Senior Actuarial Specialist

Guardrisk; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardrisk, a leader in short-term risk transfer, seeks a senior actuarial professional to drive pricing, product development, and capital structuring for CRS and VUMA portfolios. The role collaborates with data scientists, actuaries and analysts to deliver innovative risk solutions.

Responsibilities include leading pricing reviews, evaluating new products, and guiding junior colleagues while ensuring regulatory and audit compliance. Strong modelling and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Degree in mathematics or statistics required.
• Actuarial progression toward Fellowship preferred.
• F103 or equivalent short-term insurance exam completed.

Responsibilities

• Take accountability for product development and pricing frameworks across CRS and VUMA portfolios.
• 1Lead rate reviews and re-pricing to maintain competitiveness.
• 2Oversee assessment and approval of new offerings for viability and compliance.
• 3Review accuracy of teammates' work and provide guidance to junior analysts.
• 4Collaborate with internal teams to structure deals with actuarial input for underwriting and capital structuring.
• 5Explain deviations and advise on corrective measures.
• 6Ensure projects align with audit and risk requirements.
• 7Partner with external teams to define pricing models and processes.
• 8Support clients in bespoke product design focusing on profitability and sustainability.
• 9Monitor product profitability and adhere to actuarial standards.
• 10Translate complex actuarial insights into actionable business decisions.

Skills

Modelling experience

Non-life pricing

SQL

Python

R

Actuarial progression

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Self-motivation

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mathematics or statistics

Actuarial progression: Associate Actuary or pursuing Fellowship

F103 (General Insurance Principles) or equivalent exam

Job description

Guardrisk is South Africa’s leading provider of alternative risk transfer and specialist cell captive solutions. Since pioneering the cell captive model in the short-term insurance market in 1993, we’ve built a reputation for delivering customized risk financing solutions to a wide range of industries.

Now part of Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, we offer structured short-term insurance products, traditional cell captive facilities, and access to professional reinsurance markets. Headquartered at The MARC in Sandton, with offices in Mauritius and Gibraltar, Guardrisk provides clients with both local expertise and international reach.

Disclaimer As an applicant, please verify the legitimacy of this job advert on our company career page.

Role Purpose

The Structuring and Solutions team forms the key point of contact between the different segments and the technical support areas, focusing on client service and client solution development. This role forms part of a diverse team that includes experienced Data scientists, Actuarial analysts and Qualified Actuaries. This position will be to assist with pricing, product development and providing insights to the Guardrisk cell captive (“GRI”) business. The role will providing technical support in the form of pricing, product reviews and capital solution development of new and existing cell business.

Requirements

• An Actuarial or bachelor’s degree with mathematics or statistics as majors.
• Associate Actuary or making good progress with Fellowship level exams.
• Successful completion of F103 (General Insurance Principles) or equivalent short-term insurance exam.
• 5 years' relevant work experience.
• Modelling experience.
• Non-life pricing experience.
• Coding knowledge in SQL, Python and R advantageous.
• Knowledge of insurance products, contracts and relevant industry legislations.
• Sound numerical skills and computer literacy is essential especially in the use of MS Excel, MS Word and SQL.
• Exposure to the SAM capital regime.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Take accountability for all product development and pricing frameworks, and structuring initiatives across the CRS and VUMA portfolios.
• Lead rate reviews and re-pricing exercises for the existing product suite to maintain technical soundness and market competitiveness.
• Oversee the assessment and approval of new product offerings, ensuring they are commercially viable and compliant.
• Review and ensure the accuracy of fellow team members' work.
• Provide guidance to junior actuarial analysts.
• Partner with internal teams to structure new deals - providing actuarial input on optimal underwriting and capital structuring solutions tailored to client needs.
• Investigate, quantify and explain any deviations and advise on corrective measures.
• Ensure that all projects to be implemented adhere to audit and risk management requirements.
• Collaboration with external business support to define and develop the pricing models and processes.
• Support clients in the design and development of bespoke products, with a focus on innovation, profitability, and sustainability.
• Manage financial performance reporting, including monitoring product profitability and adherence to best-practice actuarial standards.
• Act as a senior technical advisor to both management and external stakeholders, translating complex actuarial insights into actionable business decisions.

Competencies

• Ability to examine and interpret data and provide insights.
• Strong technical expertise.
• Achievement orientation.
• Effectively manage time and ensure optimal productivity.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Results and solution focused.
• High degree of self-motivation and the ability to work independent of supervision.
• Naturally inquisitive mind set, with a strong innovative tendency.
• Self Confidence.
• Flexibility to cope with pressure and setbacks.
• Delivering results and meeting expectations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to network and consult across all levels of the organisation and with clients on technical structuring matters.