Head of Trading

AXA UK; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

AXA is seeking a high-impact Head of Trading & Product to shape the future of AXA Commercial Direct. You will own trading performance and product strategy across multiple channels, guiding commercial actions and customer-focused innovations.

The role demands strong leadership, market insight, and the ability to build high-performing teams, foster governance, and drive sustainable growth. Hybrid work and UK eligibility are included in the package.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of trading and product functions within insurance or financial services, with strong commercial acumen and judgement.
• Solid understanding of the general insurance value chain, with experience developing new product propositions and customer-led innovations.
• Track record in cultivating a dynamic trading culture, unlocking opportunities and delivering sustained growth.
• Strong leadership and team development skills, with the ability to influence and motivate matrix teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to build trusted relationships internally and externally to align priorities and deliver business outcomes.
• Strategic, commercially curious and outward-looking, using market insight and commercial judgement to challenge the status quo and deliver growth.

Responsibilities

• Own trading performance and deliver profitable growth across all products and channels.
• Translate insight into decisive commercial action, optimising trading levers to maximise performance.
• Shape and deliver customer-focused products and services that strengthen AXA’s market position and give customer the confidence to buy their insurance direct.
• Enable the development and execution of new products and growth initiatives aligned with strategic ambitions.
• Collaborate and build influential relationships with stakeholders and partners to unlock opportunities and deliver measurable customer and commercial value.
• Foster a high-performance culture, empowering teams to make faster, value-driven decisions.
• Build and lead high-performing teams, developing future capabilities and a strong talent pipeline.
• Champion a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and customer focus, underpinned by strong governance and controls.

Skills

Trading leadership

Product strategy

Insurance / Financial services

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Job description

About AXA

AXA is a global leader in insurance and financial services, dedicated to helping customers protect what matters most to them. As the sixth-largest insurance company in the world, we provide a wide range of services, including health, car, home, and business insurance. We support millions of customers worldwide, helping them navigate life's uncertainties with confidence.

About AXA

AXA is a global leader in insurance and financial services, dedicated to helping customers protect what matters most to them. As the sixth-largest insurance company in the world, we provide a wide range of services, including health, car, home, and business insurance. We support millions of customers worldwide, helping them navigate life's uncertainties with confidence.

AXA Commercial protects businesses, from multinationals to micro start-ups, giving them the confidence to thrive.

Job Overview

We're looking for an ambitious and commercially driven leader to shape the future of AXA's Commercial Direct business. As our new Head of Trading & Product, you'll own trading performance and product strategy across multiple channels, with the opportunity to influence how we compete, grow and innovate. This is a high-impact role where you'll combine customer insight, market awareness and commercial judgement to unlock growth, strengthen our market position and embed a high-performance trading culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Own trading performance and deliver profitable growth across all products and channels.
• Translate insight into decisive commercial action, optimising trading levers to maximise performance.
• Shape and deliver customer-focused products and services that strengthen AXA’s market position and give customer the confidence to buy their insurance direct
• Enable the development and execution of new products and growth initiatives aligned with strategic ambitions
• Collaborate and build influential relationships with stakeholders and partners to unlock opportunities and deliver measurable customer and commercial value
• Foster a high-performance culture, empowering teams to make faster, value-driven decisions.
• Build and lead high-performing teams, developing future capabilities and a strong talent pipeline.
• Champion a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and customer focus, underpinned by strong governance and controls.

Work Arrangements

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) from December 2026. Away from home means attending the office, visiting clients or attending industry events.

Your Skills & Experience

• Proven leadership of trading and product functions within insurance or financial services, with strong commercial acumen and judgement.
• Solid understanding of the general insurance value chain preferred, with experience developing new product propositions and customer-led innovations.
• Track record in cultivating a dynamic trading culture, unlocking opportunities and delivering sustained growth
• Strong leadership and team development skills, with the ability to influence and motivate matrix teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to build trusted relationships internally and externally to align priorities and deliver business outcomes.
• Strategic, commercially curious and outward-looking, using market insight and commercial judgement to challenge the status quo and deliver growth.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

This position has been defined as an Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) role under the IDD regime which means that in addition to pre-employment screening checks, the successful candidate will be subject to background screening every 4 years with an annual declaration in interim years.