Head of Product Governance and Claims Oversight

Job description

This is a senior first-line role within SquareTrade Europe Insurance S.A. (“STEI”), responsible for ensuring that claims, underwriting, product governance and distribution oversight operate as an integrated framework delivering good customer outcomes, sustainable commercial performance and effective regulatory control. The role will be the senior business owner for the controlled activities that shape underwriting outcomes and portfolio performance within STEI, including risk appetite implementation, product design oversight, target market definition, policy terms, pricing inputs, distribution strategy, claims performance, portfolio profitability, fair value assessment and customer outcome monitoring. Claims handling, fulfilment and aspects of distribution will be performed by SquareTrade Limited and other outsourced or intermediary providers. The role is therefore focused on oversight, monitoring and challenge on behalf of STEI under its governance and outsourcing framworks rather than day-to-day operational management, ensuring STEI retains effective accountability for regulated activities undertaken on its behalf. The role is accountable for ensuring that STEI can demonstrate effective ownership, oversight and challenge of the underwriting, claims and distribution activities that determine customer outcomes and portfolio performance, including where those activities are performed by intermediaries, affiliated group companies or outsourced providers. You will be part of an innovative team with a diverse set of responsibilities. You will play a pivotal role in establishing STEI’s footprint in Europe markets utilising in-house capability where appropriate. Key Responsibilities Underwriting, Product and Distribution Governance Maintain STEI's underwriting and product governance framework, including risk appetite, pricing oversight, product architecture, policy terms, eligibility criteria and portfolio performance controls. Ensure new products and material product changes are subject to appropriate challenge, governance and approval through the Product Oversight and Governance framework. Use claims, complaints, cancellations, distribution performance, profitability analysis, customer outcome monitoring and incident investigations to identify underwriting trends, emerging risks and opportunities to improve product design, pricing and customer outcomes. Work closely with FP&A (Pricing), Risk, Compliance, Customer Service and commercial teams to ensure pricing, claims assumptions, fair value assessments and product governance decisions remain aligned. Support the investigation, remediation and reporting of incidents, ensuring lessons learned are incorporated into product governance, underwriting controls and customer outcome improvements. Formal Responsibility for Distribution Act as STEI's formally appointed person with responsibility for insurance distribution and be accountable for ensuring STEI maintains effective governance, oversight, monitoring and reporting in respect of insurance distribution activities undertaken on its behalf. Maintain a risk-based monitoring programme covering distribution conduct, customer outcomes and fair value indicators. Ensure actual or potential customer harm, mis-selling risks or deterioration in customer outcomes are identified, escalated and appropriately remediated. Claims Experience and Claims Oversight Maintain first-line oversight of outsourced end-to-end claims journeys in line with STEI’s governance and outsourcing frameworks and prepare an annual board report on the suitability of the outsourced services. Ensure claims processes and controls (playbooks, operating manuals, policy interpretation guidance and escalation routes are approved) are reviewed on behalf of STEI recommending changes as required. Monitor claims MI and fulfilment performance on behalf of STEI with support from the outsourced service provider. Oversee incident investigation, root cause analysis and remediation for significant claims issues, complaints trends, service failures or customer outcome concerns. Outsourced and Intermediary Activity Oversight Support STEI's oversight of regulated activities conducted for both the Belgian insurer and its branches through affiliated group companies, intermediaries and outsourced service providers. Ensure STEI receives and reviews appropriate MI, service reporting, quality assurance outputs, audit findings and incident reporting from outsourced and intermediary arrangements. Challenge performance and control weaknesses through governance forums, business reviews and escalation processes, while avoiding duplication of day-to-day operational management by service providers. Support outsourcing, supplier and criticality assessments where claims, distribution, customer support or underwriting-relevant services are performed by third parties or group entities. Governance, Reporting and Continuous Improvement Serve as a senior member or regular attendee of relevant governance forums, including the Product Oversight Governance Committee, Consumer Duty forums and relevant management or reserving committees as required. Provide clear, evidence-based reporting to senior management, committees and the Board on underwriting performance, distribution oversight, claims outcomes, fair value and remediation activity. Ensure lessons from claims data, complaints, incidents, audits, regulatory observations and customer outcome monitoring are translated into practical improvements. Promote a culture of proactive ownership, challenge and continuous improvement across product, claims and distribution activities. Support regulatory reviews, inspections and responses relating to claims oversight, distribution oversight, customer outcomes, product governance and outsourced activities. Stakeholder Leadership Work closely with Partnerships, Product, Operations, Claims, Customer Service, FP&A (Pricing), Actuarial, Risk, Compliance, Legal and external partners. Act as a strategic bridge between STEI, affiliated group companies, outsourced service providers and distribution partners. Provide visible business leadership in Brussels and support constructive collaboration between first-line business teams and second-line control functions. Attributes & profile: Strong understanding of insurance product governance, fair value, Consumer Duty / customer outcome expectations and distribution-led insurance models. Experience overseeing outsourced or delegated operating models, including use of MI, service reporting, QA, incident management and governance forums to evidence effective oversight. Must have some experience in underwriting digital enabled products along with a strong understanding of disruptive trends within insurance. Strong commercial judgement, analytical capability and ability to connect claims experience, pricing, product design, portfolio performance and customer outcomes. Excellent communication and ability to influence senior stakeholders and service providers without relying solely on formal authority. Strong leadership, communication and governance skills, with the ability to produce concise, regulator-ready reporting and recommendations. Qualifications and professional experience: Degree educated professional, preferably with insurance, legal, business or other qualifications relevant to the role. Significant experience in a regulated insurance environment. Experience working across claims, underwriting, product governance, distribution oversight, customer outcomes or related first-line insurance functions. Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving outsourced providers, intermediaries and affiliated entities. Language skills: fluent in English and either of French or Dutch. This role is based in market but will require significant internal travel to partner locations along with monthly international travel to SquareTrade HQ in London. On average, two to three days per week will be spent with the partner, across a mix of locations, including HQ and stores, both within and outside the assigned region, depending on business requirements. The Team: SquareTrade is an Equal Opportunity Employer. What We Offer Competitive salary Opportunity to shape and influence hiring strategy Collaborative and high-growth working environment 2 charity days per year. For each day we will contribute the equivalent of your daily salary to the charity on your behalf. Private Healthcare and Health Cash Plan with Simply Health Monthly Gym/fitness allowance Monthly Wellness allowance Monthly Phone/Internet allowance Annual professional development allowance Headspace GoGeta Cycle to work scheme GoGeta Nursery scheme Friends & Family Mobile Repair Benefit SquareTrade is the fastest growing partner in the global device protection market and we work with many of the world’s largest operators, retailers and manufacturers. Our obsession with putting the customer first, from our transparent T&Cs to our better products, always available online claim filing and our flexible resolution options, are all underpinned by our exceptional team. This is the secret behind how we’ve continued to shake up the industry. We are the ones transforming a “bad” service category into something that empowers people to take care of the things that keep life running smoothly. Together, we’re united by the same end goal: to completely change what people expect from an insurance plan. We now protect over 140 million devices globally and work across Europe, with partners including Apple, T-Mobile and Telenor. We have been first to market with a number of key innovations, including fully-digital claims, choice of resolution option, next day exchange and same-day services via local and on-site repair. Our European ambition continues to grow as we step into new sectors including B2B, CE insurance and trade in products.