Chief Operations Officer Job

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Insurance Jobs, Corporate Staffing Services Jobs. Chief Operations Officer providing strategic and operational leadership across underwriting, claims and legal functions to drive operational excellence and compliance, requiring a master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance or Insurance, a Diploma in Insurance (ACII/IIK) and 8-10 years relevant experience in insurance operations, in a general insurance environment, on-site role.

About Us

Our client is a dynamic and well-established general insurance company, proudly serving the Kenyan market with innovation and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction. As a customer-focused and forward-thinking organization, we strive to deliver exceptional insurance solutions and experiences that positively impact the lives of our clients.

Job Purpose

The COO is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership across the Company’s core operational functions, including Underwriting, Claims, Legal and related support functions.

The role is accountable for ensuring efficient, compliant, customer-focused and financially sustainable operations, translating the Company’s strategy into operational plans and measurable results. The position will drive operational excellence, business growth, risk management, process improvement and effective service delivery while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations and industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Develop and implement operational strategies, plans and initiatives aligned with the Company’s overall objectives.
• Provide overall leadership and accountability for the performance of the Company’s operational functions.
• Translate strategic objectives into clear operational targets, priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Work with the CEO and senior management to formulate and execute short-, medium- and long-term business strategies.
• Ensure alignment of operational plans with the Company’s vision, mission and values.
• Ensure effective coordination between Operations and other functions, including Finance, HR, Business Development, Risk and Compliance.

Underwriting & Portfolio Performance

• Provide strategic oversight of underwriting operations to ensure quality risk selection and adherence to guidelines.
• Monitor portfolio quality, pricing discipline, loss trends and delegated authority limits.
• Ensure effective implementation and review of underwriting policies and controls.
• Analyze trends and recommend corrective and improvement measures to support sustainable portfolio growth.

Claims Management

• Provide oversight of claims operations to ensure timely, fair and efficient processing and settlement.
• Monitor turnaround times, claims costs, leakage and other performance indicators.
• Ensure adherence to claims procedures, authority limits and regulatory requirements.
• Strengthen controls for identifying and preventing fraudulent or irregular claims.
• Manage resolution of escalated claims and operational challenges affecting customers.
• Recommend measures to improve claims efficiency, customer experience and cost management.

Legal, Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure operational activities comply with applicable laws, regulations, regulatory directives and internal policies.
• Ensure compliance with insurance regulatory requirements and timely regulatory reporting.
• Identify, assess and manage operational, legal and regulatory risks affecting performance, reputation or customers.
• Establish and maintain appropriate internal controls across operational functions; strengthen fraud prevention and detection.
• Work with Legal, Risk and Compliance to address regulatory risks and support governance frameworks.
• Ensure timely closure of audit, compliance and control findings, and prompt escalation of control weaknesses or emerging risks.
• Promote a culture of accountability, risk awareness and compliance across the organization.

Performance Management & Operational Excellence

• Establish and monitor operational KPIs and performance targets.
• Develop and maintain an operations performance dashboard (productivity, turnaround times, service delivery, costs, quality).
• Hold teams accountable for agreed targets; implement corrective action where performance falls short.
• Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence across the Company.

Process Improvement, Automation & Digital Transformation

• Review and continuously improve operational processes, workflows and procedures.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize and automate operations.
• Champion adoption of technology and digital solutions to improve efficiency and customer experience.
• Lead or support operational transformation and change initiatives; promote data-driven decision-making.

Financial Oversight & Budget Management

• Collaborate with Finance to develop and manage operational budgets.
• Monitor operational expenditure; drive cost optimization without compromising service quality or compliance.
• Ensure operational activities contribute to the Company’s financial and business targets.
• Approve operational expenditure and claims/underwriting exceptions within limits approved by the CEO/Board.

Customer Experience & Service Delivery

• Ensure consistently high customer service standards across operational functions.
• Monitor service delivery, turnaround times and customer experience indicators.
• Ensure effective handling of complaints and service-related escalations; act on customer feedback.
• Ensure post-sale support processes address customer needs; promote a customer-centric culture.

Business Growth & Market Intelligence

• Support the CEO and senior management in identifying sustainable growth opportunities.
• Monitor trends in insurance and financial services; identify opportunities for innovation and new products.
• Ensure operational capacity and processes are aligned with the Company’s growth strategy.

People Leadership & Talent Management

• Provide leadership and direction to operational teams; build a high-performing, accountable culture.
• Ensure teams have the skills, resources and tools to deliver effectively.
• Set performance expectations and manage performance; identify training and development needs.
• Promote succession planning for critical operational roles.
• Ensure adherence to Company policies, values and code of conduct.

Stakeholder Management & Executive Communication

• Act as the key link between operational functions, the CEO, senior management and the Board, providing regular reports on operational performance, achievements, challenges, risks and opportunities.
• Provide timely escalation of significant operational, regulatory, financial and customer-related issues.
• Build relationships with regulators, professional bodies, service providers and business partners.
• Represent the Company in relevant industry forums as delegated by the CEO.

Business Continuity & Third-Party Management

• Ensure business continuity and operational resilience measures are in place for critical processes; participate in crisis management.
• Oversee performance of key operational service providers and third-party partners.
• Monitor SLAs, costs and quality of outsourced services; escalate persistent service or contractual issues.
• Champion responsible and sustainable business practices, including ESG initiatives, within operations.

Perform any other duties assigned by the CEO consistent with the responsibilities of the role.

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Strategic Management, Finance, Insurance, or a related field.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Strategic Management, Insurance, or a related discipline from a reputable university.
• Must have a Diploma in Insurance (ACII/IIK) completed or in progress.
• Must be a member of a relevant professional body in good standing.
• Minimum of 8–10 years’ relevant professional experience, with substantial experience in insurance operations.
• Proven experience managing multiple operational functions and leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrable experience in strategic planning, operational performance management and business process improvement.
• Experience in underwriting, claims, insurance operations, risk management and regulatory compliance.
• Experience in budgeting, cost management and operational performance monitoring.
• Experience in implementing process improvement, automation or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience working with senior management and Board-level stakeholders is highly desirable.

How to Apply

If you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualifications and experience, please send your CV, quoting only the job title in the email subject (COO – Insurance), to executiverecruitment@corporatestaffing.co.ke before 25th October 2026

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not receive any communication from us within two weeks of your application, kindly consider your application unsuccessful. We appreciate your interest and thank you for applying