Branch Manager: Port Elizabeth needed at Hollard Insurance

Job Advert Summary    

• The Port Elizabeth Branch Manager is responsible for leading and managing the Port Elizabeth branch in the Eastern Cape. Management of branch team who sell and service various types of products, such as commercial, and personal insurance as well as cross selling specialist products offered by Hollard COE’s.
• Management of the sales operations of the branch, monitors the sales performance and customer satisfaction, and ensures compliance with the company policies and regulations. The branch manager also develops and implements strategies to increase the branch revenue and profitability, and to maintain a competitive edge in the market. Ensure that all support functions deliver to expectation ensuring our service is of the highest standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Management: Forecasting, budgeting, budget attainment, cost management etc
• Operational Management: Management of all aspects relating to sales operations within the branch with a matrix relationship to Regional Claims, Technical and Underwriting management.
• Operational Efficiency: Ensure that turn-around times and productivity levels are acceptable and that team productiveness is optimised. Ensure that the team is structured in such a way that broker service is of the highest level.
• Sales and Marketing: Manage the growth (including organic growth) of the branch. Visit brokers and accompany sales team members on broker visits, obtain new business from brokers and develop relationships with existing and new brokers. Sell Hollard products to brokers and/or agents using consultative selling techniques. Contribute to effective marketing of the Company products by answering questions, resolve problems on topics such as policy status, billing, etc, and explaining new or revised products and processes.
• Make presentations to brokers and/or agents. 
• Account Management: Meet goals for volume and value of quality new business quoted and written within company guidelines. Recommend or implement changes to improve productivity, profitability, growth and the quality of assigned book of business. Service, grow and maintain renewal policies. Confirm rating and cover on endorsements requested. Review segment profit/growth results and trends to recommend and implement action plans to produce profitable underwriting results. Ensure that all premiums are received and up to date on all accounts in portfolio. In collaboration with credit control review and discuss all outstanding premiums and arrears with Brokers on a monthly basis. 
• Underwriting/Risk Analysis: Analyse qualitative and quantitative data prepared by brokers to provide approval for risk selection and acceptance, coverage and price. Recommend creative alternatives regarding to rating plans, coverage and payment plans. Decline unsuitable risks.  Ensure transactions are completed within delegated authority limits and within set standards and service level agreements.  Ensure reinsurance is in place, where applicable.
• Policy Administration: Ensure that service delivery is maintained in terms of agreed parameters by engaging with the Regional Head of Policy Administration
• Claims Management: Iiaise with the Regional Claims Manager and relevant claims team when required to ensure that all claims received are evaluated and investigated in order to prevent possible leakage to the company in the settlement of claims. Operate a claims mandate.
• Relationship Management: Interact frequently with brokers and/or agents as well as other internal and external stakeholders
• Reporting: Provide necessary reporting on financial and operational indicators relating to the branch. Provide feedback (reporting) to senior management on achievements, pending issues, problems and suggested recommendations.
• Performance Management: Manage the performance and efficiency of the branch and individuals, using KPI’s, standards, process compliance, service level agreements, policy and procedures as tools and guides.  Ensure at all times resourcing is effectively and efficiently in place, to service the work load.
• Problem solving: Assisting staff in resolving complex problems while ensuring adherence to standards & objectives
• Decision making: To make recommendations and take decisions on technical or complex administrative functions within mandates.
• Staff development: Ensure that direct reports are up to date with all compliance courses and attend relevant and required training. Ensure Gallup scores are consistently improving.

Required Knowledge and Experience    

Experience

• Sound understanding of commercial and industrial short-term insurance with at least 10 years’ experience (5 years in management position), the majority of which has been in the Port Elizabeth insurance market

Knowledge and Skills

• Strategic thinking
• Complex problem solving
• Insurance terminology
• Claims procedure
• Legal knowledge (prescription act, insurance act, FAIS)
• Underwriting procedure (ability to interpret policy wording)
• Risk management
• Reinsurance and treaties
• Product knowledge
• Financial and credit control knowledge
• Business management skills
• People management skills

Educational Requirements    

• B-comm or Business Management / or relevant business qualification
• Insurance qualification at Associate level
• FAIS and RE compliance