Head of Finance Transformation

Job description

This is your opportunity to join AXIS Capital – a trusted global provider of specialty lines insurance and reinsurance. We stand apart for our outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and superior risk adjusted returns for our shareholders. We also proudly maintain an entrepreneurial, disciplined and ethical corporate culture. As a member of AXIS, you join a team that is among the best in the industry. At AXIS, we believe that we are only as strong as our people. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming culture where employees of all backgrounds and from all walks of life feel comfortable and empowered to be themselves. This means that we bring our whole selves to work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any basis prohibited by the laws that govern its operations. Job Description: Head of Finance Transformation Reporting To: Chief Financial Officer About the Team The Finance function at AXIS plays a central role in enabling enterprise strategy, capital stewardship, regulatory integrity, and performance insight. As AXIS continues to evolve, Finance is undertaking significant transformation to modernize its operating model, strengthen scalability and controls, and enhance its strategic contribution to the business. This role sits within the CFO organization and operates as a senior Finance transformation leader, working alongside the CFO and Finance Leadership Team to modernize Finance processes, capabilities, systems and ways of working across a multi-year horizon. How does this role contribute to our collective success? The Head of Finance Transformation is accountable for shaping and delivering the Finance transformation strategy and roadmap in line with Finance priorities and AXIS business objectives. Acting as the CFO’s senior adviser on Finance transformation, the role ensures Finance has the operating model, capabilities, technology and ways of working needed to support AXIS’s strategic objectives over a multi-year horizon. The role exists to improve Finance’s scalability, decision support, control maturity and adoption of modernized ways of working, helping Finance operate as a more integrated and insight-driven partner to the business. Scope Transformation is delivered through functional leadership, not around it. The role develops and recommends Finance transformation standards, target-state designs, and prioritization approaches, while execution accountability remains with Finance functional leaders. The role partners across Finance (e.g., FP&A, Controllership, Finance Operations, Treasury, Investor Relations, Tax, and other Finance teams) and with enterprise partners (BTS, Data, Operations, Underwriting, Actuarial, Risk, and others) to drive integrated solutions and consistent adoption of the future state. The role owns the Finance transformation strategy, roadmap, governance and benefits framework. The Chief of Staff integrates transformation progress, dependencies and decisions into the broader CFO agenda and executive operating cadence. What will you do in this role? Define and maintain the Finance Transformation strategy, roadmap, and target operating model aligned to Finance priorities and approved investment plans. Serve as the senior Finance transformation adviser to the CFO, providing recommendations on transformation investment, capability development, modernization priorities and key decisions requiring CFO or Finance Leadership Team direction. Shape and coordinate the Finance technology, data and analytics roadmap in partnership with BTS, Data and Risk, embedding advanced analytics and AI-enabled capabilities into Finance workflows such as forecasting, variance analysis, controls monitoring and management reporting. Establish and lead governance for the Finance transformation portfolio, including recommendations on investment trade-offs, sequencing, prioritization and resource allocation to ensure initiatives are value-driven, risk-managed and controlled. Build alignment across the Finance Leadership Team and key stakeholders on the Finance target operating model, transformation roadmap, design standards and adoption of future-state processes and ways of working, reinforcing accountability and addressing resistance as needed. Provide oversight of major Finance transformation programs, ensuring delivery aligns to strategic intent, regulatory requirements, and enterprise risk appetite—while monitoring benefits and outcomes (efficiency, effectiveness, control strength, analytic maturity, and business value). Partner with the CFO and Finance Leadership Team to evaluate Finance operating structures, resource deployment, and capability requirements needed to support future business priorities. Contribute to the development and enhancement of Finance policies, operating standards, governance frameworks, and transformation practices that improve effectiveness, scalability, and organizational performance. Represent Finance transformation in senior leadership forums, contributing to broader enterprise strategy and change discussions. Outcomes and how success is measured Measurable reductions in Finance cost-to-serve and improvements in cycle times (e.g., close, forecast, management reporting). Finance transformation roadmap delivered against agreed milestones, with clear governance, active risk management, documented decisions, and tracked benefits realization. Sustained improvement in control effectiveness, audit outcomes, and quality of regulatory engagement. Improved quality, timeliness, and actionability of management and board reporting; materially better analytics supporting decision-making. Increased adoption of standardized tools, processes, and data across Finance; reduced fragmentation and manual effort. Clear evidence of Finance operating as a strategic business partner to underwriting, investments, and operations, with documented decision support impact. Authority To accelerate delivery and avoid transformation drift, the role is empowered—through the CFO and Finance Leadership Team—to: Recommend transformation standards, target-state design principles and governance requirements for CFO and Finance Leadership Team approval. Recommend prioritization, sequencing, acceleration, pausing, or redirection of initiatives to ensure focus on the highest-value outcomes. Establish the governance, reporting and review cadence specifically required to oversee Finance transformation delivery, adoption and benefits realization. Convene and chair cross-functional decision forums as needed to remove barriers and drive resolution. About You – What we’re looking for In-depth expertise in Finance transformation, including operating model design, technology enablement, analytics modernization, governance, and strategic execution. Proven ability to advise executive and senior Finance leaders, influencing decisions with long-term and enterprise implications. Extensive experience leading large-scale, complex transformation initiatives in highly regulated, global environments. Strong enterprise judgement, balancing strategic ambition with governance, risk, and control considerations. Demonstrated ability to lead through other leaders—aligning and influencing senior stakeholders without relying on direct execution ownership. Strong strategic, systems, and data perspective—integrating Finance, technology, data, and operational considerations. Ability to communicate complex strategic topics clearly and persuasively to Executive Leadership and senior stakeholders. Role Factors Significant and regular interaction with Executive Leadership and senior management across AXIS. Accountability for Finance transformation outcomes, including sustained adoption, capability uplift and measurable business impact. High degree of autonomy in shaping objectives, frameworks, and approaches. Periodic travel will be required. Hybrid or in-office presence aligned with senior leadership expectations. For this position, we currently expect to offer a base salary in the range of $250 - 310,000 (NY), $210 - 285,000 (IL), $220 - 295,000 (NJ), $200 - 275,000 (GA). Your salary offer will be based on an assessment of a variety of factors including your specific experience and work location. In addition, you will be offered competitive target incentive compensation, with awards based on overall corporate and individual performance. On top of this, you will be eligible for a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes medical plans for you and your family, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and much more. Where this role is based in the United States of America, this role is [Exempt/Non-Exempt] for FLSA purposes. This posting is for an existing vacancy.