Senior Construction Defect Technical Claims Specialist Team Lead

Company

Argo Group is an underwriter of specialty insurance products in the property and casualty market. Argo offers a full line of products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of businesses. The Argo entities are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Clearbrook Group Holdings Inc.

Job Description

Business Title(s): Senior Construction Defect Technical Claims Specialist Team Lead

Employment Type: Full-Time 

FLSA Status: Exempt 

Location: Remote

Summary:  

We are looking for a highly capable Senior Construction Technical Claims Specialist Team Lead to join our team and work from any of the following Argo offices: Albany, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Omaha, or Richmond (VA). Alternatively we can fill this role with a fully remote employee, except in the States of AK, DE, HI, KY, MI, MS, MT, ND, SD, or VT.  This role will be managing three Claims Handlers and adjudicating our most complex construction defect claims for our customers and contribute to providing superb results for our clients.
 

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Approximately 50% of the role:
  • Successfully supervise and provide training, mentoring, and technical oversight to a small team of claims adjusters. Management of the team includes:
    • Ensuring performance objectives and metrics are in place and being met to support and meet department goals.
    • Providing direction, leadership and training.
    • Providing advice and oversight into claim disposition strategies.
    • Working closely with claims adjusters and outside counsel to ensure cost-effective and appropriate litigation management strategies are in place that will lead to the best overall outcome.
    • Managing expenditures for the team to budget / plan.
    • Supporting the professional claims selection process to hire and retain claims professionals that consistently demonstrate appropriate technical expertise, maturity and a professional commitment to excellence and customer service.

• Approximately 50% of the role:
  • Working under limited technical direction and within broad limits and authority, adjudicate highly complex claims, potentially with a significant impact on departmental results.
  • Solving difficult problems that requires an understanding of a broader set of issues.
  • Reporting to senior management and underwriters on claims trends and developments.
  • Analyzing claims forms, policies and endorsements, client instructions, and other records to determine whether the loss falls within the policy coverage.
  • Creating and writing own coverage letters.
  • Investigating claims promptly and thoroughly, including interviewing all involved parties.
  • Manage claims in litigation
  • Manage diary timely and complete tasks to ensure that cases move to the best financial outcome and timely resolution.
  • Properly setting claim reserves on a timely basis, taking into account how different policy wordings impact the claims reserving process.
  • Identify, assign, and coordinate the assignment and coordination of expertise resources to assist in case resolution.
  • Prepare reports for file documentation
  • Applying creative solutions which result in the best financial outcome.
  • Negotiate settlements
  • Processing mail and prioritizing workload.
  • Responsible for telephone calls and written correspondence to/from various parties (insured, claimant, etc.).
  • Have an appreciation and passion for strong claim management.

Qualifications / Experience Required: 

• A deep knowledge of construction defect claims adjudication, along with an exceptional focus on customer service, typically achieved through:
  • A minimum of seven years’ experience adjudicating construction defect claims with exposure of $100,000 or more.
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university required. Two or more insurance designations or four additional years of related experience adjudicating claims beyond the minimum experience required above may be substituted in lieu of a degree.
  • 1 year in a Claims Supervisory capacity managing adjusters is preferred, but not required.
  • Licenses in multiple jurisdictions.  Applicants either need to possess a General Adjusting License in Florida, Texas or Wyoming or currently be licensed in multiple other jurisdictions.  In addition, applicants must have the ability within three months of hire to obtain other licenses in each jurisdiction (either through reciprocity of their Florida, Texas or Wyoming license or by obtaining a license in each jurisdiction (such as required by New York).
  • Prior experience working with ImageRight and Guidewire strongly preferred, but not required.
• Must have good business acumen (i.e. understand how an insurance company works and makes money, including how this role impacts both Argo Group and our customers’ ability to be profitable).
• Ability to regularly exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. This role primarily faces problems and issues that are difficult and require an understanding of a broader set of issues. 
• A strong focus on execution in getting things done right.  Proven ability to consistently produce and deliver expected results to all stakeholders by:
  • Finding a way to achieve success through adversity.
  • Being solution (not problem) focused
  • Thinking with a global mindset first.
• Must have excellent communication skills and the ability to build lasting relationships.
• Ability to ability to build consensus.
• Strong focus on selection – determined to have the right people who do the best job.
• Dedicated to developing talent.  Understands and is committed to developing people so that they realize their full potential.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with clients, business partners and organizational peers with a focus on timely and meaningful exchanges of information.
• Exhibit natural and intellectual curiosity in order to consistently explore and consider all options and is not governed by conventional thinking.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent evaluation and strategic skills required.
• Strong claim negotiation skills a must.
• Must possess a strong customer focus.
• Effective time management skills and ability to prioritize workload while handling multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Ability to articulate the financial value of your work at multiple responsibility levels inside our clients’ business which may include CEO.
• Demonstrates inner strength.  Has the courage to do the right thing and demonstrates it on a daily basis.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite and other business-related software.
• Polished and professional written and verbal communication skills in order to present information accurately and effectively.
• The ability to read and write English fluently is required.
• Must demonstrate a desire for continued professional development through continuing education and self-development opportunities.
• Demonstrate innovative thinking and regularly shares ideas to help the team whenever possible
• Know how claims reserving techniques are used and how to assess whether a claim reserve is accurate.

The base salary range provided below is for hires in those geographic areas only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for an annual bonus based on company and individual performance as well as a generous benefits package.

• Colorado outside of Denver metro, Delaware, Illinois (outside of Chicago metro area), Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts (outside of Boston metro area), Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia Pay Ranges: $156,000 - $187,500 
   
• Boston metro area, California outside of Los Angeles & San Francisco metro area, Connecticut, Chicago metro area, Denver metro area, New Jersey (outside of New York City metro area), New York State (outside of New York City metro area, including but limited to Albany county), Washington, D. C. metro area, & Washington State Pay Ranges:  $172,000   - $206,000 
   
• Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City (including but not limited to Westchester county) metro areas Pay Ranges:  $187,500 - $ 225,000 

About Working in Claims at Argo Group

• Argo Group does not treat our claims or our claims professionals as a commodity. The work we offer is challenging, diverse, and impactful.
   
• Our Adjusters and Managers are empowered to exercise their independent discretion and, within broad limits and authority, be creative in developing solutions and treat each case as the unique situation it is. 
   
• We have a very flat organizational structure, enabling our employees have more interaction with our senior management team, especially when it relates to reviewing large losses. 
   
• Our entire claims team works in a collaborative nature to expeditiously resolve claims.  We offer a work environment that inspires innovation and is open to employee suggestions. We even offer rewards for creative and innovative ideas. 
• We believe in building an inclusive and diverse team, and we strive to make our office a welcoming space for everyone. We encourage talented people from all backgrounds to apply.