Hybrid Ops Leader - Niche & DER (Claims)

Davies Group; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Davies Innovation Lab

Leadership training programme

Funding for professional qualificatons

Thrive at Davies

Wellbeing centre

Job summary

Davies Group is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a high-performing team in our Niche & DER division in Preston. You will influence operational strategy, ensure service excellence, and drive continuous improvement across a 250 FTE operation including a 24/7 emergency response centre.

You will mentor Team Managers, manage performance, ensure regulatory compliance and foster a culture where people thrive in a fast-paced claims environment.

Qualifications

• Proven success in an insurance operations leadership role.
• Strong experience within Property, Niche or related insurance sectors.
• Demonstrable track record of driving operational improvements and delivering business results.
• Experience leading large teams through Team Managers in remote and hybrid environments.
• Strong understanding of insurance products, underwriting principles and claims processes.
• Knowledge of insurance regulation, compliance frameworks and risk management practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and coach Team Managers across remote and hybrid locations.
• Create a culture built on accountability, engagement, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Support performance management through regular coaching, feedback and development planning.
• Identify and nurture future talent, ensuring succession plans are in place across the division.
• Deliver key operational and telephony KPIs across the business.
• Develop resourceful and innovative plans to optimise performance, including surge planning and capacity management.
• Partner with the Resource Planning Manager to develop recruitment and workforce strategies aligned to future growth.
• Work closely with recruitment teams to maintain strong candidate pipelines and workforce readiness.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes from policy inception through to claim resolution.
• Analyse operational data, trends and performance metrics to identify inefficiencies and drive improvement initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams across Niche and DER to implement automation and process enhancements.
• Champion a culture of innovation and operational excellence.
• Maintain robust compliance standards across all operational activity.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, company policies and industry best practice.
• Stay informed of market and legislative changes, implementing operational adjustments where required.
• Conduct regular audits and reviews to mitigate operational risk and maintain quality standards.
• Collaborate with customer service teams to effectively manage customer enquiries, complaints and escalations.
• Champion initiatives that enhance the customer journey and overall experience.
• Analyse customer feedback, NPS and customer outcome measures to implement meaningful improvement plans.
• Drive market-leading customer satisfaction and Trustpilot performance.
• Support the delivery of strategic business objectives and operational plans.
• Manage departmental budgets effectively and deliver against financial targets.
• Identify emerging market trends, growth opportunities and competitive threats.
• Provide operational insight that supports business development and revenue growth.

Skills

Leadership

Performance mgmt

People development

Operational excellence

Data-driven

Stakeholder mgmt

Job description

Davies Group is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a high-performing team in our Niche & DER division in Preston. You will influence operational strategy, ensure service excellence, and drive continuous improvement across a 250 FTE operation including a 24/7 emergency response centre.

You will mentor Team Managers, manage performance, ensure regulatory compliance and foster a culture where people thrive in a fast-paced claims environment.