Chief Claims Officer

Argo Group , a global multiline underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market, offers a comprehensive line of high-quality products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of our clients. We foster an inclusive culture that embraces diversity and design thinking, relies on innovation and agility, promotes collaborative service delivery, frequent, integrated communication, and authentic recognition of excellence.

A Brief Overview

The Chief Claims Officer reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer located in New York City and manages the entire Claims function for Argo. As a member of the executive management team, the Chief Claims Officer is responsible for the overall strategic direction, executive leadership, and management of all the Argo Group’s claims operations. This includes Casualty, Professional Lines, Program Claims, Operations, Property, Reinsurance, Surety, and Workers’ Compensation Claims. The position manages eight direct reports and approximately 180 indirect reports.  The Chief Claims Officer partners with the other Argo Group executives in formulating both strategic plans and policy to meet group profitability and growth objectives. The Chief Claims Officer provides claim leadership and direction to the Senior Management of all the Argo Group claims operations with a focus on supporting the consistent execution of claims functions and maintenance of operational excellence.  

How You Will Make an Impact:

• Partners with key Argo Group executives to develop strategic and operational plans aimed at achieving both growth and profitability targets. Works collaboratively with representatives of the corporate actuarial team.
• Strategically manages teams led by People Managers to provide customers and partners with strong claims service and technical capabilities. This includes sophisticated coverage analysis, timely claims resolution, and strong negotiation of settlements.
• Leads, directs, and has leadership accountability for establishing claims and that there are performance objectives and performance metrics in place at all organizational levels to both support and meet set objectives.
• Drives continuous improvement through initiatives involving the employees, processes, and technology.
• Identifies and implements claims best practices in all operating units for proper and consistent claims performance  to include management responsibility for claims compliance (OFAC, Medicare Reporting, Adjuster Licensing, SOX etc.) and achieving the appropriate financial outcomes.
• Effectuates claims resolution and process improvement while maximizing cost effectiveness and educating the business managers/leaders as to claims drivers and trends.
• Ability to establish working relationships with a variety of types of claims vendors and to negotiate the vendor contracts to maximize the financial benefit to Argo Group and its customers.
• Expertise in claims litigation management. Must have a proven track record of successful outcomes in this regard and be able to establish and maintain an enterprise-wide a specialized litigation management unit.
• Provides guidance and direction to claims managers and professionals through a continuous process of management involvement.
• Supports the claims selection process to retain claims professionals that consistently demonstrate appropriate technical expertise, maturity, and a professional commitment to excellence.

In summary, the successful candidate must be a knowledgeable, accomplished and “hands-on” insurance professional with a demonstrated track record of success in leading a diverse commercial lines claims organization with the ability to provide “best in class” claims service. The successful candidate will have demonstrated claims technical and management expertise coupled with an effective personal style and a “team player” orientation.  The Chief Claims Officer must be someone who can work collaboratively with other members of an executive management team, deal effectively with individuals of diverse professional backgrounds, and have consistent credibility both inside and outside of Argo Group. A career history that underscores continuous advancement either with an insurance organization or the insurance industry is also a requirement for the successful candidate.

What We Need:

The ideal candidate for this position will be an accomplished and highly capable insurance professional with a minimum of twenty years’ experience in a senior management commercial property and casualty claims role within an organization with a full-scale domestic orientation. He/she must have highly effective leadership skills and a consistent record of superior results in leading a successful commercial claims organization with operations located throughout the United States and Bermuda.

The successful candidate must have a thorough understanding of property and casualty financial and actuarial concepts and requirements and their influence on the claims reserving process and financial outcomes. He/she must have experience in  designing and implementing claims technology solutions. The successful candidate will possess an analytic and metric driven focus combined with strong strategy development and execution skills. He/she must be able to develop and provide corporate presentations to senior and executive claims management that are based upon metric-driven analysis and conclusions.

