Colleague Assurance Manager in Bexhill-on-Sea

Welcome to Hastings Direct, a digital insurance provider committed to delivering quality customer outcomes.

Job Title: Colleague Assurance Manager

Location: Leicester or Bexhill (hybrid)

Role Overview

As our Colleague Assurance Manager, you’ll lead the Hastings Colleague Assurance capability, providing clear assurance leadership and credible challenge that gives the business confidence in colleague assessment standards, customer outcomes and emerging risk visibility.

You’ll lead the Colleague Assurance team and own the effective operation of colleague assurance governance and controls across customer‑facing operations. You’ll also set assurance priorities, shape how colleague assurance is targeted and governed, and move the function from activity‑based checking to outcome‑focused assurance.

Responsibilities and Experience

• Leading Colleague Assurance Strategy and Delivery – setting the direction for colleague assurance across customer‑facing operations, ensuring assessments are fair, evidence‑based, risk‑led and aligned to our QA framework
• Driving Assurance Confidence and Risk Management – owning assurance confidence through quality standards, consistency, governance and risk escalation, providing reliable assurance that colleague assessment activity meets framework requirements
• Developing Assurance Capability and Standards – leading accreditation, calibration and capability development to ensure consistent interpretation of QA standards, strong professional judgement and effective quality governance
• Leading and Inspiring the Assurance Team – building and developing a high‑performing Colleague Assurance team, making risk‑based prioritisation and resource decisions while fostering accountability, challenge and continuous improvement
• Embedding Data‑Led and Outcome‑Focused Assurance – driving the shift from volume‑based checking to targeted, analytics‑led, end‑to‑end customer journey assurance, focusing effort on the areas of greatest customer, conduct and operational risk
• Influencing Quality Improvement and Senior Decision Making – acting as the lead for the Colleague Assurance pillar, providing insight, assurance expertise and constructive challenge to influence governance outcomes, operational improvements and senior stakeholder decisions

Essential Skills and Experience

• Strong quality assurance leadership experience, including managing assurance activity within insurance, financial services or another regulated environment
• Strong knowledge of FCA regulation, Consumer Duty and customer outcome‑focused assurance with a clear understanding of QA frameworks, governance and assurance methodologies
• Proven leadership capability, with experience of developing high‑performing teams through coaching, calibration, accreditation and quality governance
• Strong analytical and risk‑based decision‑making skills, using data and insight to identify risks, prioritise assurance activity and drive improvements
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience presenting assurance insight and providing constructive challenge to senior leaders
• Resilient and adaptable change leader, able to collaborate across multiple functions and drive continuous improvement in quality, assurance effectiveness and customer outcomes

The Interview Process

• Recruiter intro/screening call
• First‑stage interview with hiring leader
• Second interview with hiring leader’s manager

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive. We welcome applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). For more information on the DCS, visit our inclusive business page on our careers website.

Regrettably we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary and £5k car allowance, you will also receive:

• Flexible hybrid working – you can discuss details with your recruiter
• Competitive bonus scheme – all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus
• Physical wellbeing – private medical insurance (PMI) and support for specialist care
• Financial wellbeing – life assurance cover, income protection, pension contributions up to 10%, and access to financial wellbeing resources
• Mental wellbeing programme – access to a mental health app, colleague assistance programme, in‑house mental health first aiders, support groups, and a dedicated team
• Annual leave – 27 days plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell a week, plus additional perks such as health‑care cash‑back, dental plans, cycle‑to‑work scheme, and more

Hastings Group is an equal‑opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status.