Area Manager - Agri (Douglas)

Assume the overall responsibility for growth and profitability of Crop Insurance in the designated area, keeping and expanding contact with the clients, in line with Santam and Broker objectives. Provide technical support and assessments and deliver a high-quality service and support to the client base.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Identify new potential clients/intermediaries. Identify competitors and gather market intelligence.
• Provide input into the broker business by sharing analysis, compile and manage intermediary clients’ prospect list.
• Preparing and delivering quotes (direct and through intermediary).
• Identify and facilitate opportunities to be part of industry forums and events.
• Senior relationship manager also assists regional manager on regional level.
• Detailed explanations regarding changes with respect to terms.
• Grow the portfolio through direct sales and through intermediaries.

Area Management

• Execute relationship management with intermediaries and clients.
• Attend/handle meetings with intermediaries to discuss performance statistics and growth.
• Understand the business opportunities in the area and client segmentation.
• Attend to ad hoc queries and resolution of issues from intermediaries and clients.
• Promote Santam through marketing activities to intermediaries, clients and the community.
• Assist in developing the sales strategy for the area and/or the region.
• Identify intermediary training needs.
• Manage realised rate levels according to minimum and target rates.
• Identify cross and up-selling opportunities.
• Monitoring crop profitability.

Business Planning

• Contribute/participate/prepare area reports and presentations (can be regional as well as at a senior level).
• Assist/drive profitability by improved cost managements (commission, management expenses, assessment cost).
• Assist in/produce analysis of existing clients and segments.
• Advise intermediary on appropriate channel selection.
• Take ownership and manage channel solution implementation at intermediary level.

Loss Assessments

• Performing assessments.
• Manage part-time assessors.
• Train assessors in collaboration with technical insurance services.
• Performing control/inspection assessments and re-assessments where complaints are logged on assessments.

Technical Support

• Training assessors in the correct assessment of the crops cultivated in the designated area (districts).
• Receive and manage all Damage Reports from brokers after insured loss reports.
• Conduct insurance assessments, especially specialized assessments, personally.
• Managing the assessor corps after a hail event to assess the damages to crops.
• Inspections on a random basis to ensure a high level of accuracy of assessments performed.
• Conducting claims estimates on allocated business/portfolio.
• Facilitate resolution of queries at any point of claim by understanding end-to-end claims process (registration, assessment, settlement, repudiation, dispute handling etc.).
• Interpret policy wordings against claim situations.
• Analyse and report on claims drivers affecting portfolio growth and profit, such as frequency, average cost per claim (acpc), severity etc.
• Manage ex gratia requests by assessing merits (loss against policy cover, policy and intermediary history) and create business cases for management consideration.
• Maintain close network relationships with claims handlers, assessors etc.

Internal Networking

• Build relationships with business and insurance support, facilitate the resolution of queries and issues with claims.
• Contract and monitor service levels with support units.
• Build effective working relationships with RM, RU, assessors and advisors.
• Attend and participate in quarterly distribution planning meetings.
• Manage escalations, exceptions and service interruptions in the different channels.

Crops

• Understand the climatic needs for each crop, as well as the genetic differences between cultivars.
• Able to distinguish the problems regarding weeds, diseases, nutrition, insects etc.

Farming methods

• Understand the need for, and the effective use of equipment and machinery.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Qualifications

• Grade 12
• H Dip degree in Agriculture (preferably with horticulture as a subject)
• Commercial and Personal Lines and RE a preference
• Driver’s licence

Experience

• 2 – 3 years’ specialised crop experience is essential

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Business management
• Negotiation
• Conflict management

ABOUT SANTAM

Santam is the market leader in the general insurance industry in Southern Africa. As a large, diversified, and expanding company, we are committed to transformation and growth. While our headquarters are in South Africa, we are rapidly extending our presence into emerging markets across Africa and Asia.

With a client base of over 1 million policyholders, Santam serves individuals, commercial enterprises, specialist business owners, and institutions—including 80 of the Top 100 companies listed on the JSE. Our commitment to Insurance, Good and Proper goes beyond just providing cover—we offer peace of mind, ensuring our clients can focus on living in the moment, not worrying about the unexpected. Because at Santam, we believe the freedom to seize every day is worth protecting.

People drive our business, and we are committed to attracting the best talent, whether for permanent roles or short-term opportunities.

Santam is committed to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including persons with disabilities. We are dedicated to neuro-inclusivity and fostering a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Take the next step in your career—apply now and be part of a company that’s shaping the future of insurance. This is Freedom!