MicroEnsure Principal Officer Kenya Job Vacancy

Description:
MicroEnsure is the world’s first and largest insurance intermediary focused solely on serving clients below the poverty line (BPL).  Begun in 2002 with the belief that risk mitigation is critical to poverty alleviation, MicroEnsure served over 3.5 million lives in 2009 across Africa and Asia. These products cover life, health, livestock, weather-index insurance for crops and property.
MicroEnsure has operated in Kenya since 2009, with other African operations in Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana.  MicroEnsure has experienced rapid growth since then and is seeking to improve its insurance expertise and brokerage leadership.
Position: Principal Officer, Kenya
We are seeking a Principal Officer to provide insurance expertise and leadership to our operations in Kenya. Candidates should have a strong insurance expertise, a demonstrated customer focus, be results oriented, and be able to lead with minimum supervision.
Other requirements include good attention to detail, an ability to manage internal and external stakeholders, and negotiate at senior levels with external organizations.  The Principal plays a critical role in the day-to-day management of MicroEnsure’s operations as well as operates as a public relations and strategic leader for the company.
Responsibilities:

Some responsibilities begin day one and are denoted with “immediate”, but many will require mentorship and expertise development from MicroEnsure staff as micro insurance is a new industry and are denoted as “developmental”.
  • Manage underwriting relationships in support of Country Manager including new product design, quote negotiations and client representation. (immediate + developmental )
  • Daily oversight and process improvement for claims facilitation, client registration, reporting and customer care. (immediate)
  • Resolve insurance operational issues or complaints involving vendors, customers and Third Party Administrators in collaboration with Country Manager. (immediate + developmental)
  • Work with Country Manager, Head Office staff and underwriters to develop innovative new products and distribution platforms (direct, mobile phone, NGOs, MFIs, etc) to serve low income families more effectively and with broader reach. (developmental)
  • Support Country Manager by managing an effective and efficient operation to handle processing of business and reporting of the results.  This role requires an empowering and capacity-building leadership style focused on developing a large, capable team over time (immediate)
  • Maintain superb public relations with all our clients and stakeholders so that we are sought out as the sole intermediary with professionalism in the micro insurance segment (immediate)
  • Promoting visibility to the market that we serve that evokes the image of compassion, ethics and integrity, projecting the ethical Christian image of our organization (immediate)
  • Represent CM and MicroEnsure as required by CM (developmental)
Position Reports To: Country Manager, Kenya Dotted Line Reporting: Chief Product Officer, Head Office UK Business Address: Hughes Building, 8th Floor, West Wing, Nairobi, Kenya
Requirements:
  • 5-10 years minimum experience in technical and management roles within the insurance sector
  • Bachelor degree minimum; preference for master’s degree or applicants with professional insurance qualifications
  • Demonstrated expertise to act in supervisory role for insurance operations
  • Insurance broking or consultancy background or at a minimum a strong business development and sales background, preferably with management experience.
  • Experience in developing new products preferable and demonstrated understanding of market research techniques, competitor analysis and sufficient insight into Kenyan insurance regulation.
  • Willingness to work as a team member with people across geographies and cultures.
  • Strong self-starter able to perform tasks with minimal input.
  • Customer service oriented with focus on clients, customers, MFI staff, Country Managers and those around.
  • Conversant with Microsoft Office suite.
  • Fluent written and spoken English required.
  • Ability to travel within Kenya and occasionally outside of Kenya.
  • A commitment to model and articulate Opportunity’s and MicroEnsure’s Christian mission, vision and Core Values.
How to apply