Manager, Litigation Operations - Bodily Injury

USAA Life Insurance Company; Virginia; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

USAA Life Insurance Company in the United States is seeking a Manager of Litigation Operations to lead a team that handles active litigation against members, develop trial strategies, and deliver concierge-level service. You will manage expenses, supervise external counsel, and ensure compliance with regulations across auto, property, and small business lines.

The role requires deep experience in claims litigation, team leadership, and strategic risk management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; OR 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
• 6 years of operational or military experience, incl. 4 years of P&C complex casualty claims handling.
• 2 years direct claims litigation handling.
• 2 years direct team lead, supervisory, or management experience.

Responsibilities

• Deliver operational litigation results, including management of external legal expense and defense counsel, case quality and member service.
• Apply trial strategy knowledge to identify appropriate resolution tracks and advise on cases to proceed to trial.
• Lead a team of claims litigation professionals; assign cases to managers and defense counsel with focus on quality and timeliness.
• Use analytics with actuarial and Claims Ops to report team health, drive results, and manage litigation risk.
• Within authority, analyze and support case authority decisions and strategy conferences on litigated cases.
• Coordinate with Staff Counsel and Panel Counsel to develop strategic litigation plans for the portfolio.
• Review and approve legal expenses and maintain current, complete litigation documentation.
• Develop and train policies to ensure compliance with USAA standards and objectives.
• Lead recruiting, development, retention, coaching, and performance management within the team.
• Identify and control risks per risk and compliance policies and procedures.

Education

Bachelor's degree or 4 years of relevant education/experience

2 years direct team lead/management experience

2 years direct claims litigation handling

6 years operational or military experience incl. 4 years P&C claims

Job description

Why USAA?

At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families.

Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values - honesty, integrity, loyalty and service - define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful.

We are proud to support active-duty military spouses. USAA roles may offer remote or hybrid flexibility for active-duty military spouses consistent with applicable policy and business needs.

The Opportunity

As a dedicated Manager of Litigation Operations , you will manage a team of assigned litigation professionals (direct handlers of active litigation against members) responsible for workflow and administration of litigated cases, the development of employee technical skills and business acumen, and for evaluating employee performance. Provides high-level technical advice and supervision on litigated cases. Accountable for ensuring the delivery of a concierge level of best-in-class member service through setting appropriate expectations, proactive communications, advice, and empathy when defending our members in active lawsuits filed against them. Accountable for building out litigation and trial strategies with their teams to drive outcomes for each litigated case in accordance with the overall Claims Litigation Strategy and P&C Claims business objectives. Drives execution of operational risk management, portfolio and case level litigation management and the adherence to regulatory compliance training, policies, and procedures.

We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position can be based in Chesapeake, VA or Tampa, FL office location. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

This role will specialize in Mid-Atlantic auto litigation claims (North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia).

What you'll do:

• Accountable for delivering operational litigation results, including appropriate management of external legal expense, assigned defense counsel, case quality, and member service.
• Utilizing a thorough understanding of trial strategy, case law, and jurisdictional trends, accountable for identification of appropriate strategic resolution track, to include recommendation of cases to proceed through trial.
• Manages a team of claims litigation professionals and is responsible for the assignment of cases to litigation managers and to defense counsel and for ensuring quality, accuracy, and timeliness as they handle litigation based on applicable USAA Auto, Property and Small Business Insurance contracts.
• Utilizing data analytics, in partnership with actuary and analytics team and Claims Operations leaders, reports on team health to drive business results, manage litigation risk exposure, and assist leadership to determine what is necessary to ensure appropriate oversight and alignment with business objectives.
• Within authority limit, independently analyzes and helps support, investigate, negotiate, and resolve the highest severity and/or the most complex claims. Analyzes team member's proposed litigation strategies, including determinations of Requests for Authority, and reviews, creates action plans for and participates in case authority and strategy conferences on litigated cases.
• Management of USAA Staff Counsel and Panel Counsel and internal business partners to develop appropriate strategic litigation plans for' the teams' portfolio of cases and/or in individual cases as warranted through all stages of litigation to include partnering with counsel on impact of new case laws, emerging jurisdictional trends, and the legal environment.
• Accountable for reviewing, auditing, and approving legal expenses and fees and escalates as appropriate.
• Responsible for ensuring litigation documentation records are current, timely, and completed across the team.
• Responsible for developing, communicating, and training of new and revised policies and procedures that enable team members to be compliant with USAA standards, meet or exceed functional goals and objectives while providing excellent member service.
• Builds, develops, and leads a team through ongoing execution of recruiting, development, retention, coaching and support, performance management, and managerial activities.
• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

What you have:

• Bachelor's degree; OR 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
• 6 years of operational or military experience, to include a minimum of 4 years of P&C experience in complex casualty claims handling.
• 2 years direct claims litigation handling.
• 2 years of direct team lead, supervisory, or management experience.
• Demo