Head of Claims Operations

Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers; Devonport-Takapuna; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus scheme after 12 m

Life insurance and income protection

Discounted medical insurance

Birthday leave

Long service leave

Parental leave top-up

Flexible hybrid working arrangements

Modern Takapuna office

Job summary

Partners Life is seeking a Head of Claims Operations in Auckland to lead the administrative and operational support function across claims, enabling end-to-end customer outcomes. Report to the General Manager Claims, you will shape the operating framework for scalability and customer-centric service delivery.

You will champion AI, automation and digital enablement while balancing human judgement and empathetic customer interaction, guiding a multi-year transformation within a major life and

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading complex operational teams in financial services or insurance.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk management and regulatory requirements.
• Experience driving operational improvement, transformation, automation or digital initiatives.
• Analytical and commercial thinking with data-driven decision making.
• Proven ability to coach and develop high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational delivery, workflow effectiveness and administration of claims across teams.
• Drive performance balancing service, quality, capacity, productivity and outcomes for customers.
• Partner with Claims, Operations and wider business to remove friction and improve customer outcomes.
• Use data and performance trends to identify continuous improvement opportunities.
• Lead transformation, automation and digital enablement initiatives in claims.
• Ensure governance, risk management and regulatory compliance across claims operations.
• Build and develop a high-performing team through coaching and development of leaders.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, customer focus and continuous improvement.

Job description

Attractive salary + annual bonus + insurances

Make a meaningful difference for customers during some of life's most important moments

Lead a high performing claims administration and operations function through a period of growth and transformation

Lead AI, automation, process and operational transformation while delivering exceptional customer and distributor experience

Partners Life is one of New Zealand’s largest life and health insurance companies. As part of the Daiichi Life Group, a leading global insurance provider, we are writing our next chapter of growth and opportunity.

We know the industry needs bold thinkers and passionate people to help reshape the future of insurance, and that is exactly who we are looking for. We are committed to doing things differently, lifting industry standards, challenging the status quo, and delivering real value through innovation and personalised advice.

If you are looking to join a company that’s redefining the insurance landscape and backed by the strength of a global group, Partners Life is the place to grow your career and make a real impact.

About the opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Head of Claims Operations to join our Claims Leadership Team. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for leading the administrative and operational support function, that enables our Claims teams to deliver exceptional customer outcomes across the end to end claims journey.

Reporting to the General Manager Claims, you will lead the operational performance, service delivery, workflow management and administration capability across Claims. You will be responsible for strengthening the Claims operating framework with customer centred service pathways that support flow, scalability and consistency. This will include operational design, triage, work allocation, service delivery and capacity planning, while driving process and system transformation across the claims environment.

The role will play a key part in shaping the future of claims at Partners Life. You will help lead a multi year transformation journey focused on improving efficiency, scalability and customer experience through AI, automation and digital enablement, while ensuring the right balance with human judgement and empathetic customer interaction.

As our Head of Claims Operations, you will:

Lead the operational delivery, workflow effectiveness and administration of claims across our Claims teams

Drive operational performance by balancing service, quality, capacity, productivity and customer outcomes

Partner with teams across Claims, Operations and the wider business to remove friction points and improve outcomes for customers and advisers

Use data, insights and performance trends to identify and deliver continuous improvement opportunities

Lead transformation, automation and digital enablement initiatives across the claims function

Ensure strong governance, risk management and regulatory compliance across claims operations

Build and develop a high-performing team through coaching, capability development and clear leadership

Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer focus and continuous improvement

About you

You are a strong operational leader with a proven ability to lead complex teams, create structure in busy environments and deliver meaningful improvement. You know how to balance day to day operational performance with longer term transformation, and you bring the leadership maturity to guide teams through change with clarity and confidence.

You may bring experience from insurance, financial services or another highly regulated, operationally complex environment. Claims or insurance experience would be valuable, but your strength as a people leader, operational thinker and transformation driver will be critical. You are comfortable working with data, technology and cross functional teams to redesign processes, improve workflow and deliver better outcomes.

You are excited by the opportunity to help shape a modern claims function where technology and AI enable better decisions, better service and better experiences for customers, distributors and our people.

Attributes that will help you thrive in this role:

Extensive experience leading complex operational teams and functions within financial services or insurance

Strong understanding of claims governance, risk management, regulatory and conduct requirements

Experience driving operational improvement, transformation, automation or digital initiatives

Strong analytical and commercial thinking, with the ability to use data to inform decision making

Proven ability to lead, coach and develop high performing teams and people leaders

Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility at all levels

A customer focused mindset, coupled with resilience, pragmatism and a passion for continuous improvement

What we offer

At Partners Life, we believe our people are our greatest asset and are proud to invest in their growth, wellbeing and success. As part of our team, you will have access to a range of benefits, with eligibility varying by benefit and employment type:

Support to make a meaningful leadership impact in a growing, evolving business

Genuine career development and progression opportunities

Participation in our discretionary bonus scheme after 12 months of service

Life insurance and income protection covers at our cost, plus discounted medical insurance

Birthday leave (where eligible)

Long service leave

Parental leave salary top-up, reduced hours options and secondary parental leave

Flexible hybrid working arrangements (where eligible)

A modern office with stunning views in the heart of Takapuna

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must have the legal right to work in New Zealand.

We are not engaging recruitment agencies for this role.