Head of Insurance

ZIGUP plc; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension 7.5%

Life assurance

Employee discounts

Wellbeing services

Vehicle-leasing scheme

Stream app

Birthday leave

Job summary

ZIGUP plc is seeking a Head of Insurance to lead and modernise the UK & Ireland insurance programme, maintaining strong insurer and broker relationships, and guiding governance and risk across the business.

You will report to the Chief Strategy Officer and shape the annual renewal cycle while working with senior stakeholders to balance risk and commercial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within a complex corporate insurance environment.
• Proven experience leading multi-line insurance programmes, including policy placement and renewals.
• Strong knowledge of commercial insurance, operational risk and indemnity provisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Group's insurance strategy and programme.
• Oversee UK & Ireland renewal programme, policy placement and negotiations.
• Build and maintain insurer, broker and adviser relationships.
• Provide expert advice on insurance, risk and indemnity matters.
• Support tenders, projects and M&A from an insurance perspective.
• Manage major/complex claims and governance.
• Produce executive reporting for senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal, Fleet and Health & Safety teams.
• Lead and develop a team of two insurance professionals.
• Drive continuous improvement in risk management and governance.

Skills

Leadership

Insurance strategy

Stakeholder management

Renewals management

Insurance governance

Education

Professional insurance qualification

Tools

Policy management system

CRM systems

Job description

Location: UK Based (Predominantly Remote) with occasional UK-wide travel and regular travel to Darlington as required

At ZIGUP, insurance plays a critical role in protecting our people, customers, businesses and future growth. We're looking for an experienced insurance professional to join us as Head of Insurance, leading and developing our UK & Ireland insurance strategy and programme.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, you'll lead a complex, multi-line insurance programme, ensuring the Group maintains effective and commercially appropriate insurance arrangements. You'll be responsible for insurance renewals, policy placement, claims governance, insurer and broker relationships, and identifying and mitigating emerging risks across the business.

This is a high-profile role offering significant exposure to senior stakeholders across the Group and the opportunity to influence strategic business decisions. A key focus of the role will be leading the annual UK & Ireland insurance renewal programme, balancing risk, governance and commercial outcomes whilst securing the right protection for the business.

What you'll be doing

• Leading the Group's insurance strategy and insurance programme.
• Leading the annual UK & Ireland insurance renewal programme, including policy placement and renewal negotiations.
• Building and maintaining relationships with insurers, brokers, panel solicitors and external advisers.
• Providing expert advice on insurance, risk and contractual indemnity matters.
• Supporting tenders, strategic projects and M&A activity from an insurance perspective.
• Managing significant and complex claims and driving effective claims governance.
• Producing executive-level reporting and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Building strong relationships across Finance, Legal, Fleet, Property, Health & Safety and Operational teams.
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of two insurance professionals.
• Driving continual improvement in risk management, governance and insurance performance.

Join ZIGUP as a Head of Insurance and enjoy some outstanding benefits …

Of course, there’s a great basic salary, but that’s just the beginning, our most popular benefits include …

Salary – Competitive salary based on experience, enhanced by an annual bonus.

Annual Leave - Start with 28 days, increasing to 29 days with service, plus the flexibility to buy or sell up to 5 extra days each year. Of course, you’ll have public holidays too and an extra day off to celebrate your birthday!

Pension - Employer contributions of 7.5%

Financial Benefits - Enjoy the security of free life assurance, a save-as-you-earn scheme, a colleague referral scheme (earning £1,000 per referral), and our Benefits App with discounts and cashback at top retailers like Tesco, Asda, Currys, B&Q, and Wickes.

Wellbeing & Lifestyle Services - Access our colleague assistance programme with 24/7 GP service, private family medical insurance, mental health support and physiotherapy plus cycle to work, eyecare vouchers, Health Cash Plan, Dental Plan and Travel Insurance.

Motoring Benefits - Take advantage of exclusive Colleague vehicle-leasing schemes, discounted repairs, and reduced rates on weekend car and van hires.

Stream - A free financial wellbeing app that gives you more control over your pay, helps you save, provides financial advice and offers even more discounts on your shopping.

About You

We're interested in hearing from experienced insurance leaders who can combine technical expertise with strong commercial judgement and stakeholder influence.

You’ll ideally have:

• Significant experience within a complex corporate insurance environment.
• Proven experience leading multi-line insurance programmes, including policy placement, renewals, claims governance and complex losses.
• Strong knowledge of commercial insurance, operational risk, contractual insurance and indemnity provisions.
• Experience managing insurer, broker and legal-provider relationships.
• Experience leading insurance renewals, negotiations and strategic insurance planning.
• A strong track record of influencing and challenging senior stakeholders whilst balancing commercial and risk considerations.
• Experience managing major or complex losses.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budgeting and forecasting.
• Previous people leadership experience.
• A professional insurance qualification (or significant relevant industry experience).

About Us

ZIGUP is a leading integrated mobility solutions provider. We're trusted by many of the UKs leading insurance and leasing companies, fleet operators, OEMs and blue-chip corporates, delivering a wide array of solutions from vehicle rental and fleet management to accident management, vehicle repairs, service and maintenance.

We are proud to have been awarded a King's Award for Enterprise in 2025, recognised for our commitment to promoting opportunity and supporting social mobility.

We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone can thrive. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, identities, and abilities. If you need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, just let us know. We’re here to support you.

We are agile. We are experts. We are imaginative. We are reliable.

Keep your career moving, smarter.