Underwriting & Claims Operations Manager in Whitehall

The Underwriting & Claims Operations Manager leads the effective day-to-day delivery of the Protection underwriting and claims operations team. The role is accountable for team performance, capacity and prioritisation, service standards, technical quality, audit delivery and a strong culture of ownership, development and constructive challenge. Reporting to the Head of Underwriting & Claims, you will lead experienced technical specialists while retaining the credibility to guide complex underwriting and claims matters within your expertise and authority.

Working with clients, Client Managers, Biometrics and other Protection colleagues, you will turn technical insight and operational data into practical actions that protect reinsurance interests, improve client outcomes and support Munich Re's Ambition 2030.

Internal

• Lead, coach and develop Underwriters and Claims Assessors, setting clear expectations, delegating meaningful accountability and addressing performance issues promptly through regular Continuous Conversations and development plans, while promoting an inclusive culture of high challenge, high support, clear communication and sound risk management.
• Work with Biometrics and other technical teams to monitor in-force treaty and claims experience, interpret material trends and support six-monthly reporting to Protection leadership, with clear recommendations and follow-up.
• Own operational planning, work allocation and resource deployment across underwriting and claims; use timely management information on volumes, complexity, case ageing, turnaround, quality and capacity to anticipate demand, manage bottlenecks and take corrective action against agreed service standards.
• Maintain effective technical governance and decision quality, ensuring underwriting and claims decisions are evidence-based, clearly reasoned and within authority limits, reinsurance commitments and approved philosophies; provide technical challenge, peer review and authorised second sign-off on complex referrals, escalating material or exceptional matters appropriately.
• Coordinate internal underwriting and claims quality assurance and audit activity, including oversight of UK Life Branch's internal Claims audit function; report material findings, trends and key risk indicators and ensure corrective actions are implemented and tested.
• Lead the maintenance and practical implementation of UK Life Branch's Claims philosophy, subject to appropriate technical approval and governance, and support consistent interpretation of underwriting philosophies, guidance and administration arrangements.
• Drive proportionate continuous improvement in workflows, quality controls, management information and knowledge sharing, including responsible use of validated and approved automation and AI-enabled tools; contribute operational and risk insight to agreed market-monitoring, tender, proposition and cross-functional change activity.

External

• Own the planning, resourcing and delivery of the agreed client audit programme across Underwriting, Claims and Group Risk, using suitably qualified specialists and ensuring clear reports, proportionate actions, accountable owners and timely follow-up.
• Review clients' relevant internal audit findings and quarterly results, challenge changes in decision practices or emerging control weaknesses, and escalate material exposures promptly to the Head of Underwriting & Claims and relevant Client Manager.
• Build productive relationships with client underwriting and claims counterparts through reviews, visits, advice and targeted training; deliver agreed consulting and Protection initiatives, translating audit findings and service feedback into demonstrable improvements.

The successful candidate will ensure:

• The team has clear priorities, individual commitments and meaningful development plans; performance is reviewed regularly, good contribution is recognised and underperformance is addressed constructively and without undue delay.
• Client and internal work is delivered consistently against agreed service and quality expectations, with workloads, resources, backlogs and emerging pressures visible and actively managed.
• Underwriting and claims decisions are appropriately controlled, independently reasoned and documented, with timely escalation of exceptions and no avoidable compromise to Munich Re's risk appetite or treaty commitments.
• Internal and client audits are completed to the agreed plan, with material findings communicated promptly and corrective actions assigned, monitored and verified for effectiveness.
• Claims philosophy, operating procedures and technical guidance remain current, governed and consistently applied; team capability is strengthened through coaching, peer review and targeted training.

Core competencies:

• Drives Results and Business Insight (We Think Big);
• Collaboration (We Lead the "We");
• Client Focus and Cultivates Innovation (We Grow with Our Clients);
• Courage (We Care & Dare);
• Persuades (We Are Clear & Authentic).

Role-specific behaviours:

• Accountable and inclusive people leadership; coaching with high challenge and high support; proactive prioritisation and decisive resource management; robust technical judgement; constructive challenge and escalation; commercial awareness; evidence-led performance management; and effective influence across clients and senior stakeholders.

Ensure team activities operate within applicable Munich Re policies, internal controls, agreed authorities, treaty and client arrangements, and relevant legal and regulatory obligations. Maintain appropriate awareness of UK insurance conduct expectations, fair customer outcomes, data protection, confidentiality, information security and applicable industry guidance as they affect underwriting, claims and client engagement. Ensure material operational, technical, conduct, data or compliance concerns are recorded, escalated and addressed through the appropriate governance channels, with support from Legal, Compliance and other control functions as required. Comply with Munich Re's Code of Conduct and applicable FCA Conduct Rules where relevant to the role; any direct engagement with a regulator is undertaken only where specifically authorised.

Essential

• Substantial experience in UK life and protection underwriting, with sound knowledge of Life, Critical Illness and Disability risks and sufficient understanding of protection claims practice to oversee technical quality and upscale appropriately.
• Evidence of leading, coaching and developing technical colleagues, through formal line management or significant operational leadership; confidence to set expectations, give feedback and manage challenging performance conversations.
• Strong understanding of reinsurance and delegated authority principles, technical governance, audit or quality assurance controls, documentation standards and the importance of consistent application of underwriting and claims philosophies.
• Demonstrable ability to plan resources, prioritise competing demands, manage workflows and use data to improve turnaround, quality, productivity and service reliability.
• Sound judgement when balancing risk, operational capacity, client requirements and commercial considerations, together with the confidence to challenge decisions and upscale material issues.
• Credible stakeholder and client relationship skills, with clear written and verbal communication, effective presentation and the ability to turn complex findings into practical actions.
• Experience of delivering process improvements or cross-functional initiatives, with strong organisation, follow-through and proficiency in relevant workflow, reporting and Microsoft 365 tools.

Desirable

• Experience in a life reinsurer or a senior insurer role involving reinsurer referrals, treaty arrangements, client audits or consulting.
• Hands-on expertise in protection claims assessment, complex claims peer review, claims audit methodology or the development of claims philosophy.
• Experience of Group Risk and the use of claims, audit or portfolio experience data to identify risk trends and guide remedial action.
• Experience implementing underwriting or claims systems, workflow automation, data-led improvement or appropriately governed AI-supported processes.
• Participation in tenders, client training, proposition development, market forums or cross-functional business change.
• Relevant professional qualification in insurance, underwriting, claims or risk (for example, CII), or equivalent demonstrable technical and leadership experience.
• Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development, including current underwriting, claims, market, governance and relevant regulatory knowledge.
• Additional management, coaching, medical, legal or data/analytics qualifications are advantageous but not essential.

People leadership and culture

Act as a visible, credible manager who creates a high-performing and psychologically safe team environment. Set a clear direction, encourage independent decision-making, invite different perspectives and give colleagues the confidence to challenge and upscale concerns. Promote inclusive behaviour, fair opportunities, knowledge sharing and succession planning; hold yourself and others accountable for commitments, professional standards and respectful conduct.

This job is with Munich Re, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork - the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Together, we engage with everything we have and are, to help humankind act braver and better.

About UK Life Branch: Together with the Munich and Madrid offices, UK Life Branch is part of Munich Re's Life & Health 1 (EULA) region. The UK life market is among the world's most competitive, shaped by rapid medical advances, changing demographics and lifestyles, regulatory developments and increasing competition. Success in this environment depends on a clear strategy and an effective operating structure.