Head of Reserving

Head of Reserving

Full-Time 100000 - 120000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
Ki

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and innovate in reserving and regulatory teams, shaping strategic direction and processes.
  • Company: Join Ki, the fastest growing algorithmic insurance carrier revolutionising a 335-year-old market.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, recognition for extraordinary efforts, and a dynamic work environment.
  • Other info: Opportunity to define 'best in class' in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
  • Why this job: Be a key player in transforming the insurance industry with cutting-edge technology and insights.
  • Qualifications: Qualified Actuary with extensive London Market reserving experience and strong leadership skills.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 120000 ÂŁ per year.

Who are we? Look at the latest headlines and you will see something Ki insures. Think space shuttles, world tours, wind farms, and even footballers’ legs. Ki’s mission is simple: digitally disrupt and revolutionise a 335-year-old market. Working with Google and UCL, Ki has created a platform that uses algorithms, machine learning and large language models to give insurance brokers quotes in seconds, rather than days. Ki is proudly the biggest global algorithmic insurance carrier and the fastest growing syndicate in the Lloyd's of London market, being the first ever to make $100m in profit in 3 years. Ki’s teams have varied backgrounds and work together in an agile, cross-functional way to build the very best experience for its customers. Ki has big ambitions but needs more excellent minds to challenge the status quo and help it reach new horizons.

Where you come in? The Head of Reserving is a senior leadership role within the Ki Actuarial Leadership Team and a visible, influential voice across Ki, accountable for owning and continuously elevating Ki’s reserving capabilities and translating technical rigour into genuine commercial insight. The best reserve estimates matter, but so does what you do with them: this role is expected to be a genuine business partner, bringing the reserving lens on underwriting performance and long-term profitability—not just back-office sign-off.

The role is highly technical, leading the Actuarial Reserving and Regulatory teams, overseeing the full quarterly reserving cycle alongside related regulatory and statutory processes including IFRS 17 and Solvency II Technical Provisions. It sets and owns the Reserving Policy, maintains robust governance, and ensures all outputs meet the highest professional and regulatory standards—with clear audit trails, well-justified assumptions, and tight controls across the full reserving and regulatory domain. This is a leadership role, where developing and managing an experienced team, as well as a variety of internal and external stakeholders, is core. But equally important is the ability to think creatively, move quickly, and influence decisively. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and agile thinker: technically excellent, commercially minded, a natural project and stakeholder manager, and a problem-solver who thrives in complexity. In a business that is still building and evolving, this person will be energised by the opportunity to define what ‘best in class’ looks like—and then build it.

What you will be doing:

  • Set the strategic direction for the Reserving and Regulatory teams—defining what good looks like, team structure and talent to deliver, building high standards into every process, and holding the function to a consistent bar of technical excellence and commercial relevance.
  • Lead and develop the Actuarial Reserving and Regulatory teams, coaching new analysts.
  • Coach, appraise, and stretch direct reports, with a clear commitment to building a diverse and high-calibre team.
  • Serve as a senior leader within the Ki Actuarial Leadership Team and a key voice at the executive level, helping to shape the strategic direction of the Actuarial function and contributing meaningfully to Ki’s broader commercial and organisational ambitions.
  • Build and embed robust, efficient, and well-documented processes across the reserving and regulatory function.
  • Champion automation and innovation to reduce operational drag and free capacity for higher-value analytical work.
  • Lead and own all aspects of the quarterly reserving cycle, ensuring compliance with all internal governance, professional standards, and regulatory requirements.
  • Set and manage the Reserving Policy and related policies, maintaining appropriate governance, documentation, controls, and audit trails.
  • Ensure all methods, assumptions, and judgements are clearly justified and consistently applied across classes.
  • Deliver best-in-class reserving processes through leadership of the technical build, development, and maintenance of reserving systems.
  • Embrace innovative and sophisticated techniques, and leverage technology to drive efficiency and quality.
  • Act as a true business partner across Ki—working collaboratively with Claims, Risk, Portfolio Management, Pricing, Outwards RI, Portfolio Underwriting, and the Algorithm teams to develop effective feedback loops, integrate information, and disseminate reserving insight that actively challenges assumptions and steers strategic and commercial decisions.
  • Deliver and continually develop value adding insight to the business, applying thought leadership and creativity to lift the signal from the data to the business.

