Head of Claims & Legal Job APA Life Assurance, Nairobi, Kenya

Key Primary Responsibilities

Claims Performance & Profitability

• Own and manage claims performance against loss ratio and cost targets
• Identify and address leakage drivers across the claims lifecycle
• Implement cost control initiatives across repairs, legal, and settlements
• Provide claims insights to support underwriting and pricingdecisions

End-To-End Claims Management

• Ensure efficient management of the full claims lifecycle:
• Notification (FNOL)
• Assessment and validation
• Settlement
• Recoveries
• Salvage management
• Improve turnaround times and claims outcomes
• Drive consistency in claims decision-making

Legal & Litigation Management

• Define and execute the company’s litigation and settlement strategy
• Manage and optimise external legal service providers
• Ensure effective handling of court matters and disputed claims
• Control and monitor legal costs and outcomes

Recoveries, Salvage & Third-Party Management

• Develop and implement strategies to maximise recoveries and salvage value
• Oversee relationships with third-party providers, including:
• Assessors
• Repairers
• Legal service providers
• Introduce and monitor performance standards and commercial accountability

Data, Reporting & Analytics

• Ensure accurate and timely claims reporting and reserving
• Develop and utilise claims data to:
• Identify trends and risks
• Detect fraud, and inefficiencies
• Support management decision-making
• Provide regular performance updates to management and EXCO

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with:

• Regulatory requirements
• Internal policies and procedures, and recommend improvements
• Audit and actuarial recommendations
• Maintain strong controls and oversight across claims processes
• Ensure proper reserving discipline and file integrity

Process Improvement & Transformation

• Continuously review and improve claims and legal processes
• Support the digitisation and automation of claims operations
• Partner with IT and business units to implement technology-enabled solutions

Stakeholder Management

Manage relationships with:

• Internal stakeholders (underwriting, finance, operations)
• External stakeholders (customers, brokers, lawyers, regulators)
• Serve as a key advisor on claims and legal risk matters

People Management

• Lead, coach and develop the Claims and Legal team
• Drive a performance culture aligned to business outcomes
• Ensure appropriate skills, capacity and capability within the function

Key Performance Indicators (KPIS)

• Loss ratio performance (overall and by line of business)
• Claims turnaround time
• Legal cost as a percentage of claims cost
• Recoveries and salvage ratios
• Reduction in claims leakage and disputed claims
• Compliance and audit outcomes
• Customer experience indicators (where applicable)

Critical Success Factors

• Ability to improve claims profitability in a challenging operating environment
• Strong control orientation and governance discipline
• Effective collaboration with underwriting and other business units
• Proactive management of litigation and high-risk claims
• Clear ownership and accountability for outcomes

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in insurance, Law, Commerce, or related field

Job Skills and Requirements

• Strong commercial and analytical capability
• Leadership and people management skills
• Decision-making and problem-solving ability
• Stakeholder management and communication skills
• High level of integrity and professional judgment
• Ability to drive change and process improvement

Professional Qualifications

• ACII / AIIK or equivalent professional qualification
• Membership of a relevant professional body

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in claims, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership role
• Proven experience in:
• Managing complex claims and litigation
• Driving claims performance and cost control
• Leading teams and operational improvement initiatives

How to Apply

Click here to apply