Manager, Claims

Background

Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited (Kenya Re) is the oldest Reinsurer in Eastern and Central Africa. It was established through an Act of Parliament in December 1970 and commenced business in January 1971. Kenya Re’s core activity is providing reinsurance services for most classes of business.

Job Purpose

The Manager, Claims, is responsible for providing strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Corporation’s claims management practices. The role supports the claims function in the Group offices, drives effective, efficient, and prudent claims handling, maximises recoveries from cedants and retrocessionaires, ensures accurate reserving and reporting, and aligns claims practices with Kenya Re’s overall reinsurance objectives as a leading Government Owned Enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Claims Leadership

• Develop, review, and implement policies, strategies, procedures, and guidelines for efficient and effective claims handling.
• Develop and monitor a robust risk management strategy for the Claims Department.

Claims Processing & Recovery

• Receive, analyse, validate, approve, and process claims notifications and payment requests from cedants in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor, collect, and recognise salvages and other third-party recoveries from cedants.
• Notify retrocessionaires of large claims and pursue subsequent recoveries under the retrocession programme.
• Appoint and manage loss adjusters, forensic experts, and other professionals to support claim validation and quantification.
• Conduct site visits to loss scenes to verify occurrence and assess the magnitude of claims.

Technical Analysis, Reporting & Reserving

• Analyse technical statements, bordereaux, and outstanding loss data received from cedants to facilitate accurate booking, recognition, and actuarial valuation.
• Compile outstanding loss data for annual and semi-annual reporting and actuarial purposes.
• Prepare retrocession claims statistics (paid and outstanding losses) to support annual retrocession renewals.
• Prepare reports and advise Management on outstanding retrocession claims reserves.
• Prepare monthly claims performance reports for Management and Board decision-making.

Stakeholder Management & Performance Monitoring

• Maintain strong liaison with ceding companies and retrocessionaires, ensuring up-to-date records and effective monitoring of treaty performance.
• Collaborate with internal underwriters to share claims insights and improve underwriting decisions and business uptake.
• Formulate and enforce the department’s debt collection programme for recovery of outstanding reinsurance receivables.

Leadership & Compliance

• Address audit findings, risk issues, and compliance matters within the department and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Academic Qualifications

For appointment to this grade, a candidate must have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Commerce (Insurance Option), Business Administration (Finance, Accounting, Marketing or Strategic Management Option), Business Management (Finance or Accounting Option), Law (LLB), or any other relevant field from a recognized and accredited institution.
• Master’s Degree in Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Commerce, Business Administration (MBA), Law (LLM), Strategic Management, or any other relevant field from a recognized and accredited institution.

Professional Qualifications

• Associate in insurance (ACII – London), Diploma in Insurance, or qualification from the Insurance Institute of Kenya (IIK) or its equivalent from a recognized and accredited institution.
• Member in good standing of the Insurance Institute of Kenya (IIK) or an equivalent professional body.
• Certificate in a management course lasting not less than four (4) weeks from a recognized and accredited institution.
• Proficiency in computer applications.
• Fulfilment of the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Experience

• At least fifteen (15) years relevant work experience, of which three (3) years must have been in an Assistant Manager position.
• Demonstrable team management experience.

Other Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with Executive Management, regulators, cedants, retrocessionaires, and other key stakeholders.
• Superior planning, organizing, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the proven ability to work effectively under pressure and deliver high-quality results within tight deadlines.
• A strong team player with excellent leadership qualities and exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and presentation skills.
• Sound knowledge of auditing concepts, principles, internal control frameworks, and assurance practices.