Significant personal characteristics for a successful candidate include:

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build consensus both internally and externally.
• A strong focus on execution in getting things done right. Someone who consistently produces and delivers expected results to all stakeholders.
• Client focus – the ability to effectively determine specific client needs and to provide value added solutions.
• A proven business leader with strong knowledge of Argo Group US, Inc.’s business but who also understands return on capital, expense, risk, and efficient use of capital but also understands how these link together and can translate them into actions.
• Demonstrates inner strength. Has the courage to do the right thing and demonstrates it daily.
• Intellectual curiosity. Consistently considers all options and is not governed by conventional thinking.
• Ability to build commitment both internally and externally. Ability to communicate compelling and inspired corporate vision and to gain support for his/her views, opinions, and decisions.
• Strong focus on selection – determined to have the right people who do the best job. Has a reputation for his/her ability to identify, attract and hire talented people.
• Dedicated to developing talent. Understands and is committed to developing people so that they realize their full potential.
• A team builder, someone who understands that success is dependent upon the performance of the team and not individual team members. Creates strong morale and spirit within the team: shares wins and celebrates success as a team
• Ability to establish mentoring relationships with key employees and participates in the development of succession and training plans for critical positions.
• Ability to drive consistent and timely application of claim adjudication and litigation management strategies.
• Ability to proactively communicate accurate and timely reflection of loss development, potential/actual financial exposure, coverage issues, claim strategies and ALAE and ULAE containment.
• Demonstrates superior knowledge of complex claims situations and all aspects of litigation management process.
• Demonstrates ability to make timely, solid decisions and recommendations supportive of strategic outcome/results.
• Maintains productive relationships with clients, business partners and organizational peers with a focus on timely and meaningful exchanges of information.
• Possesses an extensive knowledge and experience with adjudicating and management claims for a portfolio of commercial products/program lines including surety, auto, general liability, D&O, EPLI, E&O, umbrella/excess, workers’ compensation, property, asbestos/environmental, reinsurance and the relevant claims handling practices supporting such products/programs.
• Skilled in coverage, liability and damages analysis possesses a comprehensive knowledge of the litigation management process, relevant case regulation and statutory law.

Education Requirements include:

• J. D. from an accredited law school.
• A CPCU or other relevant professional designation is desirable.

Physical Demands

Unless otherwise specified below as an essential function of the job, this role generally operates within a standard office environment (on-site, remote or hybrid); requiring the use of a PC and other related office equipment.

About Working in Claims at Argo Group

• Argo Group does not treat our claims or our claims professionals as a commodity. The work we offer is challenging, diverse, and impactful.
• Our Adjusters and Managers are empowered to exercise their independent discretion and, within broad limits and authority, be creative in developing solutions and treat each case as the unique situation it is. 
• We have a very flat organizational structure, enabling our employees to have more interaction with our senior management team, especially when it relates to reviewing large losses. 
• Our entire claims team works in a collaborative nature to expeditiously resolve claims. We offer a work environment that inspires innovation and is open to employee suggestions. We even offer rewards for creative and innovative ideas. 
• We believe in building an inclusive and diverse team, and we strive to make our office a welcoming space for everyone. We encourage talented people from all backgrounds to apply.

How We Work - Our Employee Values

Employees at Argo thrive together as a responsible, profitable specialty insurer where all stakeholders share in our success.  
 

We are committed to:

• Demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit:
  • Get the job done in a non-bureaucratic, resourceful manner.
  • Create a culture of accountability ensuring the delivery of world-class products and services.
• Do the right thing:
  • Act with integrity always.
  • Adhere to the commitments set forth in the Argo Group Environmental, Social and Governance program.
• Collaborate:
  • Create an open and transparent environment in which diverse experience, skill sets, and individuals can team together to drive optimal outcomes.
  • Encourage and include unique perspectives at all times.
• Respect each other:
  • Create an environment that promotes dialogue, mutual support, and cooperation between and among all, where people are fun to be around, proud of what they do, and willing to achieve beyond normal expectations.