Head Buying and Actuarial at Santam Insurance

What will you do?

This is a senior position in Santam Re involving leading the Buying of Santam’s complete Reinsurance program, the largest RI program on the continent. The position involves meeting with reinsurers and evaluating and assessing new products and services that could be of benefit to the wider Santam Group. This role will be based in Cape Town and reports to the Head: Reinsurance.

What will make you successful in this role?

The Actuarial role is leading and supervising the actuarial team that works closely with Santam Re and the pricing and risk analysis of its business. This is a pro-active role since the actuarial team is expected to also engage with clients and markets and make their own assessment of the trends in business development

The Head of Buying, in conjunction with the various Business Unit Heads in Santam, and the Head of Santam Re determine the optimal cost effective reinsurance program for Santam.

Whilst the Head of Buying is primarily tasked with managing the successful, cost effective, security satisfying standards of the group, the Head of Buying is also expected to engage with reinsurers to establish what new products or services they may be developing or offering which could be of benefit to the business units in Santam.

Qualifications And Experience

• The successful candidate will preferably have a numeracy-based qualification, ideally actuarial related.
• At least 10 years of experience leading and managing an actuarial team.
• Minimum of 10 years of TREATY reinsurance experience.
• Demonstrated track record of having managed / placed / negotiated reinsurance programs.
• Should be able to work with and build a team of competent staff. including training and developing younger staff members
• Must have solid experience in articulating and directing plans for how the reinsurance program will look in future

Skills

• The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of reinsurance accounting and will ensure that there are no problems with Santam’s outward reinsurance accounts.
• They have a capacity to cope emotionally with the vagaries of reinsurance.
• A good grasp of all aspects of treaty reinsurance structures and treaty reinsurance programs.
• Ability to immediately recognize the most comprehensive and cost-effective way to contain Santam’s exposures to its Risk appetite.
• A sound understanding of international reinsurance markets and can articulate Santam’s needs and engage with comfortably with reinsurers.
• A sound grasp of understanding statistics, trends and “what-if’ scenarios will be important.
• A strong statistical background will be helpful
• A thorough understanding of treaty wordings, reinsurance clauses and being up to date with trends and developments in the industry is important
• Increasing governance requirements both internally and externally requires that the successful person has a sound grasp of good governance and is committed to good governance in the everyday practice of the business.
• The ability to market and engage Santam to brokers and international reinsurers, is important.
• The importance of using and developing technology to minimize administrative processes and to improve the speed and accuracy of administration is crucial.
• A solid understanding of reinsurance accounting and statistics is important.
• Most importantly the successful candidate will be people centric and will have a strong understanding of the importance of team, and of motivating those with whom they are working.
• Attention to detail
• Pragmatism
• Problem solving
• Strategic thinking
• Systems thinking
• Navigating ambiguity
• Effective communication
• Demonstrating courage and grit

Competencies

• Drives Results
• Cultivates Innovation
• Client Focus
• Flexible and Adaptable
• Collaborates
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Decision Quality
• Plans and aligns
• Negotiation
• Risk Management
• Reporting and Administration
• Business acumen