Director

HCLTech; Chennai District; On-site; INR 6,000,000 - 9,000,000; Full time

Job summary

HCLTech in Chennai, India seeks a Head of Operations to lead U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance, driving end-to-end delivery and strategic transformation.

You will own performance metrics, governance, and cross-functional collaboration across operations, technology, and support functions. The ideal candidate brings 18+ years in insurance operations, deep US benefits and life insurance expertise, and a track record of building high-performing teams while ensuring risk and compliance.

Qualifications

• 18+ years of experience in insurance operations.
• Deep expertise in U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance Operations.
• Proven experience managing end-to-end delivery for large-scale insurance operations.
• Bachelor's degree; postgraduate qualification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery and operational performance across U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance.
• Lead transformation initiatives focusing on process simplification and automation.
• Engage senior stakeholders and executive leadership through governance forums.
• Build and inspire large, multi-layered teams with succession planning.
• Ensure compliance, risk management, and business continuity.

Skills

Executive leadership

Operations leadership

Stakeholder management

Transformation & automation

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree

Postgraduate qualification

Tools

Insurance operations tools

Job description

Job Title

Head of Operations – Insurance (US Group Benefits & Life Insurance)

Location: Chennai, India | Experience: 18+ Years | Function: Operations / Service Delivery / Insurance Business Process Services | Leadership Level: Senior Leadership

About the Role

We are seeking an accomplished Head of Operations to lead large-scale U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance operations. This strategic leadership role will have end-to-end accountability for operational delivery, transformation, customer outcomes, and organizational performance. The ideal candidate is a seasoned insurance operations leader with deep domain expertise, a proven track record of managing large-scale delivery organizations, driving operational excellence, and building high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Own end-to-end delivery and operational performance across U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance operations. Develop and execute operating strategies aligned with business objectives and customer commitments. Drive performance across productivity, quality, service levels, turnaround times, and operational KPIs. Ensure strong governance, delivery management, and issue resolution frameworks.
• Transformation & Innovation: Lead business transformation initiatives focused on process simplification, standardization, automation, and AI-enabled efficiencies. Identify opportunities to enhance customer experience and improve operating models. Leverage analytics and insights to drive data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Management: Act as a trusted advisor to senior business stakeholders and executive leadership. Lead executive governance forums, strategic reviews, and business planning discussions. Collaborate effectively across operations, technology, transformation, and support functions.
• People Leadership: Build, develop, and inspire large, multi-layered teams. Drive workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives. Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, and high performance.
• Risk & Compliance: Ensure adherence to operational risk, compliance, and governance standards. Drive business continuity planning and operational resilience initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 18+ years of experience in insurance operations.
• Deep expertise in U.S. Group Benefits and Life Insurance Operations (mandatory).
• Proven experience managing end-to-end delivery for large-scale insurance operations.
• Strong background in operational transformation, process excellence, automation, and digital enablement.
• Experience managing senior stakeholders and geographically distributed teams.
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of delivering measurable business outcomes.
• Bachelor's degree required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification.
• Insurance certifications such as LOMA, FLMI, or equivalent.

Key Competencies

• U.S. Group Benefits & Life Insurance Expertise – End-to-End Delivery Leadership
• Operational Excellence & Transformation
• Executive Stakeholder Management
• Commercial & Financial Acumen
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Talent Development & Leadership
• Customer-Centric Mindset

Why Join Us

Lead large-scale insurance operations. Drive enterprise-wide transformation initiatives. Shape future-ready operating models. Build and mentor high-performing leadership teams. Deliver meaningful business impact at scale.