Head of Strategic Implementation – Insurance

Quest Recruitment; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-leading bonus potential

Pension contribution

Healthcare and dental cover

25 days’ annual leave

Hybrid working: 50% on-site

Job summary

Quest Recruitment seeks a Head of Strategic Implementation to lead the multi-market rollout of new insurance products and strategic partnerships across Europe. Reporting to the COO, you will own the implementation function, shaping governance, delivery frameworks and partner relationships in a high-visibility environment.

You will oversee diverse programmes, including life, protection and bancassurance initiatives, translating business strategy into actionable plans while driving operational

Qualifications

• 10+ years in insurance, financial services or consulting, with senior leadership experience.
• Proven track record delivering complex product launches and market-entry programs.
• Strong governance, risk management and regulatory understanding in insurance implementations.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic implementation across multiple European markets for life, protection or bancassurance products.
• Translate commercial objectives into structured, actionable implementation plans and roadmaps.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery lifecycle from scoping to launch and handover.
• Establish governance, frameworks and decision-making structures for programmes.
• Manage portfolio priorities, resources, risks and dependencies with senior stakeholders.
• Develop relationships with external partners and group entities across Europe.
• Ensure regulatory, contractual, technical, and operational requirements are integrated.
• Provide portfolio reporting and risk escalation to executive leadership.

Skills

Insurance product knowledge

Product launches

Stakeholder management

Governance & risk

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic implementation

Team leadership

European market experience

Job description

An established European insurance provider is appointing a Head of Strategic Implementation to play a central role in its next phase of growth.

Reporting directly to the COO, you will lead the implementation of new insurance products, strategic partnerships and market-entry initiatives across Europe. This is a highly visible position with genuine influence across commercial strategy, operational delivery and organisational change.

The business is undergoing significant transformation and expansion, making this an excellent opportunity for an experienced insurance leader who enjoys creating structure, solving complex problems and turning commercial ambitions into successful, sustainable launches.

The Opportunity

You will take strategic ownership of the implementation function, overseeing a portfolio of concurrent initiatives across multiple European markets.

Your remit will include:

• Leading the implementation of new life, protection or bancassurance insurance products, partnerships and market-entry initiatives.
• Translating commercial objectives into structured, achievable implementation plans.
• Overseeing the complete delivery lifecycle, from initial scoping and business requirements through to launch, operational readiness and handover.
• Establishing clear governance, delivery frameworks and decision-making structures.
• Managing portfolio priorities, resources, dependencies, risks and competing demands.
• Coordinating senior stakeholders across Commercial, Product, Operations, IT, Legal, Compliance, Risk, Underwriting, Finance, Marketing and Actuarial.
• Developing relationships with external partners, service providers and wider group entities across Europe.
• Ensuring regulatory, contractual, technical and operational requirements are addressed throughout each implementation.
• Providing clear portfolio reporting and risk escalation to executive leadership.
• Developing implementation frameworks, tools and methodologies as the business continues to grow.
• Leading and developing the existing implementation team.

This is not simply a project oversight position. You will be expected to anticipate what is required, challenge where appropriate and bring practical solutions without needing detailed direction.

Your Background

We are interested in speaking with senior implementation, programme or change leaders who offer:

• Strong life, protection or bancassurance insurance product and market knowledge.
• Significant experience delivering complex product launches, partnership integrations or market-entry programmes.
• A thorough understanding of the commercial, operational, regulatory and technical considerations involved in insurance implementation.
• Experience managing multiple complex projects or programmes concurrently.
• Excellent senior stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• The ability to translate commercial strategy into clear operational delivery.
• Strong governance, risk management and organisational capabilities.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach.
• Confidence working at pace and creating clarity within an evolving environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and developing high-performing people.
• At least 10 years’ relevant experience gained within insurance, financial services or consulting, including experience at senior leadership level.

Experience working across multiple European markets or additional European language skills would be advantageous.

The position is designated as a Controlled Function (CF1).

The Package

The successful candidate will receive a strong senior-level package, including:

• Market-leading individual and company bonus potential.
• Highly competitive employer pension contribution.
• Employee healthcare and dental cover.
• 25 days’ annual leave.
• Hybrid working, with 50% on-site.
• The opportunity to shape a strategically important function within a growing European business.

Interested?

If you have deep insurance experience and a track record of leading complex product, partnership or market-entry implementations, we would be delighted to speak with you.