Executive Associate - SRM at Discovery Limited

Key Purpose

• The Executive Associate role is renowned for providing unique opportunities to highly talented individuals to accelerate their growth and development through working with and being exposed to senior leaders across Discovery Health.
• If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, with strong problem-solving ability, the Executive Associate role will give you the opportunity to put those skills into practice by assuming a range of operational and strategic responsibilities at very senior levels within the business. As part of your journey, Discovery Health also aims liberate you to realise your full potential.
• The Executive Associate: Strategic Risk Management (SRM Executive Associate) supports Discovery Health’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and/or the Head of Strategic Risk Management (Head of SRM) in leading a team of managed care professionals to develop and implement managed care strategies and initiatives for Discovery Health-administered medical schemes and other insurance products that provide members with access to best possible benefits and healthcare services, highest possible quality of care and ensure the long-term affordability and sustainability of client medical schemes and the health system, more broadly.

Principal Accountabilities

The main activities and deliverables for SRM Executive Associate will primarily include (but not limited to) the following:

• Support Discovery Health’s CCO and Head of SRM in developing and coordinating implementation of strategic managed care initiatives and interventions that ensure efficient delivery of high-quality healthcare for members of Discovery Health-administered medical schemes.
• Track and monitor progress against annual risk and managed care savings goals and targets, including coordination of reporting to Discovery Health Exco, Discovery Health Board of Directors, Discovery SA and Group Excos, Discovery Health Medical Scheme and other medical schemes administered by Discovery Health.
• Identify and develop new SRM managed care and other disruptive innovation initiatives and projects in alignment with Discovery Health’s strategy and semi-annual new products launch, interfacing with Discovery Health R&D, actuarial and benefits team through the development process.
• Support Discovery Health CCO and Head of SRM in preparing presentations and discussions with internal and external stakeholders, including conference presentations, key external partner discussions, Board and Exec-level discussions.
• Support Discovery Health CCO in coordinating and managing engagements with key medical scheme clients including Discovery Health Medical Scheme Executive Office and Board of Trustees.
• Support Discovery Health CCO in interfacing with other divisions and executives across Discovery Health (e.g., risk intelligence, health operations, systems, digital, R&D, data science) and across the Group more broadly (e.g., Vitality, Group marketing).
• Support Discovery Health CCO and Head of SRM in leading the SRM team and coordinating the annual team engagement calendar incl. weekly management meetings, monthly townhalls, quarterly strategy step-backs etc.
• Coordinate and manage overall SRM governance cycle including semi-annual strategic review, weekly SRM Risk Exco in alignment with strategic priorities and key governance requirements.
• Interface with the CEO’s office to align on Discovery Health Exco, Board and other reporting and governance requirements, as well as overall strategic calendar and priorities for Discovery Health.
• Drive strategic projects that may arise from time-to-time including targeted growth initiatives, new technology and disruption initiatives, responses to potential regulatory or legal challenges etc.
• As the SRM Executive Associate grows in confidence, knowledge of the business, experience and capability, the role will extend into broader strategic projects and potential line leadership positions within SRM or Discovery Health, more broadly.

Key skills and competencies

The following are the main skills and competencies required for the role of SRM Executive Associate:

• Exceptional strategic thinking ability: able to think commercially and strategically at a
• system level and to develop practical, readily implementable solutions
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical ability: able to cope with highly complex and
• ambiguous problems, at a system level and business level, on a day-to-day basis
• Exceptional communication ability (written and oral): able to prepare and present concise
• and compelling executive-level documents and presentations on a routine basis
• Exceptional people leadership ability: able to lead a team toward achieving challenging
• goals and targets and to conceptualising and implementing complex projects and initiatives
• Exceptional inter-personal and team engagement ability: able to work collaboratively
• across the SRM division, other divisions across Discovery Health and the Group more broadly.
• The role is ideally suited to someone with prior top-tier strategy consulting experience or with strong strategic and analytical experience at a very senior level in business.

Qualifications & Experience 

The following are essential requirements: 

• A relevant degree/s at post graduate level or higher, with a strong mathematics, analytical or business focus  
• Six to ten years business experience, ideally in a leadership role  
• Client centred role –  senior level consulting experience with a top tier consulting firm such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG etc. preferable 
• Extensive business and/or technical experience with a proven track record of innovation, entrepreneurship, delivery and performance