Head of Platform Travel

**What you do**:
As part of the Insurance Operations Department, the Head of Platform Travel & Medical Assistance is responsible for the management of all end to end functions associated with the claims management of all travel claims and medical services for Allianz Global Assistance.

The incumbent will provide work directly with the Regional Chief Operations Officer and Insurance Operations Leaders to set the department’s direction, plan the service delivery model within the agreed budget and customer satisfaction targets.

This role will own the development and maintenance of productive, high quality working relationships with a wide range of local and global stakeholders.

The Head of Platform Travel & Medical Assistance will ensure compliance with the General Insurance Code of Practice, contract obligations and relevant legislations including management and financial reporting.

As Head of Platform Travel & Medical Assistance you are a people leader, responsible for the development of a productive team environment fostering commitment to the Allianz People Attributes. Part of this role will include enhancing staff engagement and retention while empowering and developing people to deliver exceptional customer experiences every day.

Working with your direct reports, you will set the department’s direction and plan the service delivery model required to meet partner contractual deliverables, ensuring key KPI’s are consistently met and exceeded in delivering to our premium customer base. This role will oversee the management of all customer contact staff, related support staff, and network management teams to achieve operational excellence.

**What your key responsibilities are**:
**Medical and Travel Claims Management**
- Oversees the ongoing maintenance of effective and consistent claims processes that are in accordance with the relevant legislations across each claims function.
- Works with Quality and Performance to audit claims processes to ensure integrity and improvement within each claims function
- Leverages group relationships to identify and create opportunities for improving claims processes across the unit and establishing cost effective use of labour pools.
- Works to achieve cost reductions without degradation of service.
- Ensures technology and other enhancements are explored to ensure optimisation of customer experience and process enhancements are achieved.
- Develops understanding of actuarial and reserve management analysis and relationship with claims.
- Has an intrinsic knowledge of the average cost of claims.
- Imports new risk ratings for claims assessments based upon claims type and segmentation of claim.
- Develops strong relationships with the underwriting and actuarial teams to understand and explain claims patterns and impacts on reserves
- Ensure highly contentious and complex cases are well managed by team members and communicated to the appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner.
- Appropriately informs executive management of key issues to manage key intermediary relationship and market and brand perceptions.
- Oversee ongoing review and implementation of efficient and effective processes which ensure customer safety and well-being in relation to travel and medical assistance/services in a cost-effective manner
- Review decisions on escalated high cost claims to consider implications for policy coverage and company external positioning in accordance with the relevant legislations.
- Ensure claims leakage is managed to company standards, improving profitability of the claims book by ensuring staff adherence with claims policies.

**Strategic Growth and Transformation**
- To monitor and review the required operational systems, process, and delivery platforms through annual operation plans to support the company’s strategic direction and objectives.
- Maintain and review claims operational processes to ensure greater digitalisation and management of the claims processes.

**Risk Mitigation**
- Ensure processes and systems are in place within the departments to ensure that risks are mitigated for the organisation in relation to travel claims, medical assistance, repatriation of customers and pre-existing assessments.

**Customer Centric**
- Passionate about achieving the best customer experience at every touch point, while ensuring department performance indicators are met.
- Ensure the operational efficiency of the departments whilst ensure optimum customer service is provided.
- Support the Sales division with key client pitches and relationship management when required.

**Team Management**
- Provide guidance and leadership to team members working within the department to achieve the key result areas of the organisation’s strategic goals.
- Act as a positive role model to all employees by always respecting individuals, working collaboratively, sharing experience and by being a mentor.

**Budget Management**
- Development and implementation of annual business p