Client Service Support Manager Operations - Claims at Sanlam Group

Job Purpose

• To be responsible to oversee and actively lead the Claim Team’s total operational capabilities and output, to support the business and client service strategy.
•  In this role you will function as a subject matter expert and act as a point of escalation.
•  You will also advise and support in the analysis, development, and implementation of best practices across the servicing value chain.

Key outcomes

The following outcomes will be expected to be achieved by the Client Service Support Manager Operations:

• Implementing, evaluating and ensuring that the team’s day-to-day strategy supports the overall business strategy
• Being part of sub-committee preparing death claim recommendations to Trustees of the Personal Portfolios RA and Preservation funds
• Ensuring that your team performs according to contracted performance areas to deliver the highest level of service to stakeholders
• Continuously evaluating and improving processes to ensure effectiveness and efficiency
• Pro-actively identify and manage operational risks 
• Identify ways of promoting accuracy and maximising productivity within the team
• Ensuring effective communication across the department
• Assisting with the implementation of changes to existing products and processes as well as new products 
• Maintaining high levels of teamwork within Operations team, different departments and external parties in order to resolve client queries
• Evaluating problems regarding service issues and enquiries to determine their importance and urgency, perform investigations when necessary and respond with an appropriate solution in a timely manner
• Responding in a professional, timely and empathetic manner to both written and telephonic enquiries from internal and external clients
• Building and maintaining professional relationships with intermediaries as well as other internal and external stakeholders
• Willingness to do presentations to relevant stakeholders
• Managing multiple, simultaneous reports, projects and deadlines
• Having and maintaining a technical understanding of all Glacier offerings and the ability to apply that understanding to daily outputs
• Effectively managing workforce capacity to ensure optimal resource allocation, balancing workloads within the team to maintain high service levels.
• Constant mentoring and coaching of team members
• Providing regular feedback to team members which includes having set monthly discussions
• Staff development
• Seeing to the overall well-being of the team and meeting their needs and expectations where necessary
• Implementing and monitoring workflow management strategies to optimize task distribution, streamline processes, and improve turnaround times
• Reporting and data analysis output 

Qualifications and experience

• Matric with relevant tertiary qualification (Commerce/Management Certificate/Degree/Diploma)
• Minimum 5 years’ proven people management experience within Financial Services Industry
• Experience in the LISP industry will be to your advantage 
• FAIS (RE5) qualification will be to your advantage (or to be completed as soon as possible)
• Knowledge of section 37C process to assist with death claim recommendations
• Knowledge of Retirement, Death and Divorce process 
• Experience with process improvement methodologies
• Ability to develop and implement process controls to reduce risk to the business
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Strong interpersonal and client relationship skills
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written)
• Proven ability to work independently and proactively