Leader of Marine Insurance Operations

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced professional to lead our Marine Insurance and Claims Department. As the department head, you will be responsible for overseeing all marine insurance and claims related matters.

The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of marine insurance policies, procedures, and regulations. They will also possess strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and external vendors.

• Serve as the overall leader of the MI&C Department, acting as the authorized point of contact and escalation for all Marine Insurance and Claims related matters.
• Represent EMARAT Maritime LLC as the Group Principal in all marine insurance and claims policies and functions.
• Ensure comprehensive implementation of all marine insurance procedures across the company, maintaining oversight of Marine insurance policy coverage, placements, certificates, claims, renewals, and documentation.
• Approve high-value decisions in consultation with MD/CFO, including settlements and policy endorsements.
• Uphold compliance with Marine insurance policy terms and international regulations.
• Lead all insurance policy planning and risk mitigation initiatives, acting as the strategic decision-maker for placement and renewal of all marine insurance lines.
• Review and approve insurance renewals, endorsements, and premium structures, assessing risks related to voyages (e.g., war zones, piracy areas) and advising on War Risk/K&R/INL coverage.
• Validate statutory and financial coverage for port entries as per departmental manual, monitoring policy expiration timelines and initiating renewals with brokers as needed.
• Oversee the complete life cycle of insurance claims, ensuring timely resolution and compliance with insurer protocols as per the departmental manual.
• Manage complex or high value claim as per the approvals structures in the manual / ERP, reviewing all incoming claims (P&I, H&M, FD&D, LOH) and ensuring accurate registration in CIMS.
• Liaise with P&I Clubs, Brokers, insurers, for negotiations, and settlements, approving high value settlements, RRAs, and recoveries in coordination with CFO/MD.
• Ensure claim files are closed with complete documentation and reimbursement.
• Act as direct supervisor and mentor for MI&C team members, ensuring optimal departmental structure, delegation, and staff performance.
• Assign duties to IOs, SCEs, and IEs based on claim or policy complexity, conducting regular reviews of claim closures, ERP entries, and broker interactions.
• Oversee internal claims summary updates and compliance with Departmental manual, identifying areas for performance improvement and implementing corrective measures.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and procedural excellence within the MI&C team, facilitating regular training on policy requirements, claim handling, and compliance updates.
• Maintain an up-to-date digital repository of policies, procedures, claim trackers, and audit documents, sharing updates on international regulatory changes and insurer requirements.
• Encourage internal knowledge sharing and succession planning.
• Ensure the MI&C Department meets all internal and external compliance and audit requirements, verifying that vessels maintain valid certificates required for port entry as per the ERP system.
• Facilitate internal audits and external insurer audits, ensuring timely data submission, monitoring compliance with international regulations (e.g., OPA 90, Canada Shipping Act, MLC).
• Lead the closure of audit observations and preventive action implementation.
• Act as the primary contact for all marine insurance brokers, clubs, surveyors, and legal, appointing and evaluating performance of brokers and claims handlers.
• Manage service-level expectations with P&I Clubs, H&M insurers, FD&D underwriters, and LOH adjusters, coordinating with legal teams for complex disputes or FD&D matters.
• Ensure timely communication between internal stakeholders and external vendors.
• Provide leadership-level reporting and strategic direction based on risk and claim trends, preparing risk reports and insurance summaries for MD/CFO and board-level review.
• Analyze claim frequency, deductible impact, and loss ratios to recommend changes, tracking premium movements and cost-saving opportunities in coordination with brokers.
• Develop long-term strategies to optimize coverage and reduce exposure.
• Act as MI&C's representative in interdepartmental coordination and emergency response, coordinating with internal stakeholder on insurance issues, participating in QHSE meetings, emergency drills, and internal review panels.
• Facilitate effective communication during vessel incidents and claim activations.
• Represent the Group Principal in insurance policies i.e. EMARAT Maritime LLC, ensuring unified policy placement and claims management of the team, acting as the point of contact for brokers and insurers and legal representatives.
• Coordinate consolidated risk positions, engaging with Emergency Contact Points as below: Internal Stakeholders: Senior Management and all departments of Emarat Maritime, External Stakeholders: Marine Brokers, P&I Clubs (insurers)P&I Correspondents, Retainer lawyers, FD&D club solicitors, Sanction specialist lawyers, Marine loss adjusters, Marine Surveyors, Hull and Machinery leaders, Loss of Hire insurers.