VP, Head of Complex Excess Claims

Zurich NA; Schaumburg (IL); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 287,000; Full time

Job summary

Zurich North America seeks a Vice President, Head of Complex Excess Claims to lead strategic direction and technical excellence for our Complex Excess Claims organization. You will oversee national teams, drive performance, and partner with underwriting, finance, actuary, and distribution to achieve profitable growth.

The ideal candidate brings deep Complex Excess expertise, advanced leadership, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a matrixed environment with travel up to 20%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 12+ years in Claims.
• Experience leading large teams and complex claims operations.
• Strong customer service and negotiation skills.
• Ability to travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Lead a national Complex Excess Claims organization with focus on quality, compliance and customer outcomes.
• Set forward-looking claims strategy aligned with Zurich’s vision.
• Collaborate with underwriting, finance, actuary, marketing, and distribution to drive opportunities.
• Present trends and loss drivers to partners to support retention and growth.
• Represent Claims in senior external meetings as a SME.
• Drive process improvements, best practices, and resource optimization.

Skills

People management

Negotiation

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Customer service

Travel readiness

Complex Excess Claims

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Zurich is seeking a Vice President, Head of Complex Excess Claims to lead the strategic direction, technical excellence, and operational performance of our Complex Excess Claims organization. This role has oversight of our Primary Complex and Excess teams.

Reporting directly to the Head of Property and Casualty Claims, this leader will oversee a national organization of claims professionals, team managers and AVPs. The VP will be responsible for delivering strong technical outcomes, disciplined financial performance, and an exceptional customer experience.

This role requires close partnership with Underwriting, Finance, Actuary, Marketing, and Distribution, as well as key external stakeholders. The successful candidate will be market facing, leverage claims insights to influence underwriting strategies, optimize loss costs, and support profitable growth across the business.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, results-oriented collaborative leader with deep Complex Excess Claims expertise, strong operational acumen, and the ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams in a complex, matrixed environment.

The location is flexible and can be attached to any of our major Zurich offices with business travel expected.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and develop a high‑performing national Complex Excess Claims organization, ensuring consistent technical quality, compliance, and customer‑focused outcomes.
• Set and execute a forward‑looking claims strategy aligned with Zurich’s Complex Excess Claims vision and broader business objectives.
• Serve as a thought leader on complex, Complex Excess exposures, including emerging risks and industry trends.
• Collaborate with Underwriting, Finance, Actuary, Marketing, and Distribution to provide claims insights that support product development, broker and customer stewardship, and new business opportunities.
• Present claims trends, risk insights, and loss drivers to internal and external partners to support retention and growth.
• Represent Claims in customer, broker, and prospect meetings as a senior subject‑matter expert.
• Review and enhance claims risk and compliance strategies; develop and maintain policies relevant to Complex Excess Claims.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and fair claims practice standards across jurisdictions.
• Monitor legal, regulatory, and market developments and translate them into actionable recommendations.
• Drive continuous improvement through process simplification, innovation, and adoption of best practices.
• Evaluate organizational efficiency, workflows, and resource deployment to enhance service delivery and financial performance.
• Sponsor and lead complex, cross‑functional initiatives and programs, ensuring disciplined execution and results.
• Make and oversee complex line‑of‑business claim decisions that are financially responsible, defensible, and aligned with organizational guidelines.
• Analyze severity, frequency, and loss trends; identify and implement strategies to mitigate loss and volatility.
• Strengthen technical capability across the organization through coaching, development, and knowledge sharing.
• Attract, develop, and retain top claims talent; foster a collaborative, inclusive, and performance‑driven culture.
• Support succession planning and long‑term capability building within Complex Excess Claims.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 12 or more years of experience in the Claims area
• 6+ years of people management experience
• 6+ years of insurance and/or litigation experience
• Demonstrated customer service experience
• Experience collaborating across functions and work groups
• Strong negotiation skills
• Experience analyzing loss cost, severity, and trend data
• Proven ability to identify and implement loss mitigation strategies
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Ability to travel up to 20%
• Complex Excess Claims Experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience handling Complex Excess Claims, including large, complex losses
• Advanced knowledge of insurance claims and the legal and regulatory environment
• In‑depth understanding of legal statutes and litigation processes
• Experience working with financial data and business cases
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex environment
• Juris Doctor (JD) and/or professional designations such as AIC, SCLA, CPCU

Your pay at Zurich is based on your role, location, skills, and experience. We follow local laws to ensure fair compensation. You may also be eligible for bonuses and merit increases. If your expectations are above the listed range, we still encourage you to apply, your unique background matters to us.

The pay range shown is a national average and may vary by location. The proposed salary range for this position is $175,200.00-$287,000.00, with short-term incentive bonus eligibility set at 35%. This role is also eligible to participate in the company’s long‑term incentive program.

We offer competitive pay and comprehensive benefits for employees and their families. [Learn more about Total Rewards here.]

Why Zurich?

At Zurich, we value your ideas and experience. We offer growth, inclusion, and a supportive environment—so you can help shape the future of insurance. Zurich North America is a leader in risk management, with over 150 years of expertise and coverage across 25+ industries, including 90% of the Fortune 500®.

Join us for a brighter future—for yourself and our customers.

Zurich in North America does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or other characteristics protected by applicable law. Equal Opportunity Employer disability/vets.

Zurich complies with 18 U.S. Code 1033.

Location(s): AM - Schaumburg, AM - Atlanta, AM - Dallas, AM - New York

Remote Working: Hybrid

Schedule: Full Time

Employment Sponsorship Offered: No