Talent Pool: Portfolio Head: UMA MMH250909-2

Guardrisk; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardrisk in Sandton seeks a Portfolio Manager to lead a client portfolio, ensure robust relationships and drive profitability. You will interpret financial data, manage budgets, and contribute to product and pricing discussions.

Lead a team, identify new business opportunities, oversee renewals, and coordinate with underwriting and finance to deliver optimal client solutions within a regulated insurance environment.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification required.
• FAIS compliance / RE qualification required.
• Related insurance qualification preferred.
• Minimum 5 years in client services and operations within insurance/financial services.
• Minimum 5–7 years in a Portfolio Manager role.
• At least 3 years in a leadership capacity.

Responsibilities

• Manage an existing portfolio of clients with deep market insight.
• Maintain relationships with clients and stakeholders within the portfolio.
• Interpret financial statements and actuarial data; manage budgets.
• Advance Guardrisk's image and presence through proactive engagement.
• Discuss and distribute statistical information; approve claims when needed.
• Resolve client queries; re-evaluate portfolio structures as needs change.
• Identify cross-selling opportunities and oversee renewal processes.
• Coordinate documentation, agreements, and processes; ensure policy compliance.
• Develop new prospects, achieve annual new business targets, and grow income.

Skills

Client relationship management

Financial acumen

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

FAIS compliant / RE qualification

Related insurance qualification

Job description

Role Purpose

Understands how the business operates, what the key issues and risks are that drives business success; and how they impact on the commercial viability of potential ventures and the profitability of Guardrisk.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification.
• FAIS compliant / RE qualification.
• Related Insurance qualification preferred.

Minimum Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in client services and operations within an insurance/ financial service environment.
• Minimum 5-7 years relevant role experience in a Portfolio Manager role.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a leadership capacity.
• Strong financial acumen and thorough understanding on relevant regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Cell captive insurance model experience will be advantageous.

Duties and Responsibilities

Client relationship – Manage existing portfolio of Clients

• Apply deep insight/ acumen regarding current market dynamics to effectively manage healthy client relationships of existing portfolio.
• Maintain relationships with all relevant clients/ stakeholders within assigned portfolio.
• Using financial acumen to interpret financial statements, actuarial data and ability to deal with budgets.
• Enhancing and sustaining Guardrisk image and presence.
• Distributing and discussing statistical information.
• Providing prompt authorisation of claim payments.
• Resolve client queries when escalated.
• Re‑evaluating portfolio structures and servicing requirements on an ongoing basis relative to changing needs of the client.
• Evaluating client’s needs and requirements to enhance cross selling of other Guardrisk products.
• Manage the renewal process with broker/client.
• Ensuring all documentation pertaining to the insurance programme /facility is in place

Client relationship – Identify and execute on new prospects

• Developing and expanding the portfolio with ongoing prospect pipeline through liaison within the greater business, broker/ client relationship.
• Achieving a targeted annual new business budget for portfolio.
• Oversee the introduction of new clients and new insurance structures.
• Creating and maintaining business relationships to ensure new business growth of both income and clients.
• Dealing with Financial Managers, Financial Directors, Risk Managers at client EXCO level.
• Building and maintaining relationships at client/ broker and interdepartmental levels.
• Liaising with Underwriting, Finance, Actuarial, Claims departments.
• Attending product launches when required.
• Discussing and finalising client requirements in respect of pricing, cost and income structure.
• Co‑ordinating documentation, role and responsibilities, agreements, system and legal requirements, processes and procedures.
• Complying and managing new business take‑on procedures.

Financial Management

• Understand client financials and identify potential issues.
• Fully accountable for budgeting and forecasting for portfolio.
• Control the budget for area, including the authorisation of expenditures and implementation of financial regulations.
• Manage high risk and problematic financial issues in area of accountability and contribute to the development of policy.
• Identify solutions to enhance cost effectiveness and increase operational efficiency.
• Investigate reported wilful acts of non‑compliance to organisation policy and practice and report on findings.

Client Reviews Process

• Liaising with the technical review teams.
• Advising technical review teams of all pertinent information prior to each review.
• Providing input into the development of the annual review plan.
• Setting up review meetings with clients in consultation with technical review teams.
• Delivering completed review reports to clients and following up and tracking of the implementation of proposed actions.

People Management

• Build strong relationships through providing specialist know-how and leadership to others, expressing positive expectations.
• Continuously develop own expertise in terms of industry and subject matter development and application thereof in an area of specialisation.
• Positively influence and manage change and offer specialist support where required.
• Contribute to continuous innovation through the development, sharing and implementation of new ideas and involvement of colleagues and staff.
• Participate and contribute to a culture of work centric thinking, productivity, service delivery and quality management.
• Take ownership for driving career development.

Administration

• Maintaining CSA (monthly) questions through the risk management system.
• Attending monthly Operational meetings with Portfolio manager(s) or delegate accordingly.
• Assisting Executive with Divisional reporting and deputise when required.
• Maintaining prospects list and report back on divisional issues.
• Monthly budget review and reporting on variances and new business targets.