Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group

Argo Group; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group, is a senior executive responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of all Argo Group claims operations, including Casualty, Property, Reinsurance, Surety, and Workers' Compensation. This role reports to the Chief Claims Officer, Clearbrook, and leads a large, multi-location team with a focus on operational excellence, provider relations, and disciplined cost management.

The position is 100% in-office and based at one of several U.S.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate has significant senior management experience in commercial property and casualty claims.
• Demonstrated leadership across multiple locations with measurable performance results.
• Strong ability to design and implement claims strategy and governance.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategic and operational plans to drive growth and profitability in claims.
• Lead claims leadership teams and establish performance objectives and metrics.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, people, and technology.
• Oversee vendor relationships and negotiate contracts for cost effectiveness.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Claims management

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder communication

Operational excellence

Job description

Company

Argo Group is an underwriter of specialty insurance products in the property and casualty market. Argo offers a full line of products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of businesses. The Argo entities are wholly‑owned subsidiaries of Clearbrook Group Holdings Inc.

Job Description

Business Title(s):

Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group

Employment Type:

Full-Time

FLSA Status

Exempt

Location

In‑Office

Summary

The Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group reports directly to the Chief Claims Officer, Clearbrook located in New York City and manages the entire Claims function for Argo. As a member of the executive management team, the Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group is responsible for the overall strategic direction, executive leadership, and management of all the Argo Group's claims operations. This includes Casualty, Operations, Property, Reinsurance, Surety, and Workers' Compensation Claims. The position manages five direct reports and approximately 150 indirect reports. The Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group collaborates with the other Argo Group executives in Underwriting, Actuarial, Finance, Risk, and Legal formulating both strategic plans and policy to meet group profitability and growth objectives.

The Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group provides claim leadership and direction to the Senior Management of all the Argo Group claims operations with a focus on supporting the consistent execution of claims functions and maintenance of operational excellence.

This position can be based in any of the following locations: Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, Omaha, NE, or Richmond, VA.

This is a 100% in‑office position. Candidates must be able to work on‑site at a designated company office during standard business hours.

Essential Responsibilities

• Partners with key Argo Group executives to develop strategic and operational plans aimed at achieving both growth and profitability targets. Works collaboratively with representatives of the corporate actuarial team.
• Strategically manages teams led by People Managers to provide customers and partners with strong claims service and technical capabilities. This includes sophisticated coverage analysis, timely claims resolution, and strong negotiation of settlements.
• Leads, directs, and has leadership accountability for establishing claims and that there are performance objectives and performance metrics in place at all organizational levels to both support and meet set objectives.
• Drives continuous improvement through initiatives involving the employees, processes, and technology.
• Identifies and implements claims best practices in all operating units for proper and consistent claims performance to include management responsibility for claims compliance (OFAC, Medicare Reporting, Adjuster Licensing, SOX etc.) and achieving the appropriate financial outcomes.
• Effectuates claims resolution and process improvement while maximizing cost effectiveness and educating the business managers/leaders as to claims drivers and trends.
• Ability to establish working relationships with a variety of types of claims vendors and to negotiate the vendor contracts to maximize the financial benefit to Argo Group and its customers.
• Expertise in claims litigation management. Must have a proven track record of successful outcomes in this regard and be able to establish and maintain an enterprise‑wide a specialized litigation management unit.
• Provides guidance and direction to claims managers and professionals through a continuous process of management involvement.
• Supports the claims selection process to retain claims professionals that consistently demonstrate appropriate technical expertise, maturity, and a professional commitment to excellence.

In summary, the successful candidate must be a knowledgeable, accomplished and "hands‑on" insurance professional with a demonstrated track record of success in leading a diverse commercial lines claims organization with the ability to provide "best in class" claims service. The successful candidate will have demonstrated claims technical and management expertise coupled with an effective personal style and a "team player" orientation. The Chief Claims Officer, Argo Group must be someone who can work collaboratively with other members of an executive management team, deal effectively with individuals of diverse professional backgrounds, and have consistent credibility both inside and outside of Argo Group. A career history that underscores continuous advancement either with an insurance organization or the insurance industry is also a requirement for the successful candidate.

Qualifications / Experience Required

The ideal candidate for this position will be an accomplished and highly capable insurance professional with significant experience in a senior management commercial property and casualty claims role within an organization with a full‑scale domestic orientation. He/she must have highly effective leadership skills and a consistent record of superior results in leading a successful commercial claims organization with operations located throughout the United States and Bermuda.

The successful candidate must have a thorough understanding of property and casualty financial and actuarial concepts and requirements and their influence on the claims reserving process and financial outcomes. He/she must have experience in designing and implementing claims technology solutions. The successful candidate will possess an analytic and metric driven focus combined with strong strategy development and execution skills. He/she must be able to develop and provide corporate presentations to senior and executive claims management that are based upon metric‑driven analysis and conclusions.

Significant Personal Characteristics For a Successful Candidate Include

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build consensus both internally and externally.
• A strong focus on execution in getting things done right. Someone who consistently produces and delivers expected results to all stakeholders.
• Client focus – the ability to effectively determine specific client needs and to provide value added solutions.
• A proven business leader with strong knowledge of Argo Group US, Inc.'s business but who also understands return on capital, expense, risk, and efficient use of capital but also understands how these link together and can translate them into actions.
• Demonstrates inner strength. Has the courage to do the right thing and demonstrates it daily.
• Intellectual curiosity. Consistently considers all options and is not governed by conventional thinking.
• Ability to build commitment both internally and externally. Ability to communicate compelling and inspired corporate vision and to gain support for his/her views, opinions, and decisions.
• Strong focus on selection – determined to have the right people who do the best job. Has a reputation for his/her ability to identify, attract and hire talented people.
• Dedicated to developing talent. Understands and