Building Network Manager

Welcome to Hastings Direct. We’re a digital insurance provider with ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. We’ve made huge investments in our data and tech capabilities over the past few years, along with nurturing our 4Cs culture. We provide insurance for over four million customers, but we know there’s even bigger opportunity out there.

Role overview: We’re looking for someone to build and manage a strong and effective building repair network for Home Claims customers. Day to day, you’ll be making sure that we have the right contractors in the right places, doing quality repairs quickly, safely and at a fair cost, whilst providing outstanding customer support. You’ll lead colleagues (and the network) to continuously improve performance, working closely with MI and internal teams to keep the service simple, well controlled and focused on great customer and business outcomes.

Job details – you’ll need to have demonstrable experience in:

• Owning the strategy, set up and operational management of the Hastings Direct building repair network, making sure it supports strong customer outcomes, quality, resilience and commercial performance.
• Finding, onboarding and developing contractors with the right coverage, capacity, capability and standards to meet current and future repair demand and supporting procurement and commercial activity, including contractor selection, requirements and pricing arrangements.
• Leading contractor performance across contractual standards, including quality, timeliness, communication, complaints, cost and customer experience and using MI and insights to spot trends, fix root causes and improve costs, quality, cycle time, as well as customer experience.
• Managing budgets, forecasts, repair costs and supplier performance, finding ways to control spend without compromising customer outcomes.
• Leading, coaching and developing colleagues supporting the repair network as our operating model grows, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, high performance and customer focus.
• Maintaining strong quality assurance, including scope checks, technical reviews, audits and field inspections and making sure contractors and internal processes meet company, contractual, conduct, regulatory, health and safety and CDM requirements.

Essential skills/experience:

• Strong experience in home/property claims, building repairs, restoration or construction management, with a clear understanding of repair journeys combined with customer outcomes.
• Proven background and ability in managing contractor networks or supply chain partners, including onboarding, governance, performance and continuous improvement.
• Excellent commercial awareness, with experience of managing budgets, repair costs, supplier performance and indemnity spend.
• Strong understanding of contractor governance, quality assurance, risks and controls and service standards.
• Confident using MI and insights to assess performance, identify trends and drive improvements to cost, quality, cycle time and customer experience.

The interview process includes a recruiter intro/screening call, a 1st stage interview with the hiring leader, and a 2nd interview with the hiring leaders' leader.

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive. We also welcome applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS).

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

• Flexible working – we champion a flexible hybrid working approach.
• Competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus.
• Physical wellbeing – Hastings pays for you to receive private medical insurance (PMI).
• Financial wellbeing – providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%.
• Mental wellbeing programme – we have the thrive mental health app, our colleague assistance programme available 24/7, and support groups.
• 27 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your weeks.
• Access to health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, and social events throughout the year.

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.