Head of Operations

At MAPFRE Assistance we’ve grown consistently in recent years to become a market leader in insurance and assistance products. Our objective is to continue this profitable growth by providing the world-class customer service that our clients have come to expect.

Our company is a market leader in providing claims handling services, assistance services and speciality risk products. We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, team driven individual to join as Head of Operations over our claims, networks and assistance departments. This is an essential role to the business and the executive team. This is a 24/7 operation and utmost care and attention is needed to support our employees and clients. This role will report into the General Manager.

Working hours are Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the continuous improvement of our Service Level Agreement
• Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the roles in your department
• Be proactive in implementing innovative ways to improve work processes and technology
• Develop strategies and initiatives for motivating and engaging the entire department to provide a
  best-in-class service to our customers
• Work with both Local Unit and Group Head Office personnel to:
  ▪ forecast volume and customer demand for the coming budget and seasonal period(s)
  ▪ support business transformation, through deployment of group tools and technologies and development of local solutions
  ▪ continuously develop and enhance best practice and standard operating procedures in the Department
  ▪ make recommendations to the business on required changes, initiatives and innovations to deliver performance improvements and the best possible consumer outcomes
  ▪ assist with development of new business opportunities
  ▪ actively contribute to the management of key client relationships
• Deliver on individual goals and objectives linked to the department and company strategy
• Take lead on & assume responsibility of any new Group initiatives, programmes, processes, etc. that are required to be implemented from Head Office
• Leading and guiding the Operations Department in the handling of complaints in accordance with Company protocol and the Consumer Protection Code as required by the Central Bank for all Financial Services Providers
• Take lead on & responsibility of all instructions, initiatives, regulations, company protocols, etc. concerning  Compliance within the Operations Department
• Working closely with the Head of Governance, Risk & Compliance to adhere to all aspects of their remit and external regulations, legislation, etc.
• Participate as required in one-to-one meetings with staff, including performance reviews, disciplinary meetings and Performance Improvement Plan reviews
• Specifically prepare and implement development plans for direct reports and their teams
• Participate in the recruitment process as required
• Oversee the preparation of Training Needs Analysis for the Department in conjunction with the trainers & managers, who will report into this role directly or indirectly
• Plan and manage the Operations budget with a view to ensuring it is used in the most efficient way possible
• Effectively control & understand operational costs and be able to price call centre & claim services
• Oversee the preparation of monthly and ad hoc reports, analyse these reports and form conclusions to present to the General Manager and Head Office as required on the key metrics of the Operations Department
• Develop escalation procedures and report to the General Manager, serving as a key member of any applicable committee, on a regular basis in relation to all company governance, risk & compliance matters.
• To take a strategic, long-term perspective using own initiative & innovation, to create a stand out service & product offering for all our clients, partners & customers

Any other duties as required and instructed by the business

What we’re looking for:

• The ideal candidate will have a strong executive presence and will have developed their career in the insurance
  industry so that at this stage they have minimum 5 years previous senior management experience preferably:
  o In an insurance claims or assistance environment
  o With a strong operations / call-centre / customer service delivery background
• Demonstrated success in recruiting & developing high performance customer service or claims team
• Strong track record of leading large teams to achieving/exceeding SLAs and customer metrics in a regulated
  environment
• Experience in preparing and managing budgets and controlling operational expenditure
• An unwavering commitment to the highest standard of ethics and compliance with all regulatory obligations
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the key drivers of effective service delivery in a customer service centre
  including:
  o Telephony and ICT systems
  o Volume and demand forecasting
  o Resource planning and management
  o Process efficiency
• APA (Accredited Product Advisor) qualification is a minimum requirement of this role
  

What we offer you:

• Service days
• Time and attendance quarterly rewards
• APA / CIP training
• Free Motor Rescue and European Travel Insurance
• Health insurance discount
• 20% discount on all other travel insurance outside Europe
• Sports & social club
• City centre office location, handy for public transport
• Bike to work scheme
• Travel Pass
• Opportunity to work with a global company based in over 35 countries

Please note the business reserves the right to review & amend this role to incorporate the future needs of the role, department & Company, if necessary.

About the Company

MAPFRE Assistance is a market leader in travel insurance, car breakdown assistance, car warranty and home emergency assistance. We work with Ireland’s largest insurers, brokers and motor dealers. We have been based in Galway city centre since 1991, the Irish unit of one of the world’s largest insurance and assistance companies.

 For more information on this role please email careersireland@mapfre.com.