Manager, Claims

Asteron Life New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Asteron Life New Zealand is seeking an experienced Claims Manager to lead a high-performing Life Insurance Claims team. Based preferably in Auckland with Wellington or Christchurch considered, you will coach 8-9 specialists, oversee complex life and income protection claims, and drive customer-focused outcomes across advisers and customers.

You will report to the Executive Manager Claims & Customer Solutions, champion continuous improvement, governance and risk management, and shape claims

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in Life Insurance claims management.
• 2+ years' leadership in claims/insurance environment.
• Strong knowledge of claims governance and risk management.
• Experience with complex medical, financial and liability-based claims.
• Ability to analyse trends and performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and inspire a team of Claims Specialists.
• Provide technical leadership across complex life and income protection claims.
• Drive continuous improvement via process, tech and automation.
• Build trusted relationships with advisers, customers and stakeholders.
• Translate strategy into actionable team priorities and ensure performance.
• Use data and insights to influence claims strategy.

Skills

Life insurance claims

Leadership

Risk governance

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Change management

Job description

About Asteron Life

Asteron Life has been supporting New Zealanders for nearly 150 years. We are here to help customers build bright futures and protect what matters most. We offer a range of personal, business and employee insurance products that can help our customers through just about anything life throws at you.

We work with our financial advisers, who provide expert insurance advice and match the right insurance needs to help our customers live life to the fullest, and our strategic partners who provide tools and information so customers can assess their needs and find the cover that’s best suited to them.

We value diverse backgrounds and perspectives, foster an inclusive, collaborative and flexible working environment, that will support your professional growth and reward your contribution.

The Opportunity

We're looking for an experienced and people-focused Claims Manager to lead a high-performing Life Insurance Claims team and play a key role in shaping the future of claims at Asteron Life. Based preferably in Auckland (with Wellington or Christchurch also considered), this is an exciting leadership opportunity for a seasoned claims professional with strong expertise in life and income protection claims, including medical, financial and liability assessments. Leading a team of 8-9 passionate and highly engaged claims specialists, you'll provide coaching, direction and technical oversight, while using your delegation authority to make sound, customer-focused decisions that balance fairness, risk and business outcomes.

Reporting to the Executive Manager Claims & Customer Solutions, you'll drive operational excellence, champion continuous improvement and help deliver market-leading claims experiences for customers and advisers. You'll work across the business to influence strategy, improve performance, leverage technology and automation, manage escalated and complex claims matters, and ensure strong governance and risk management practices. This role is perfect for a resilient and emotionally intelligent leader who can inspire teams through change, build strong stakeholder relationships and translate strategic priorities into measurable results.

We're seeking someone with 5+ years of Life Insurance claims experience and at least 2 years in a leadership role, who combines deep technical expertise with a genuine passion for developing people. If you're someone who thrives in a complex environment, enjoys solving problems, driving improvement and creating exceptional customer outcomes, this is an outstanding opportunity to make a significant impact within a business committed to excellence, innovation and customer care.

How will you make an impact?

• Lead, coach and inspire a team of Claims Specialists, creating a high-performance culture that balances accountability, development and exceptional customer outcomes.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight across complex life and income protection claims, leveraging your expertise to support sound decision-making and claims governance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, service delivery and claims outcomes through process optimisation, technology and automation.
• Build trusted relationships with advisers, customers and key business stakeholders, proactively identifying opportunities to improve the claims experience and service standards.
• Translate business strategy into actionable team priorities, ensuring operational performance, risk management and customer commitments are consistently achieved.
• Use data, insights and industry knowledge to identify trends, influence claims strategy and deliver innovative solutions that support both customer needs and business performance.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate the following:

• 5+ years' experience in Life Insurance claims management, with strong technical expertise across life, disability and income protection claims.
• Proven experience assessing and overseeing complex medical, financial and liability-based claims, with the ability to provide expert guidance and make sound risk-based decisions.
• 2+ years' leadership experience within a claims, insurance or customer-focused environment, with a demonstrated ability to lead, coach and develop high-performing teams.
• A strong understanding of claims governance, delegated authority frameworks and risk management principles, with the confidence to review and approve decisions above standard team limits.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships across advisers, customers, reinsurers and internal business functions to deliver positive outcomes and resolve complex issues.
• Demonstrated success driving operational performance, process improvement and customer service excellence within a claims environment.
• The ability to analyse claims trends, performance metrics and business insights to identify opportunities for improvement and influence strategic decision-making.
• A resilient and adaptable leadership style, with experience leading teams through change and navigating challenging, fast-paced and high-volume operational environments.

Why Join Us?

At Asteron Life, we provide a flexible work environment and access to a range of employee benefits that will support you both personally and professionally including:

• Career pathways, including local and global mobility opportunities.
• Leading Learning Platforms and support in professional development
• Medical Plan and Wellbeing Programs
• Life, Income Protection and Trauma Cover.

Accessibility and Checks

Before commencing employment in this role, you will need to provide two references, full working rights and complete police and credit checks through an online provider. As an equal opportunity employer strongly committed to working in a diverse and inclusive workforce you will be provided with any support or accessibility requirements throughout your interview process.

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