Branch Manager

AXA Group; Portlaoise; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

AXA Ireland seeks a Branch Manager for the Portlaoise branch. You will lead the Branch Sales Office, drive sales growth, and ensure high customer service standards while maintaining compliance and governance.

You will coach staff, manage performance, and develop local affinity and commercial opportunities, reporting to the Regional Manager. The role is based on a full-time, onsite schedule in Portlaoise.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in sales/insurance/financial services with team management.
• APA Qualified in Personal and Commercial General Insurance with CIP target.
• Full clean driving license.
• Proven track record in leading sales teams.
• Understanding of performance management to support branch goals.
• Knowledge of branch administration, compliance, health & safety, and security procedures.
• Proficient in MS Office

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of the Branch Sales Office to meet objectives.
• Promote AXA Shop for Retail and Commercial Insurance to deliver key objectives.
• Drive profitability and local growth through a strong market presence.
• Manage resources via footfall, telephony, and fulfilment activities.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and proper cash handling and expense procedures.
• Participate in cross-functional projects when required.
• Identify local market trends and provide actionable insights.

Skills

Team management

Leadership

Customer service

Communication

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

APA Qualified in Personal and Commercial General Insurance

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

We are recruiting for a Branch Manager in our Portlaoise Branch here at AXA Ireland.

Reporting to the Regional Manager, you'll be responsible for managing all aspects of the Branch Sales Office to achieve the required performance levels across; sales revenue and growth targets, staff engagement, customer service excellence and compliance and quality standards.

As the Branch Manager, you will play a lead role in proactivity, both internal and external, across local Affinity, Agri and Commercial development and will be responsible for staff coaching and development and overall performance management.

What you’ll be doing:

• Manage all aspects of the Branch Sales Office, proactively promoting a One Stop AXA Shop for all Retail and (segmented) Commercial Insurance, to deliver key objectives as set out in the Branch business activity plan.
• Drive branch profitability and sustainability, with strong premium and PIF local market growth, through a highly visible and local market and community presence.
• Manage and support full resource utilisation through a combination of footfall, inbound and outbound telephony, together with fulfilment activity.
• Promote simplification and facilitate self-service, customer-first convenience, with a 'human touch' approach and support within the local community, eliminating inefficient, non-value branch activities.
• Leverage our local customer base, with tailored customer engagement (internal and external) incl. via omni-channel such as MS teams, phone, branch visit, field call - aligned to Customer profile.
• Develop trusted and sustainable relationships through proactive business, community and affinity engagement.
• Manage staff performance (in line with HR Policies & Procedures) through coaching, development and support, to deliver the behaviours necessary for a highly successful retail business.
• Ensure adherence to all regulatory / legislative requirements and governance procedures / policies as well as cash handling and expense procedures in order to conduct business in a fully compliant manner.
• Participate in cross functional departmental projects when required.
• Identify market trends through local data analysis and provide feedback / insight for change consideration.

Working Hours:

Full time, 36.5 hours per week onsite in our Portlaoise branch office, working within our business hours of Monday to Friday.

About You /What we’re looking for:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a similar sales, insurance or financial services role with team management experience (essential).
• Must be fully APA Qualified in both Personal and Commercial General Insurance (essential) with a commitment to work towards CIP.
• Full clean driving license (essential)
• A successful track record in leading and managing sales teams.
• Understanding of Performance Management to support branch goals.
• Excellent insurance product, technical, and referral handling knowledge.
• Enthusiastic about AI and motivated to embrace and apply new technologies to enhance customer and colleague experiences.
• Knowledge of Branch Administration, including compliance, legislative, Health & Safety, and Security procedures.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Strong networking skills with key stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet objectives.
• Pragmatic problem solver with a structured work approach.

This role is an allocated Controlled Function under Fitness & Probity Regime, which means the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced level of background screening requirements. You can find more information on axa.ie/careers.

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

This recruitment campaign will be used to support permanent, temporary and/or extension for any upcoming similar positions.