Monday, October 14, 2013

UAP Life Assurance Limited Head of Retail Business job in Kenya

Head of Retail Business - UAP Life Assurance Limited
 
Ref: HRB

Nairobi, Kenya

Job Description

UAP Group is a pan-African Financial Services Group with interest in Insurance, Investment Management, Property Investments and Development and related Financial Services.  
Currently UAP has twelve (12) businesses operating in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania. UAP Holdings Ltd is the holding company for the various UAP businesses.
UAP Life Assurance Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UAP Holdings Limited, is licensed to offer long term insurance in Kenya and has been operating as a specialist long term insurer for close to 4 years now since its demerger from UAP Insurance in 2009.
Currently, UAP Life occupies position 8 out of 23 life companies, just after less than 4 years of operation, and has ambitions of attaining market leadership in the next 5 years.

As part of measures to attain market leadership, UAP Life Assurance Limited is looking to recruit a dynamic and passionate Head of Corporate Business who will be responsible for corporate business spanning distribution, new business processing, servicing, and product development. 

He/She will also be responsible for development of various distribution channels, including non -traditional channels.

The Mandate

The Head of Retail Business will be responsible for retail business spanning distribution, new business processing, servicing, and product development.

Key responsibilities include:
  • Driving the achievement of total company budgeted sales and profits for Retail and Mass Insurance through direct sales force, county-based brokers, agents, and direct mass distribution systems including automated channels and retail aggregator partnerships.
  • Ensuring that new business acquisition and retention is in line with and contributes to the agreed strategic plan and business targets.
  • Ensuring that the set minimum standards of recruitment, training, activity, productivity and compensation for the field force are adhered to.
  • Developing the direct sales force’s office network, Sales Manager strength and Agent manpower, in line with the strategic and profitability objectives.
  • Setting activity, productivity and quality (business retention, average premiums) standards and ensure that these are met throughout the direct sales force.
  • Specifically monitoring and observing the actual behavior of Unit Managers, assessing their performance against key role competencies and improving their effectiveness through coaching and setting a good example.
  • Regularly reviewing and updating all distribution channels, including: direct and mass market sales, Nairobi agents, and branches so as to ensure maximum client reach at appropriate cost levels.
  • Implementing and developing new and innovative solutions and distribution systems to capture more business directly, including automated channels (mobile and web based) and retail and aggregator partnership e.g. with retail companies and member organizations.
  • Developing and launching new products to the market place and ensuring that agents, the direct sales force, direct business, and branches are fully trained in such products.
  • Defining training needs for all levels of the Field Force.
  • Ensuring that sales and sales management processes are properly defined and documented, effectively supported with appropriate tools, and strictly adhered to.
  • Developing and maintaining good quality sales management information systems so as to provide timely and effective insight into performance of Managers and Agents alike.
  • Ensuring that the retail back office operations team deliver service in line with the company’s overall service standards
  • Ensuring that the minimum persistency rate is achieved
  • Executing marketing programs in liaison with the Group Marketing function.
The Criteria

UAP Life Assurance Ltd is an equal opportunity employer, and a diverse set of candidates is being sought for formal consideration.

The Ideal Candidate will have the following experience and background:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Business or a related field.
  • Previous experience at a senior level in Business Development and Distribution Channel Management in the Financial Services sector or Telecommunications industry is desirable.
  • 5 years’ experience in Senior Management in the Insurance Industry, Banking, or Telecommunications Industry.
  • Sales experience in a commercial setting; experience in the financial services sector will have an added advantage.
  • Advanced Level competence in Microsoft Office tools, i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
The Ideal Candidate will be a leader who demonstrates:
  • Strong leadership credentials with a proven track record of guiding individuals or groups towards achievement of set goals or tasks.
  • Planning and organizing with a proven ability to accomplish goals.
  • Ability to lead and work within a team.
  • Readiness to make decisions, take actions and commit oneself.
  • Ability to think strategically, formulate business plans and execute the same to achieve set objectives.
  • Excellent Customer Service Orientation.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
To get more information on the role, please download the detailed role profile here
 
Closing Date: 25/10/2013