Underwriting & Claims Strategy Manager

Together, we engage with everything we have and are, to help humankind act braver and better.

About UK Life Branch:

The UK life branch office, based in London, operates within the Europe and Latin America (EULA) region. Together with the Munich and Madrid offices, it constitutes the Life 1 division of Munich Re. The UK life market is one of the, if not the, most competitive life markets in the world. We understand that Life insurers work in a dynamic market where medical progress, demographic trends and changing lifestyles are constantly giving rise to new risk landscapes. This demanding situation is made even more challenging by changing laws and regulations and ever tougher competition. So, we need a smart strategy and structure to succeed.

At UK & Ireland Life we have three pillars to our business strategy, protection, longevity and reinsurance structuring. All three are key to the success of our business so it’s important to look at the big picture.
In terms of clients, we trust them as experts of their business and provide them with the financial strength of the world’s largest reinsurer, global expertise and sharp pricing so that they are both competitive and profitable.

About the role:

This client-facing, high-impact leadership role carries responsibility for shaping market positioning, influencing senior stakeholders, and strengthening Munich Re’s presence in the UK Protection market. You will define the strategic direction for a market-leading Underwriting & Claims propositions team, aligned with our Purpose, Protection Strategy, and 2030 ambitions..

The ideal candidate is a proven leader with strong analytical acumen, exceptional communication skills, and adept stakeholder management, possessing deep expertise in the Protection industry and emerging market trends.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of commercially driven underwriting and claims strategies to enhance profitability and support growth objectives in the UK life reinsurance market.
• Build effective client relationships by deeply understanding their needs and challenges, delivering tailored solutions that secure successful tenders and retain business.
• Leverage data, market intelligence, and commercial insights to identify and capitalise on market opportunities, optimising risk selection, pricing, and claims management.
• Collaborate closely with sales, actuarial, and product teams to design and promote competitive reinsurance solutions that effectively balance risk and reward.
• Provide incisive research and analysis to clients to clients and internal stakeholders with compelling presentations and proposals that articulate the commercial value and risk appetite of underwriting and claims strategies.
• Drive process enhancements in underwriting and claims to reduce costs, accelerate decision-making, and elevate client satisfaction while maintaining risk discipline.
• Monitor financial and operational performance metrics to evaluate the commercial impact of underwriting and claims activities, ensuring alignment with corporate goals.
• Provide strategic insights and recommendations to strengthen market positioning, preserve profit margins, and proactively address competitive and regulatory challenges.

Competencies:

Strategic mindset (we think big) – you look, plan and move into the future with clear intentions and purposeful actions, seeking regular feedback, that allows you to make decisions today that will lead the business towards its future commitments.

Ensures accountability (we lead the ‘we’) – you hold yourself and others accountable to take responsibility and meet commitments, creating a culture where people own their decisions and actions and appreciate how they contribute to the team/organisation commitments.

Managing complexity (we grow with our clients) – you make sense of complex and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems, learning and sharing along the way.

Sponsors work (we care and dare) – you know when to lead and when to let others lead, providing direction and delegating to others, empowering and trusting them to achieve their commitments. Develops talent (we care and dare) – you develop the team to meet their career ambitions, building capability at an individual and organisational level, preparing them for future opportunities. You discuss feedback and development regularly and promote a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Being resilient (we are clear and authentic) – setbacks are unavoidable; however, you recover quickly, seek feedback, learn and unlearn and move forward with courage and commitment.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Commercial understanding of Life and Health insurance and Reinsurance market.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Experience with research projects and reporting on and monitoring market changes.
• Previous involvement in product development projects or other cross department projects.
• Confident and effective in dealing with internal stakeholders and with external clients both at senior levels.
• Management experience and a proven record of developing staff.
• Strong organisational skills to meet deadlines and manage client expectations.
• Ability to produce high quality written material.
• Confident, with excellent communication and presentation skills. 

Qualifications and Educational Requirements:

• ACII or Equivalent Degree level

People Leaders:

You are aware of your role (as a leader) in being able to influence your team structure and culture to promote principles of diversity and inclusion.

You strive to continuously educate yourself on best practice for inclusive leadership.

You demonstrate and role model inclusive behaviour and encourage your colleagues to play an active role in creating an inclusive culture as well.

You support a culture in which high ethical conduct is recognised, valued and embodied by all

You treat everyone fairly and with respect.

Regulatory & Conduct Requirements:

In addition to the responsibilities set out above, the Head of Underwriting & Claims Strategy will also become responsible for:

• Understanding the responsibilities and adhering to the requirements of undertaking a regulated role under the Senior Manager and Certification Regime
• Ensure compliance with Insurance Distribution Directive
• Ensuring compliance with Munich Re’s Code of Conduct and the FCA Conduct Rules

Benefits

You will be rewarded with a great compensation package, on target bonus, 25 days annual leave with the option to purchase more along with private medical insurance and employers' contributory pension of 10%

We are one of the few employers to offer fully paid  6months family leave for times when you need it the most. 

About us

You will work in an environment where we think big: Change and culture are continuously role-modelled. We create and articulate a compelling and ambitious shared purpose, vision and direction. We pave the way towards success and see failure as learning

You are going to experience that we care & dare: We are empathetic. We know when to lead and know when to let others lead. We attract, grow and coach future leaders

We communicate in a clear & authentic way: We interact with a positive and humble spirit. We solicit feedback, ask and listen, learn and unlearn

You will grow with your clients: Whatever our role, we support business, in an efficient and effective way, to create value for our clients. We embrace new ways of working using digitalisation to deliver solutions

We lead the We: We have a passion for winning and growing as a team. We inspire people to be capable of joint performance. We create an inclusive environment where different thoughts, generations, cultures and experiences are valued and encouraged

At Munich Re, embracing the power of differences is at the core of who we are. We believe diversity fosters resilience and innovation and enables us to act on our purpose of helping humankind act braver and better. We recognise diversity can be multi-dimensional, intersectional, and complex, so we want to build a diverse workforce that includes a wide range of racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender identities; economic and geographic backgrounds; physical abilities; ages; life, school, and career experiences; and political, religious, and personal beliefs. Additionally, we are committed to building an equitable and inclusive work environment where this diversity is celebrated, valued, and has equitable opportunities to succeed.

If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with everything outlined, or you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the candidate we are looking for!

All candidates in consideration for any role can request a reasonable adjustment at any point in our recruitment process. You can request an adjustment by speaking to your Talent Acquisition contact.