Qualifications:

  • Qualified Actuary (FIA, FFA or equivalent), with extensive experience in London Market reserving.
  • Obtained a relevant, numerate degree with a good overall grade.
  • Experience in managing a team of qualified and student actuaries – prioritising workloads.
  • Self-starter, creative thinker and problem solver.
  • Excellent IT skills, experience coding, with track record of applying AI in an insurance setting.

The incumbent must also demonstrate the skills and ability:

  • Technical authority - expert in your area, respected for both technical (Reserving, TP, IFRS) and wider business knowledge.
  • Communication & Stakeholder influence - strong communicator both verbal and written, maintaining effective relationships across various functions.
  • Problem Solver - always bringing solutions to challenges, with an appetite to deliver in creative and pragmatic ways to complex problems.
  • Excellent People leadership - inspiring, supporting, and motivating your team, managing resources to meet agreed deadlines.
  • Innovation & improvement - embracing of technology, with a drive for effective and efficient “best in class” processes.
  • Accountability & Integrity - accountability for all decisions within own area of responsibility, embodying high professional standards.

You’ll get a highly competitive remuneration and benefits package. This is kept under constant review to make sure it stays relevant. We understand the power of saying thank you and take time to acknowledge and reward extraordinary effort by teams or individuals.

What to expect during the recruitment process:

  • Initial recruiter screening call
  • Interview with hiring manager
  • Technical Interview (this may vary depending on the role)
  • Values Interview

Head of Reserving employer: Ki

Ki is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and innovative work environment that thrives on collaboration and creativity. With a commitment to employee growth, Ki provides extensive opportunities for professional development and encourages a culture of recognition and appreciation for extraordinary efforts. Located in the heart of London, employees benefit from being part of a pioneering team that is reshaping the insurance industry through cutting-edge technology and agile methodologies.
Ki

Contact Detail:

Ki Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Reserving

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Ki or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for your interviews by understanding Ki's mission and values. Show us how your experience aligns with our goal of revolutionising the insurance market. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to our ambitious plans!

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your storytelling skills! We love candidates who can share their journey and experiences in a way that highlights their problem-solving abilities and leadership style. Make it engaging and relatable.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to follow up after your interviews! A quick thank-you note can leave a lasting impression and shows us that you're genuinely interested in the role. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit!

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Reserving

Qualified Actuary (FIA, FFA or equivalent)
London Market reserving experience
Team management
Technical authority in Reserving, TP, IFRS
Communication Skills
Stakeholder influence
Problem-Solving Skills
People leadership
Innovation and improvement
Data Science
Python-based reserving environments
Strategic thinking
Accountability and Integrity
Agile thinking
Automation and process improvement

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion for Innovation: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for disrupting the insurance market shine through. We want to see how you can bring fresh ideas and innovative thinking to the table, especially in a role that’s all about challenging the status quo.

Highlight Your Technical Expertise: Make sure to showcase your qualifications and experience in reserving and regulatory processes. We’re looking for someone who can translate technical rigour into commercial insight, so don’t hold back on detailing your achievements and skills in this area.

Demonstrate Leadership Skills: As a senior leader, it’s crucial to show us how you’ve successfully managed teams and influenced stakeholders in the past. Share examples of how you’ve developed talent and fostered collaboration, as we value strong people leadership at Ki.

Tailor Your Application: Take the time to customise your application for the Head of Reserving role. Use the job description as a guide to align your experiences with what we’re looking for. And remember, applying through our website is the best way to ensure your application gets noticed!

How to prepare for a job interview at Ki

✨Know Your Numbers

As a Head of Reserving, you'll need to demonstrate your technical expertise. Brush up on key reserving metrics and regulatory standards like IFRS 17 and Solvency II. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these in past roles and how they can drive commercial insight.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Style

This role is all about leading teams and influencing stakeholders. Prepare examples that highlight your leadership style, particularly how you've developed talent and fostered a positive team environment. Think about specific challenges you've faced and how you navigated them.

✨Be a Business Partner

Ki values collaboration across functions. Come prepared with examples of how you've worked with other departments, like Claims or Pricing, to enhance reserving processes. Show that you understand the bigger picture and can translate technical insights into strategic business decisions.

✨Embrace Innovation

Ki is all about digital disruption. Be ready to discuss how you've leveraged technology, such as AI or data science, in your previous roles. Share your thoughts on how you can bring innovative solutions to the reserving function and improve efficiency.

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