AVP, Operations

Join Starr, a global leader in commercial insurance with over a century of expertise. We empower our employees to innovate, make impactful decisions, and build lasting client relationships worldwide. At Starr, you'll work in an entrepreneurial culture alongside accessible leaders, leveraging our financial strength and vast industry experience to deliver solutions for our clients, no matter how complex. Grow your career with a rapidly growing company that invests in its people and their ability to drive real progress. Position Overview: The AVP of Operations is responsible for leading and optimizing the operational processes that support the Casualty Lines underwriting profit centers. This role will collaborate cross-functionally with underwriters, IT, finance, compliance, and customer service teams to ensure process excellence, regulatory compliance, and achievement of business objectives. The AVP of Operations will analyze data, manage resources, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to maximize efficiency and support underwriting profitability. Key Responsibilities: • Oversee operational workflows and resource allocation for Casualty and underwriter teams. • Develop, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensuring adherence to regulatory and company standards. • Monitor and analyze operational KPIs, loss ratios, submission throughput, quote turnaround times, clearance accuracy, and policy issuance efficiency. • Partner with underwriters to identify and resolve process bottlenecks impacting service levels, profitability, or compliance. • Drive system and process improvement projects (including automation and digital transformation), collaborating with IT and vendor partners. • Establish and manage quality assurance practices across documentation, data capture, and transactional accuracy. • Support the onboarding, training, and development of operational staff aligned with best practices and underwriting needs. • Liaise with finance around premium processing, billing, and reconciliations to eliminate discrepancies and enhance reporting accuracy. • Ensure all operations align with legal, regulatory, and internal audit requirements, implementing remediation plans when necessary. • Foster a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork, and operational excellence. • Provide timely, actionable reporting and analysis to underwriting leadership and executive management. Soft Skills: • Excellent leadership and people management capabilities. • Strong communication and interpersonal skills; able to collaborate and negotiate across stakeholder groups. • Problem-solving orientation with the ability to anticipate issues and propose effective solutions. • Change management and adaptability to fast-paced, dynamic environments. • High degree of emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills. • Strategic thinking and ability to balance short-term needs with long-term goals. Technical Skills: • Advanced proficiency in insurance core systems (policy administration, rating, document management). • Strong Excel and data visualization skills; familiarity with BI/reporting tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI). • Working knowledge of workflow/process automation and digital tools. • Familiarity with regulatory requirements for Casualty and Specialty Lines (including claims and compliance systems). • Understanding of operational risk frameworks and controls. • Experience with project management platforms and methodologies (e.g., Agile, Lean Six Sigma preferred). Analytical & Expertise Requirements: • 5+ years’ experience in insurance operations supporting underwriter profit centers, ideally within Casualty or Specialty Lines. • Sound knowledge of P&C insurance products, underwriting processes, and service delivery requirements. • Strong analytical abilities, including root-cause analysis, process mapping, and reporting. • Demonstrated experience in operational process optimization and performance management. • Ability to interpret and act on quantitative/qualitative data (e.g., workflow rates, error trends, service levels). Performance Objectives: Operational Efficiency: Achieve a minimum 10% year-over-year improvement in process cycle times (e.g., submissions to bind, policy issuance). Quality Assurance: Maintain an accuracy rate of >98% in policy documentation and transaction processing. Stakeholder Satisfaction: Realize at least a 15% increase in underwriter and customer satisfaction scores through enhanced support and communication. Financial Impact: Contribute to profit center goals by reducing operational costs by 8% via automation and process improvements. Compliance: Achieve full compliance with all audit and regulatory requirements, with corrective actions completed within agreed deadlines. Staff Development: Ensure all direct reports complete role-specific training and deliver at least one process improvement initiative per year. For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in New York, Starr Insurance Companies is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets: experience and training: licensure and certifications: and other business and organizational needs. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $200,000 - $225,000. Starr is an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer first class training and development opportunities to all employees. Our aim is to grow our own talent and bring out the best in people.