Current Jobs at Guardrisk

Role Purpose    

• To lead the life distribution function at Zestlife, driving growth through strategic channel development, sales performance management, and digital enablement. This role is pivotal in expanding Zestlife’s life insurance footprint and enhancing call centre productivity and partner channel success.

Requirements    
Qualification

• CA(SA), Actuary, or strong commercial sales executive with deep experience in life insurance.

Experience

• 8–10 years in life product sales, development, or distribution management.
• Call centre leadership experience highly advantageous.
• Tech-savvy with a passion for digital transformation in distribution models.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Sales Leadership

• Oversee life insurance call centre operations, including performance metrics and incentive structures.
• Manage dealer segment and third-party sales initiatives.

Strategic Distribution Planning

• Develop and execute a life product distribution strategy aligned with business goals.
• Identify new opportunities and channels for life insurance product growth.

Technology & Innovation

• Chair the optimisation committee focused on fintech integration and call centre system enhancement.
• Leverage data and automation to improve efficiency and client conversion.

Product Development & Execution

• Collaborate with actuarial, operations, and marketing teams in developing and refining life products.
• Drive implementation and rollout across distribution teams.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to regulatory standards and internal controls.
• Lead operational and governance meetings related to sales and distribution.

Competencies    

• Developing strategies: Is focused on developing strategies; thinks in the longer term and anticipates trends; envisages the future and adopts a visionary approach.
• Seizing opportunities: Identifies business opportunities; creates additional sales for future growth; wants to win and outperform competitors.
• Convincing people: Is comfortable having to persuade others; shapes opinions by being outspoken; seeks to negotiate with others.
• Empowering Individuals: Motivates individuals by empowering them; seeks to inspire people and groups; gives encouragement to others.
• Making decisions: Is determined and decides on actions; willingly assumes responsibility; is definitive and stands by own decisions.
• Providing Insights: Is focused on continuously improving things; provides insights by identifying key issues; makes intuitive judgement.

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Role Purpose    

• To lead the distribution, growth, and product strategy for Zestlife’s non-life (health and related) insurance products. This role is accountable for driving revenue, building distribution channels, and ensuring regulatory structuring and compliance for all non-life business.

Requirements    
Qualifications

• CA(SA) or Actuary with deep experience in health or non-life insurance.

Experience

• 10 years of experience in insurance product development, distribution, or sales strategy.
• Strong regulatory and structuring knowledge (KI qualification or willingness to complete RE1/RE5).
• Commercial mindset with strong business development skills.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Sales & Distribution Strategy

• Lead and grow distribution through call centres, IFA networks, and partner institutions (e.g., Liberty, PPS, Standard Bank).
• Manage HealthMax advice centre performance and innovation.

Product & Proposition Leadership

• Oversee product development for non-life (health) products, ensuring competitiveness and compliance.
• Partner with actuarial and marketing teams to build market-responsive offerings.

Channel & Partner Management

• Cultivate and maintain high-level partnerships and distribution agreements.
• Negotiate structuring and commercial proposals with channel partners.

Regulatory & Governance

• Serve as Key Individual (KI) and take accountability for all non-life regulatory responsibilities.
• Ensure all product documentation, contracts, and offerings align with regulatory and legal standards.

Strategic Planning & Growth

• Work closely with the General Manager and CEO on non-life strategic initiatives and new market penetration.

Competencies    

• Developing strategies: Is focused on developing strategies; thinks in the longer term and anticipates trends; envisages the future and adopts a visionary approach.
• Seizing opportunities: Identifies business opportunities; creates additional sales for future growth; wants to win and outperform competitors.
• Convincing people: Is comfortable having to persuade others; shapes opinions by being outspoken; seeks to negotiate with others.
• Empowering Individuals: Motivates individuals by empowering them; seeks to inspire people and groups; gives encouragement to others.
• Making decisions: Is determined and decides on actions; willingly assumes responsibility; is definitive and stands by own decisions.
• Providing Insights: Is focused on continuously improving things; provides insights by identifying key issues; makes intuitive judgement.

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Role Purpose    

• To take full ownership of the operational function, including policy administration systems, process improvement, vendor management, and IT integration. This role is central to ensuring Zestlife’s operational excellence, customer service efficiency, and technological agility.

Requirements    
Qualification and Experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Operations, or IT (MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification preferred).

