Head Risk Management North America, L&H

PartnerRe Ltd.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental and vision coverage

Pension plan (defined contribution)

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Job summary

PartnerRe seeks a senior risk leader to serve as Chief Risk Officer for PLRC and PLRA, based in Toronto. The role oversees ERM across two entities, reports to boards, and drives risk governance and capital planning.

Ideal candidate brings 15+ years in life & health risk management, cross-border regulatory experience, and a proven ability to collaborate with senior stakeholders in a global insurer.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in insurance or reinsurance risk management.
• Senior risk leadership such as CRO or Head of Risk.
• Experience across Canadian and U.S. insurance/reinsurance markets.
• Deep knowledge of capital, solvency, ERM, ORSA.
• Ability to engage with Boards and regulators.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Chief Risk Officer for PLRC and PLRA.
• Lead ERM framework implementation across entities.
• Report to Boards and risk committees; present risk materials.
• Coordinate risk capabilities across Risk Analytics, Capital Modelling, and other teams.
• Engage directly with OSFI and U.S. regulatory authorities.
• Maintain governance structures aligned with Group requirements and regulations.

Skills

CRO experience

ERM / risk management

ORSA

Regulatory engagement

Board reporting

Leadership in risk

Education

Actuarial Science

Finance

Economics

Mathematics

Risk Management

Job description

PartnerRe is a leading, privately owned, multi-line global reinsurer with a reputation of financial stability and strength, and a commitment to rebuilding businesses and communities after risk events around the world.

Our mission is to continue to be a financially stable and predictable business partner, supporting our clients with solutions tailored to their needs, delivering superior returns to our owner, providing rewarding opportunities for our people and making a positive contribution to society. To achieve this, we live by our values of Integrity, Performance, Collaboration, Straightforward Communication and Respect and Care.

Core to The PartnerRe Experience is our global nature. No matter where you sit in the company, you are part of something bigger. Our teams represent our truly international mindset, forging connections across office locations and all levels of the organization and building a network of mutual success. The result is a day-to-day experience that will allow you to:

PartnerRe is committed to an inclusive, accessible recruitment experience. Reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities are available upon request throughout the hiring process.

PartnerRe is an equal opportunities employer.

Compensation and Benefits

In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in our annual incentive program, payment under which is at the discretion of PartnerRe and subject to individual and company performance. Eligible employees also have the opportunity to participate in an array of benefits, including

• medical
• dental and vision coverage
• a health spending account
• a defined contribution pension plan
• life insurance
• short- and long-term disability coverage, etc.

Working Arrangement

PartnerRe operates with a hybrid work approach that balances in‑office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Our employees are required to be in the office 3 days a week. Our goal is to create an environment where employees can connect, innovate, and perform at their best.

This position is for an existing vacancy within our organization.

The Head of Risk Management, North America Life & Health leads and oversees risk management for PartnerRe’s North American Life & Health legal entities, including PartnerRe Life Reinsurance Company of Canada (PLRC) and PartnerRe Life Reinsurance Company of America (PLRA). Serving as CRO for both entities, the role provides independent second-line oversight, implements the Group Enterprise Risk Management Framework, and acts as the primary risk advisor to the Boards, senior management teams, and legal entity committees. This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. The role reports to the Head of Legal Entity and Regional Risk and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Chief Risk Officer for PLRC and PLRA, leading implementation and maintenance of the ERM Framework across both entities.
• Ensure effective identification, assessment, monitoring, management, and reporting of material risks, and promote a strong risk culture.
• Provide independent challenge and oversight of business activities and strategic initiatives, escalating material risk matters and recommending remediation to the Boards, senior management, and Group Risk Management as appropriate.
• Maintain direct and independent access to the PLRC and PLRA Boards and relevant Board Committees; prepare and present risk reports, dashboards, ORSA materials, and emerging risk assessments.
• Serve as a member of the management teams and respective risk committees of PLRC and PLRA.
• Maintain effective legal entity risk governance structures and policies aligned with Group requirements and applicable Canadian and U.S. regulatory expectations.
• Lead entity-level risk assessments and ORSA processes, including stress testing and scenario analysis, and ensure risk is reflected in strategic planning, business decisions, and capital assessments.
• Monitor entity risk profiles against approved risk appetite statements and limits, evaluate exposures and trends, and coordinate responses to breaches and emerging concerns.
• Lead direct engagement with OSFI and relevant U.S. regulatory authorities, including regulatory reviews, examinations, and remediation activities.
• Coordinate centralized risk capabilities across Risk Analytics, Capital Modelling, Operational Risk, and other specialist teams to provide a holistic legal entity risk view.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in insurance or reinsurance risk management, including substantial experience within Life & Health insurance or reinsurance.
• Senior risk leadership experience, such as CRO, Head of Risk, senior risk executive, or an equivalent position with legal entity, regional, or business-unit accountability; 5–7 years in such a role is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working across Canadian and U.S. insurance or reinsurance markets and regulatory environments, including familiarity with both capital regimes.
• Deep technical expertise in capital and solvency, together with strong knowledge of ERM frameworks, ORSA, insurance regulatory requirements, risk appetite, stress testing, and legal entity governance.
• Demonstrated experience engaging directly with Boards, Board Committees, executive management, and insurance regulators, including presenting complex risk matters and exercising independent challenge.
• Strong risk judgement and business acumen, including the ability to integrate diverse technical inputs into clear management insights.
• Proven ability to build effective working relationships, lead through influence, and mobilize specialist teams in a matrixed, globally distributed organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of independence and personal accountability, while proactively engaging and collaborating with colleagues, specialist teams, and senior stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
• Strategic thinking, executive communication, stakeholder management, collaboration, regulatory credibility, and sound decision-making.

Education

University degree in Actuarial Science, Risk Management, Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or a related discipline.

Professional Qualifications or Designations

Professional designation such as FSA, FCIA, ACAS/FCAS, CERA, CFA, FRM, or equivalent preferred.

Additional Information

PartnerRe provides a working environment in which diversity is valued, where all employees feel welcome, respected, and empowered to perform at their best. We invite you to learn more about D&I at PartnerRe.

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