procedures and enhance existing processes to achieve optimal efficiency while minimizing operations risks. This includes but is not limited to workforce management actions and automation.

Build metrics, analytics, transparency, and reporting, leveraging data-based insights to evaluate opportunities and develop actionable recommendations that drive significant operational and financial performance improvements. You will:

1. Determine the financial structure and metrics to support a successful operating model.

Formulate the staffing model and resourcing plan (level and type – permanent, temporary, overtime, and outsourced).

1. Prepare, review, and monitor the business unit’s yearly budget on an ongoing basis to analyze variances and exercise control to ensure the budget expenditures.

Contribute to enterprise strategic activities as part of the SLT. You will:

1. Set annual goals and plans, conduct earnings reviews, host recognition meetings, and support succession planning and steering committees.

Provide the CEO and other SLT members with challenges, progress, and opportunities as it relates to insurance operations.

1. Proactively make specific recommendations to support enterprise priorities.

Lead the team with a client-oriented focus. You will:

1. Engage teams effectively around a vision rooted in customer experience, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Foster relationship building with customers and provide excellent customer service leadership to the Insurance Operations team.

1. Maintain and enhance the value proposition as a differentiator providing the company with a key competitive advantage.

Consult with agents, account executives, financial institutions, customers, lawyers, and doctors to solicit feedback on current services or resolve customer inquiries or issues; provide resolution and communicate results to employees.

1. Professional development and performance management. You will:

Maintain personal up-to-date knowledge of the company’s products and services and keep abreast of claims, insurance, legislative changes, and best practices.

1. Grow your network by attending courses and conferences and maintaining professional contacts with other companies, vendors, and industry contacts.

Oversee activities, including audits, formally and informally, to solicit feedback on overall customer satisfaction.

Provide and encourage ongoing training for staff to ensure they can deliver results, support customers, and develop professionally.

What you bring

• The industry expertise. You have 15+ years of operational and strategic experience in health management services and life / health / disability insurance. You have developed and executed successful business strategies aligned with an enterprise vision. Experience with US and Canadian disability management systems would be an asset.
• The ownership. You hold yourself highly accountable for your work and that of your team and its impact on the company's ability to be successful. You think creatively and critically; you have the confidence to take new ideas forward and productively challenge the status quo. You have exceptional people leadership and relationship-building skills with the proven ability to influence management decisions and collaborate across all functions within a matrixed enterprise, provide strategic direction and guidance to a team.
• The communication skills. You have excellent and impactful written and oral skills, including the ability to make persuasive presentations, effectively negotiate, navigate conflict, and rapidly weigh all opinions to determine the best-fit approach. You have a coaching and mentoring mindset with a demonstrated ability to teach and translate all aspects of insurance operations and client-oriented solutions. French / English bilingualism is considered an asset.

When you're a Canadian Premier employee, you're part of a high-performing, collaborative family that values growth, respect, and compassion. We are committed to supporting your work-life balance and providing a diverse, inclusive environment. We promote an engaged work culture through initiatives like virtual town halls, mental health workshops, and employee recognition programs.

If you meet most of the qualifications and are interested in joining us, please submit your application. We look forward to hearing from you!

Canadian Premier is an equal-opportunity employer and provides accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request during the recruitment process. Please contact [e-mail] for assistance.