Experience

• 8 years’ experience in operations leadership, preferably within insurance or financial services.
• Strong experience with policy administration platforms
• Proven change management, vendor negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Responsibilities, work outputs and individual contribution

 Operations Leadership

• Oversee policy administration, claims, onboarding, servicing, and benefit management.
• Ensure high efficiency and minimal disruption in all operational processes.

Technology & Systems Management

• Take ownership of the OWLS platform – development roadmap, maintenance, close monitoring of production environment, upgrades, vendor management and provide detailed IT business requirements for implementation of new processes, process changes  and products,Collaborate with IT teams and vendors to align system functionality with business requirements.

Process Optimization

• Implement process improvements to support scalability, automation, and cost reduction.
• Lead operational implementation of new products across life and non-life portfolios.

Governance and Risk

• Ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulations.
• Review and sign off on templates, client communications, and documentation in line with governance standards.

Team Leadership

• Manage operations and IT teams and drive cross-functional collaboration with Finance, Marketing, and Distribution teams.
• Collaborate with Finance, Actuarial, and Distribution teams for effective business partnering.

Competencies    

• Developing strategies: Is focused on developing strategies; thinks in the longer term and anticipates trends; envisages the future and adopts a visionary approach.
• Directing people: Is comfortable leading people; coordinates and directs groups; seeks to control things.
• Making decisions: Is determined and decides on actions; willingly assumes responsibility; is definitive and stands by own decisions.
• Examining information: Analyses and processes information; asks probing questions; strives to find solutions to problems.
• Providing Insights: Is focused on continuously improving things; provides insights by identifying key issues; makes intuitive judgement.
• Managing tasks: Manages tasks by being organised and methodical; plans activities systematically; sets priorities for tasks.

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Role Purpose    

• To lead and manage the financial function of Zestlife, including strategic financial planning, regulatory reporting, budgeting, and financial control across both life and non-life portfolios. The Finance Executive will play a key strategic role in supporting executive management in decision-making through high-quality financial insights and oversight.

Requirements    
Qualifications

• Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) or equivalent qualification.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years’ experience in financial leadership roles, preferably within insurance or financial services.
• Strong technical knowledge of IFRS, insurance accounting, and tax regulation.
• Proven track record in strategic financial planning and team leadership.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Responsibilities, work outputs and individual contribution:

Strategic Finance

• Develop and oversee the financial strategy in alignment with Zestlife and Guardrisk’s goals.
• Provide financial insights and support strategic planning, growth initiatives, and product development decisions.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, and cash flow management.
• Ensure accurate and timely preparation of monthly and quarterly management reports, board packs, and statutory financial statements.

Regulatory and Compliance

• Oversee FSP representative register.
• Ensure full compliance with relevant regulatory bodies including FSCA, SARS, and IFRS standards.
• Liaise with auditors and regulatory authorities and ensure all tax and statutory obligations are met.

Operational Finance

• Maintain and enhance budget models and forecasting tools.
• Oversee rate table management and premium and claim bordereaux functions for life and non-life products and ensure accuracy for renewals and product updates. premium collection functions including group payroll collections, premium debtor reporting and bank account reconciliations and related premium bordereaux payments.
• Oversee claim payment submissions to bank, related bank account verifications, bank account reconciliation and claim recoveries.
• Manage policy cash back payments.
• Processing financial transactions including operating and production expenses and authorise payments and refunds. Manage intercompany loans.
• Oversee management of asset register.

Taxation

• Responsible for VAT and IT calculations and submission.

Governance and Risk

• Ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulations.

Technology and System Management

• Take ownership of the IT platforms – developments, maintenance, close monitoring of production environment,  upgrades and provide detailed IT business requirements for implementation of new processes, process changes and products,

Leadership

• Lead and mentor the finance team.
• Collaborate with Operations, Actuarial, and Distribution teams for effective business partnering.

Competencies    

• Developing strategies: Is focused on developing strategies; thinks in the longer term and anticipates trends; envisages the future and adopts a visionary approach.
• Directing people: Is comfortable leading people; coordinates and directs groups; seeks to control things.
• Making decisions: Is determined and decides on actions; willingly assumes responsibility; is definitive and stands by own decisions.
• Interpreting data: Interprets data rationally by quantifying issues; applies technology as a means to evaluating data; evaluates information objectively.
• Examining information: Analyses and processes information; asks probing questions; strives to find solutions to problems.