Head of Certificate Operations

About the role

Howden, a global insurance group, is seeking a Head of Certificate Operations in Charlotte, NC, on a hybrid schedule. The role leads the US Certificate and Auto-ID functions, ensuring that client insurance certificates are issued, transferred and delivered accurately, on time and in compliance with regulations. It sets the strategy and governance for Certificates of Insurance (COIs) and Auto ID cards and steers their future state toward automation.

Key responsibilities

• Define the strategy for proof of insurance issuance across business units and set governance frameworks, SLAs and performance metrics
• Develop policies, controls and audit-ready procedures, and provide management reporting on volumes, aging, exceptions and regulatory metrics
• Support internal and external audits, including SOC reports and regulatory examinations
• Oversee delivery of COIs and Auto ID cards through the Client Experience Center, manage capacity and monitor KPIs such as turnaround times and accuracy
• Hire, train and develop certificate operations staff, set performance standards and foster cross-training with related back-office functions
• Drive automation of manual certificate workflows, including digitization and straight-through processing, and participate in technology builds and a client portal initiative
• Act as escalation point for institutional and retail client issues and coordinate with Legal and Compliance

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations or Insurance; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• 8-12 years of experience in insurance operations, shared services or enterprise process management
• 3-5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing certificate process ownership
• Proven success implementing governance, automation and continuous improvement initiatives
• People-management experience leading operations teams of 10+ employees

Required skills

• Experience with insurance systems such as Epic, CSR24, AMS360 or equivalent
• Experience building technology to support business needs
• Strong analytical, organizational and vendor-management skills
• Ability to present to senior management

What we offer

• Expected base salary of $170,000-$200,000, depending on experience and location; discretionary bonus available
• Medical, dental and vision insurance, with healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid time off and paid parental leave
• Life and disability insurance