AVP, Client Solutions, Protection, India

Job Title

Job Description

The Role

As AVP, Client Solutions you will be responsible for significant contribution towards achieving our new business plan for Asia, with a specific focus in India, and in managing how we are perceived by our Protection clients in the Indian market.  You will own key client relationships – forming deep relationships across the business, developing in-depth knowledge of our clients' needs as well finding creative ways to tackle challenges.  Owning the relationship includes setting client strategies and working collaboratively with others to execute these strategies.

As part of the role you will prepare reinsurance treaties and lead their negotiation and implementation within our business.  Co-ordinate client work across all Pacific Life Re departments and manage client communications.  Maintain accurate and up to date information on client contact, opportunities, actions and treaty work in our CRM system.  Drive forward ad-hoc initiatives that improve the way we work and the service we provide to clients. 

The Team

The Protection Client Solutions team is responsible for achieving our Protection new business plans, managing client perceptions of Pacific Life Re, building strong client relationships, developing new products with our clients and creating a strong brand presence within the Indian market.  Our clients are allocated across our Client Solutions personnel whose job it is to own client relationships across our business both internally and externally. 

Person Specification

The role reports to the AVP, Client Solutions, Protection, Asia. You will be a highly driven individual who is motivated by the challenge of growing business and seeking new opportunities whilst remaining resilient when faced with hurdles.  You will be responsible for ensuring that any client-related activity is well prepared for and executed successfully.  You'll be a technically strong qualified Actuary or protection professional who is highly-skilled at interpersonal relationships and stakeholder management.  You'll be able to adapt your style to different stakeholders, seniorities and personalities to build relationships and your own credibility.  You'll have an excellent and engaging communication style and be able to communicate technical content and concepts accurately and clearly.  Having a strong meeting presence will be critical alongside the ability to present to audiences with diverse technical backgrounds.  You will bring creativity and challenge the status quo to solve problems effectively.

You will have previous experience in the Indian market and with some functional exposure to reinsurance pricing and/or product development, either at an insurer, reinsurer, broker or consultancy, with a desire to demonstrate your broader skill-set in a sales-orientated role.  You'll have an in-depth understanding of protection reinsurance and/or insurance within the Indian Protection market.  The ability to use your verbal reasoning skills to respond credibly on topics you've not considered or had experience of before is essential.  You will have excellent organisation skills to manage a diverse and changing workload and a history of working within challenging deadlines that require you to influence others in order to make sure that you meet them.

Members of the team typically come into the office at least a couple of days a week to collaborate with others effectively and you will also be required to travel to visit clients in the India frequently.

Duties

Client Management

• Own the management of existing client relationships for their client portfolio through client meetings, presentations and identifying gaps and new opportunities;
• Work with all relevant teams across Pacific Life Re to ensure high service standards are maintained in relation to client initiatives, queries and requests;
• Develop a deep understanding of Pacific Life Re business, strategy and risk appetite to feel empowered to confidently respond to client queries and accurately represent Pacific Life Re views as quickly as possible;
• Produce timely, high quality responses to client invitations to tender for their client portfolio and to ensure the quote process is adhered to;
• Promote Pacific Life Re and raise credibility through presentations and attendance at industry conferences.

Business Management & Implementation

• Liaise and maintain relationships with key internal stakeholders including the Protection Pricing, Underwriting and Claims, and Marketing teams;
• Stakeholder management of the PMLC amongst other forums from time to time;
• Support business implementation projects with the DBS, including the implementation and handover of new Protection treaties and addenda;
• Take ownership of business initiatives which improve the way we work and/or enhance the services we offer clients;
• Manage multiple tasks at the same time and be able to prioritise effectively.

Innovation & Technical Perception

• Challenge current ways of working and drive improvements in the delivery of the Client Solutions team;
• Ensure high quality, technical detail and communication, to help us continue to stand out in the market; 
• Work with internal stakeholders locally and across the global Protection line of business to take advantage of existing technical work and ensure knowledge isn't lost that may beneficial in client communication; 
• Continually and proactively looking to 'put ourselves in the clients shoes' and develop new analysis streams that add value to the reinsurance relationship. 

Treaty & Contract Work

• Lead treaty and addenda negotiation and implementation with their clients;
• Liaise with internal stakeholders in DBS, Underwriting and Claims, Pricing and Legal to incorporate their views and ensure appropriate review takes place before contracts are finalised;
• Ensure the Treaty Authority is adhered to and audit trails are documented in line with agreed processes;
• Lead internal approval processes which require Division or C-suite level approval;
• Support management of treaty pipeline for clients and provide updates internally as required.

Development of the team

• Train and develop more junior members of the team to get them to the point where they can confidently manage their own client relationships with minimal support;
• Share your experiences of working with clients with the team to help their development;
• Identify opportunities to enhance the skill set of the team by arranging appropriate training

Candidate Requirements

Qualifications

• Mathematics, Economics or Science-based degree, and
• Qualified Actuary with at least ten years' experience in the Protection market in Asia, and more specifically in India (or equivalent qualification or experience) is preferred

Knowledge & Experience

• Understanding of protection experience and the drivers for changing claims and persistency rates;
• Knowledge and understanding of the key product features on the various long-term protection products;
• Knowledge and understanding of different reinsurance structures used in the Indian Protection Market.

Key skills

• Highly driven and motivated; 
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Outstanding problem solving skills;
• Exceptional communication skills;
• Outstanding presentation skills;
• Highly organised individual;
• Strong project management and leadership skills;
• Self-starter: comfortable taking initiative.

Desirable Experience

• Knowledge of the key issues currently facing the Indian Protection market.
• Knowledge of negotiating contracts and the key articles in a reinsurance treaty.
• Experience at a direct insurer, broker, reinsurer or consultancy.
• Knowledge and understanding of Protection distribution in the Indian market.
• Knowledge and understanding of Protection underwriting & claims in the Indian market.
• Knowledge and understanding of Protection pricing.
• Experience and confident in presenting to clients.

Working For Pacific Life Re

Every person in our global team is valued for the unique qualities they bring to our business and we seek to build their expertise and support their individual ambitions at every step. Of course, we take our work seriously and we know our team can operate under great pressure. We work hard and thrive on achievement, but we also know how to have fun and relax too. We regularly host a range of team building days to strengthen our team's connection with each other and reflect on their successes.

Providing employees with a healthy work-life balance is very important to our culture. We have a wide range of employee benefits and we host regular social activities and well being initiatives. We are also committed to supporting our employee's involvement in their communities, by actively fundraising, hosting charity events and overseeing volunteering opportunities.

Benefits

Leave

• 23 days of annual leave with option to buy/sell more days

• Adoption and fertility leave 

• Generous enhanced parental leave  

Healthcare

• Comprehensive private insurance coverage for employee and dependents

• Group Term Life Insurance coverage of 5x basic annual salary, Group Accelerated CI of 1x annual basic salary and Group Accidental Death & Dismemberment of 3x annual basic salary 

• Optical & Dental benefits 

• Additional flexi benefits

Wellness

• Access to Employee Assistance Program 

• Time off for volunteering 

• Charitable matching of employee donations

As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we will provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to ensure equal access to applicants with disabilities. Please contact us about your needs so that we can discuss these with you to make sure that suitable adjustments are made, where possible.

Pacific Life Re Values

Please click here to view our company values