Head of Schemes - Major Insurer

Stride Resource Management Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Pension

Private medical insurance

Share options

Job summary

Stride Resource Management Ltd. is seeking a senior schemes leader to take ownership of a meaningful book and oversee an established team. The role offers strategic freedom to shape direction, invest in growth, and strengthen partnerships with underwriting and distribution.

You will steer performance, set appetite, and drive sustainable profitability while collaborating with senior stakeholders across the business. This is a UK-based senior leadership opportunity with meaningful impact.

Qualifications

• Strong track record in schemes or delegated authority environments.
• Experience leading a portfolio with commercial accountability.
• Ability to shape strategy and growth in partnership with underwriting and distribution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction and commercial performance of a significant schemes portfolio.
• Develop and guide an established team.
• Review existing schemes and partnerships to identify profitable growth opportunities.
• Develop new relationships and propositions with strong strategic fit.
• Collaborate with underwriting, distribution, and other functions to keep the proposition competitive and disciplined.
• Own portfolio performance, partner relationships, and long-term development plans.
• Shape the broader direction of the schemes business as it grows.

Skills

Leadership

Portfolio management

Strategic planning

Commercial judgment

Relationship building

Job description

You are already operating at a senior level in schemes and you want your next move to give you genuine ownership, strategic freedom and a clearer route for further progression.

This role gives you exactly that.

You will take responsibility for a significant schemes portfolio and an established team within a major specialty insurer with a strong UK presence and a well-developed position in the schemes market. You will have the autonomy to shape direction, develop the proposition and decide where the business should invest to create the next phase of growth.

The opportunity

This is a senior leadership position with broad commercial ownership across a meaningful book of business.

You will lead the performance and development of the portfolio, alongside an established team, with the freedom to refine appetite, strengthen existing partnerships, identify new opportunities and influence how the wider schemes strategy develops.

You will be expected to bring a clear view of where the market is heading and turn that into a practical plan for sustainable, profitable growth.

What the role looks like

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the strategic direction and commercial performance of a significant schemes portfolio.
• Managing, developing and providing direction to an established team.
• Reviewing existing schemes and partnerships to identify opportunities for profitable growth.
• Developing new relationships and propositions where there is a strong strategic fit.
• Working closely with underwriting, distribution and wider business functions to ensure the schemes proposition remains competitive and commercially disciplined.
• Taking ownership of portfolio performance, partner relationships and longer-term development plans.
• Helping shape the broader direction of the schemes business as it continues to grow.

Who this could suit

You will already have a strong track record in schemes, delegated authority or a closely related specialist insurance environment.

You may currently be operating as a Head of Schemes, Schemes Director, Portfolio Director or senior schemes leader and want a broader mandate, more autonomy and greater influence over strategy.

You will combine technical and commercial judgement with strong leadership. You will understand how to manage a meaningful portfolio, develop valuable distribution relationships and make sensible decisions around growth, profitability and investment.

The business

You will be joining a major specialty insurer with a significant UK presence and a strong reputation in schemes.

The business is also known for looking after its people properly. There is genuine emphasis on wellbeing, development and long-term career growth, with strong support around progression and a culture that values people beyond their immediate performance.

This role gives you meaningful responsibility from day one, while also creating a platform for further progression within a sizeable and well-resourced organisation.

Package and flexibility

The base salary is around £130,000, alongside a bonus, pension, private medical insurance and share options.

The role is flexible on location nationally, although you will need to spend regular time in London given the seniority of the position and the relationships involved.

The next step

You will want to understand the scale of the portfolio, the quality of the existing team, how much authority genuinely sits with the role and where it can lead over the next few years.