Chief of Staff to the Group COO

AXIS (AXIS Capital); New York (NY); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

AXIS Capital in New York seeks a Chief of Staff to the Group COO to serve as a strategic execution partner across Operations, Data & Analytics, Technology, AI, Transformation, Architecture and Information Security. You will translate strategy into disciplined, measurable action and support executive decision making.

In this role you will oversee governance, portfolio value realization, cross-functional execution, and leadership alignment with the Group COO, executives and the Board.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in Operations, Strategy, Transformation, Technology, Data & Analytics, AI, or Enterprise Program Leadership.

Responsibilities

• Shape and manage the Group COO's enterprise agenda and strategic priorities.
• Integrate Operations, Technology, Data & Analytics, AI, and Transformation into a unified operating model and execution roadmap.
• Surface key trade-offs, dependencies, risks, and recommendations for decision-making.
• Maintain oversight of the COO portfolio, including investment priorities and benefits realization.
• Drive coordination across cross-functional initiatives and resolve delivery obstacles.
• Support governance, risk reviews, and performance management for the COO organization.
• Prepare concise, decision-oriented materials for ExCo and Board discussions.

Skills

Senior leadership

Strategy

Transformation

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Financial acumen

Job description

This is your opportunity to join AXIS Capital – a trusted global provider of specialty lines insurance and reinsurance. We stand apart for our outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and superior risk adjusted returns for our shareholders. We also proudly maintain an entrepreneurial, disciplined and ethical corporate culture. As a member of AXIS, you join a team that is among the best in the industry.

At AXIS, we believe that we are only as strong as our people. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming culture where employees of all backgrounds and from all walks of life feel comfortable and empowered to be themselves. This means that we bring our whole selves to work.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any basis prohibited by the laws that govern its operations.

Job Description: Chief of Staff to the Group COO

Position Summary

The Chief of Staff to the Group COO serves as the strategic execution partner to the Group COO, ensuring alignment, execution discipline, and measurable value delivery across AXIS's Operations, Data & Analytics, Technology, AI, Transformation, Architecture, and Information Security portfolios. Based on the current AXIS role profile, the Chief of Staff acts as the strategic extension of the Group COO and the primary integration point across these functions.

This role converts strategy into action by driving portfolio governance, operating cadence, value realization, cross-functional execution, and executive decision support. The Chief of Staff enables the Group COO to focus on the highest-value strategic, operating, talent, and investment decisions while ensuring accountability for execution and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & COO Agenda

• Shape and manage the Group COO's enterprise agenda and strategic priorities.
• Integrate Operations, Technology, Data & Analytics, AI, and Transformation into a unified operating model and execution roadmap.
• Surface key trade-offs, dependencies, risks, and recommendations for decision-making

Portfolio Management & Value Realization

• Maintain oversight of the COO portfolio, including investment priorities, benefits realization, execution health, and resource allocation.
• Ensure major initiatives have clear business outcomes, ownership, success metrics, and accountability.
• Challenge initiatives that are not delivering measurable business value.

Enterprise Execution & Transformation

• Drive coordination across complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Resolve interdependencies, delivery obstacles, and organizational barriers.
• Ensure transformation efforts produce sustainable business outcomes rather than activity-based progress.

Data, Technology & AI Leadership

• Act as the COO's integration point across Data & Analytics, Technology, AI, Architecture, and Operations.
• Ensure investments are aligned to underwriting advantage, operational effectiveness, scalability, and business growth.
• Support responsible AI adoption, governance, workforce readiness, and value realization.

Operations & Underwriting Support Effectiveness

• Partner with Operations and Underwriting leadership to improve capacity, efficiency, resilience, service quality, and scalability.
• Drive process modernization, workflow redesign, automation, and AI-enabled operating model improvements.
• Support AXIS's objective of increasing underwriting capacity without proportionate increases in operational cost or headcount.

Governance, Risk & Resilience

• Operate the management cadence for the COO organization, including strategic reviews, investment governance, risk reviews, and performance management.
• Maintain visibility of operational, technology, cyber, AI, third-party, and execution risks.
• Track and coordinate significant audit, regulatory, control, and remediation commitments.

Executive & Board Support

• Prepare the Group COO for ExCo, Board, and executive leadership discussions.
• Develop concise, decision-oriented materials, recommendations, and executive-level analyses.
• Ensure consistent messaging across the COO portfolio.

Experience & Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in Operations, Strategy, Transformation, Technology, Data & Analytics, AI, or Enterprise Program Leadership.
• Experience operating within a complex, regulated financial services or insurance environment.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale cross-functional initiatives and influence senior executives without direct authority.
• Strong commercial, financial, operational, and strategic acumen.
• Working knowledge of technology, data, AI, governance, risk, and organizational design.

Leadership Capabilities

• Enterprise thinker with strong business judgment.
• Strategic, outcome-oriented, and execution-focused.
• Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong financial and value-realization mindset.
• Ability to challenge constructively and drive accountability.
• Trusted advisor capable of operating effectively with senior leadership and the Board.

Success Measures

The Chief of Staff will be successful when:

• The Group COO agenda is clear, focused, and effectively executed.
• Strategic investments deliver measurable business value.
• Cross-functional execution is coordinated and predictable.
• Technology, AI, and data initiatives improve underwriting and operational performance.
• Risks, dependencies, and remediation activities are proactively managed.
• Executive and Board discussions are concise, fact-based, and decision-oriented.

For this position, we currently expect to offer a base salary in the range of $225,000 to $275,000 (NY). Your salary offer will be based on an assessment of a variety of factors including your specific experience and work location.

In addition, you will be offered competitive target incentive compensation, with awards based on overall corporate and individual performance. On top of this, you will be eligible for a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes medical plans for you and your family, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and much more.

Where this role is based in the United States of America, this role is [Exempt/Non-Exempt] for FLSA purposes.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.