Chief Claims Officer-Head of Claims

We believe the key to our success is a fully integrated company that brings the knowledge and expertise of underwriting claims, actuarial, loss control and financial professionals to everything we do. While many of our insureds face similar challenges, no two insureds are identical and we strive to creatively address the unique needs of each insured.

Our management team brings a unique blend of backgrounds, with some historically focused on human services and others with broader insurance industry experience with carriers from both inside and outside the W.R. Berkley group. These varied perspectives have been molded into a cohesive vision for BHS, which ultimately benefits our clients in many different ways.

]Responsibilities:

The Vice President, Claims is responsible for the overall management and direction of the claims department. Equally as important, participation on the Executive Team, that establishes the strategic direction for the company and ensures the overall profitability and success of the company in the human services market.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Proactive participation on Executive Team which establishes and executes the strategic direction of the company
• Work closely with the CEO to discuss, evaluate, and implement strategic directions for the claims operation that supports the overall direction of the company
• Establish solid relationships with other members of the Executive Team in order to improve team performance
• Be able to clearly communicate strategic direction to both internal resources and outside partners and insureds

• Manage a team of claims professionals by establishing clear performance metrics
• Implement strong policies and procedures designed to produce the desired results
• Ensure the continual professional development of claims professionals on the team by coordinating both internal and external training and development opportunities
• Develop and implement claim best practices for proper and consistent claim performance, compliance and achievement of business goals
• Establish clear reserving standards and ensure that those standards are continually met
• Identify issues and trends in the portfolio; take appropriate and/or corrective action where necessary; communicate trends to underwriters, insureds and brokers
• Identify claims with significant exposure and take a more active role coordinating a strategy for an appropriate resolution
• Coordinate with underwriting on current and proposed policy language and new markets to enter
• Cultivate a departmental culture that excels in communication and collaboration
• Drives the development, implementation and continuous planning, organizing and leading of all claim programs, metrics, processes, results and initiatives

• Proactively establish relationships with brokers and insureds in order to maximize the competitive advantage derived from the claims operation.
• Develop and manage the reputation of BHS’s claims handling in the market
• Attend industry conventions and events and become a sought out thought leader on developing issues
• Attend marketing, account renewal, and reinsurance meetings as appropriate in order to communicate our claims handling philosophy and leading position in this area
• Instill the above philosophies into all claims professionals at the company
• Work closely with company’s loss control function to provide value-added services to our insureds that reduce our exposure to loss

• Liaison with parent company, WR Berkley, on significant individual claims and trends identified in the overall portfolio
• Communicate portfolio trends and potential solutions to underwriting and actuarial areas
• Participate on quarterly performance calls with parent company in anticipation of earnings releases

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Advanced Degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in Commercial Casualty Claims, with a focus on the Human Services market.
• Significant experience in progressive positions demonstrating technical, operations, and management skills in the claims area.
• Experience in collaborating with an executive team.
• Proven ability to improve organizational effectiveness as well as retain, hire, train and develop Claims professionals.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate and manage well at all levels of the organization essential.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
• Technical proficiency is required.
• Ability to travel.