Head of Claims

General Description:
The Head of Claims is responsible for the strategic and effective management of the Claims function, encompassing Individual Insurance Claims, Group Life & Health Claims, and Pre-assessment teams. The incumbent leads the Claims function’s contribution to the Claims Transformation project by defining the Claims Target Operating Model, articulating future-state requirements, shaping end-to-end workflow design, driving change management, and ensuring alignment with business priorities, operational objectives, and customer experience outcomes. This position reports directly to the Chief Operations Officer, Hong Kong & Macau.
Responsibilities:
Claims Experience Delivery
Lead the Claims team’s participation in the Claims Transformation project by defining future-state processes and workflow requirements
Provide expert input on claims operations, digitization, Straight Through Processing, and assessment practices to shape the design of the Claims Target Operating Model
Partner with Operations Transformation, the Claims Product Owner, IT, and cross-functional teams to co-design solutions and system capabilities
Represent Claims in system development and testing to ensure functionality, data accuracy, and operational usability
Drive change management, team readiness, and adoption of new processes and technologies
Define and monitor key metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives
Claims Risk Management
Work with the Claims Risk Manager and Chief Medical Officer to implement a customer-centric, business-value-driven Claims Assessment Philosophy aligned with the company’s risk appetite, while safeguarding reputation and profitability
Work with the Claims Risk Manager and Chief Medical Officer to ensure the company’s claims practices remain market competitive
Ensure consistency and integrity in claims assessment approaches and decisions across the team
Ensure compliance with corporate and regulatory guidelines
Ensure claims audits are completed in accordance with corporate requirements
Pre-assessment Management
Oversee the Pre-assessment team to deliver timely, consistent support to distribution channels, customers, and internal stakeholders
Ensure pre-assessment practices align with claims philosophy, product provisions, underwriting considerations, and corporate guidelines
Monitor service quality, turnaround time, and case consistency to support effective claims experience delivery
Distribution Channel Management
Maintain effective two-way relationships with distribution channels to gather market feedback on claims practices, processes, and service support
Train and guide distribution channels to understand and support the company’s claims philosophy
New Product Development/Claims Initiatives
Ensure smooth rollout of product and claims initiatives in alignment with corporate policies and guidelines
Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop claims assessment practices for new products and claims initiatives
Ensure effective and timely training of claims assessors for new or revised guidelines
Team Development
Build a high-performing team and develop a sustainable succession plan
Demonstrate leadership capability to develop an engaged, client-centric team that delivers sustainable business, operational, employee, and customer outcomes
Strengthen talent development, performance management, and team effectiveness to support business continuity and succession objectives
Accountabilities (Individual / Shared):
Individual Accountabilities:
Claims Performance Management and Operations
Claims Risk Management
Customer and Claims Experience
Team Leadership and Talent Development
Key Shared Accountabilities:
Claims Transformation and Digital Enablement
Claims Experience Delivery
New Product Development and Claims Initiatives
Distribution Channel Management
Customer Experience and Complaint Management
Business Continuity and Operational Resilience
Knowledge/Skills/Competencies/Education:
Degree in Insurance, Finance, Business Administration or a related field
At least 15 years of claims experience, including leadership experience in life insurance claims
Proven experience in claims operations management, performance management, governance, and regulatory compliance
Experience in process improvement, automation, digital transformation, and claims operating model design
Transformation-ready leadership skills
Customer-centric mindset with sound commercial judgment and risk awareness
Proven leadership capability in talent development, succession planning, coaching, and team engagement
Effective stakeholder management skills across distribution, product, underwriting, medical, actuarial, legal, compliance, IT, vendors, and external partners
Change management capability to lead teams through transformation and embed new ways of working
Effective communication, influencing, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
Problems/Challenges:
Balancing customer experience, claims risk, regulatory expectations, and commercial outcomes
Maintaining BAU service quality while leading transformation readiness
Driving consistent claims assessment across teams, products, and locations
Manage a two-way relationship with all Distribution Channels
Position Dimensions (Organizational Impact):
Oversees a team of 40+ employees in Hong Kong, plus an offshore team of approximately 40 employees in Chengdu
Distribution channels managed include agency, banks, and brokers, including approximately 11,000 agents
When you join our team:
We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.
This Position Description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees in this job. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for this job classification.
About Manulife and John Hancock
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.
Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer
At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.
It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To re