General Manager: iStore Insurance and Warranty at Core Group

Job Description

• We are seeking a commercially driven and operationally strong General Manager to lead and grow our iStore Services portfolio, encompassing iStore Insure and iCare Plus warranty extension products across Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch.
• iCare serves as our proprietary warranty solution in the absence of AppleCare in South Africa, making this role critical to customer retention and the company’s value proposition. Full accountability for commercial performance, operational excellence, and strategic development of insurance and warranty products across all retail channels.

Key Responsibilities

Insurance Portfolio Management

• Drive insurance attach rate growth across all iStore retail channels
• Manage weekly new business acquisition and monthly net policy growth targets
• Oversee end-to-end insurance claims processes, ensuring SLA adherence and timely turnaround
• Improve customer onboarding, claims, and self-service journeys
• Collaborate with underwriting partners on product offerings and pricing
• Launch and manage promotional campaigns to drive in-store sales and attach rates

Warranty Portfolio Management

• Grow iCare Plus attach rates across all Lines of Business
• Develop and launch new iCare extension products
• Monitor performance by category and implement corrective actions
• Ensure competitive product positioning within the local market

Automation & Digital Projects

• Lead phased automation of registrations, uploads, and claims workflows
• Drive implementation of online self-service portals and digital insurance integrations
• Collaborate with Digital teams for seamless ecommerce and mobile integration
• Implement live reporting dashboards for KPIs and turnaround times

Roadshows & Store Engagement

• Plan and execute national roadshows at iStore locations
• Train and enable store teams on product knowledge, positioning, and sales techniques
• Identify underperforming stores and implement improvement strategies
• Strengthen relationships between Services and Retail teams
• Gather frontline feedback to inform product and process improvements

People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 4 direct reports (iCare Admin & Support, 2 Insurance Claims Administrators, 1 Project Coordinator)
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, and KPAs
• Conduct monthly and quarterly performance evaluations
• Manage IR processes and HR administration
• Develop succession plans and identify development opportunities for team members

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Manage relationships with insurance underwriters and warranty partners
• Collaborate with Retail, Digital, Marketing, and Operations teams
• Provide regular reporting and strategic updates to senior leadership

Qualifications & Experience

• Relevant tertiary qualification in business, commerce, or related field
• Minimum 5 years’ team management experience
• Strong business partner or account management experience
• Project management capability
• Commercial and/or operational management experience
• Preferred: experience in insurance, warranty, or financial services products
• Preferred: experience in retail or consumer electronics environment
• Preferred: familiarity with the Apple ecosystem

Key Competencies

• Strong customer focus and commercial acumen
• Ability to drive innovation, automation, and continuous improvement
• Proven execution capability and ability to manage multiple workstreams
• Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills
• Sound judgement, initiative, and decision-making ability